Rugby must clean up its act or climax to historic season will be tainted

Dismissed: Anthony Watson
(Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Chris Jones5 April 2016

One moment Anthony Watson is parading around the Stade de France holding the Six Nations trophy after helping England win the Grand Slam, the next he is being held back from the fourth official after being sent off for Bath against Saracens.

On the same night, a Bath supporter is alleged to have got into the referee’s room area to remonstrate with the official. As that incident is being investigated, Saracens lock George Kruis is cited for biting Bath prop David Wilson, who will also face a disciplinary panel after allegedly making contact with Kruis’s eye area.

In Friday’s match, England’s Chris Ashton made his return after a 10‑week ban for making contact with the eyes of Ulster’s Luke Marshall while Wales’ Tom Francis is serving an eight week-ban for a similar offence.

Dylan Hartley, who led England to the Grand Slam, is still recovering from the concussion he suffered against France to complete a picture of a sport that appears incapable of avoiding damaging headlines at a time of national celebration.

The seemingly endless investigation into Joe Marler’s “gypsy boy” comment to Wales’s Samson Lee concludes today after weeks of bad publicity and the question is: Do parents really want their children to start playing this sport?

I am one of the tens of thousands who still do, which is why rugby has to reinforce its core values after a spate of offences.

Decision time: Joe Marler clashes with Sansom Lee and could be punished today
BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images

Rugby is a collision sport that requires players to retain absolute self-control and with the season coming to a climax, the sport cannot afford more incidents of foul play.

Last year’s World Cup made a positive impact on rugby in England despite the team’s nightmare exit and the Grand Slam has been a welcome boost in a sporting landscape still dominated by football. England rugby chiefs insist the core values of the sport are not being eroded and while they argue these incidents make headlines because they are rare, everyone involved in the sport must recognise they happen too often and we need a controversy-free end to what is a historic Grand Slam season.

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