Ward incident will do no good to the game’s reputation

IT’S never a good sign when the major talking point from a rugby match has nothing to do with rugby but regrettably this is the case from the Harlequins match at Twickenham against Wasps.

A show-piece game in front of over 80,000 fans at the ground and many thousands watching live on TV, this was a significant opportunity to shop window all that is good in top class professional rugby – but the end result was the exact opposite.

While I can understand the attempts to “wind up” the opposition , a process which has existed for as long as I can remember in rugby, there is a line which cannot be crossed. The “stamp” by Dave Ward was clearly not an attempt to injure only to annoy, and this action is not disputed. The more contentious action is the alleged spitting at an opponent lying on the ground. Ward has categorically denied that he spat at an opponent, despite cameras suggesting otherwise with no other explanation from the player.

It seems that Harlequins have successfully attempted to bring closure to the official actions by suspending Ward for one week for “stamping” but declaring that no charge was to answer on the spiting issue. Again conspicuous by the lack of an alternative explanation why there was no case to answer.

Respect has always been a major aspect in rugby culture and this action, in the absence of an explanation, would clearly breach the acceptable levels of behaviour .

During this World Cup year we would hope to see the game grow, this incident and the subsequent handling of the incident has done nothing to attract players, spectators or sponsors. ROB MINTO Holbeach