Steve Diamond banned for this post match interview
Sale Sharks Director of Rugby Steve Diamond appeared before an independent disciplinary panel last night charged with conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game contrary to RFU Rule 5.12.
Following the match Sale Sharks v Exeter Chiefs on Friday 27 October 2017, Diamond gave a broadcast interview during which he allegedly failed to respect the authority of the match referee, Craig Maxwell-Keys.
"Well he's making it up isn't he. The ref was making the decision up." ?
Steve Diamond talks to @cocker, but isn't a happy man ? pic.twitter.com/LuAQlGEXJA
— BT Sport Rugby (@btsportrugby) October 27, 2017
At the hearing the Sale Sharks Director of Rugby accepted the charges and the panel decided that:
The remaining three weeks of the suspended sanction imposed on Diamond by a disciplinary panel in February 2017 from entering the playing enclosure or technical area, approaching match officials and communicating or attempting to communicate with match officials before the game, during the game (to include the half-time period) or after the game will be activated.
This will take in to account the two games that Diamond stood himself down for on 3 and 10 November 2017.
The remaining week of that suspension will be served on 19 November 2017 against Leicester Tigers.
The suspended portion of the fine imposed by the panel in February 2017 (£1500) is activated.
A further six-week stadium ban is imposed, 50% of which is to be served immediately following Sale Sharks game v Leicester Tigers and includes matches against Northampton Saints, Worcester Warriors and Cardiff Blues in the European competition.
The stadium ban means no entry to the stadium on match days.
The remaining 50% of the stadium ban is suspended until the end of the 18/19 season and may be activated in the event of any further similar offending.
Chairman of the panel Ian Unsworth QC said: “The panel were disappointed that Mr Diamond was before them once again charged with acting in a way which undermines the values of the game.
The comments made in the post-match interview clearly and obviously undermined the referee and were an attack upon his character, competence and integrity.
Those comments struck at the heart of the game’s core values. The game is built upon respect. There must be respect for officials.
“The panel made it clear that the continuing behaviour of Mr Diamond is unacceptable and, if it continues, may lead a future panel to consider deducting points from Sale Sharks.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Who listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
40 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
40 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
39 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
1 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
40 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to comments