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Howley will join a rogues' gallery of other sportsmen if found guilty of breaching strict gambling regulations
Wales have sent home assistant coach Rob Howley from the World Cup in Japan for a potential breach of betting rules. If found guilty of any wrong-doing, the well-known rugby figure will join a rogues’ gallery of other sportsmen who have recently fallen foul of the strict regulations surrounding gambling.
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Barton banned
Midfielder Joey Barton was suspended from all football activity for 18 months during April 2017 after he admitted a misconduct charge from the Football Association related to betting.
Barton was fined £30,000 and warned about his future conduct after breaking FA rules for placing 1,260 bets on matches between March 26, 2006, and May 13, 2016.
Following an appeal, the sanction was later reduced by almost five months. Barton would go on to make a return to the game as the new head coach at Fleetwood in June 2018.
(Continue reading below…)
Bingham hit in the pocket
Former world champion Stuart Bingham was given a six-month suspension for breaching snooker’s betting regulations. Bingham, who won his title at the Crucible in 2015, was found to have placed bets of close to £36,000 on matches – some of which he was playing in – over a period of 12 years.
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association said Bingham had admitted to a small amount of betting using two accounts in his own name but was actually guilty of “greater betting over at least seven years”.
Half of the ban was suspended, meaning Bingham was not allowed to play again until January 26, 2018, and was also ordered to pay £20,000 in costs.
Teenager Stevens sanctioned
Earlier this month, Leeds midfielder Jordan Stevens was given a six-week ban and a £1,200 fine after being charged with misconduct by the FA in relation to its betting rules. The 19-year-old admitted to placing 59 bets on football between August 2018 and May 2019 – five of those involved games in which Leeds played.
The ban is on all footballing activity which means Stevens is unable to train with Leeds during that period or interact with players or the coaching staff – a move the club has called “excessive” and a “disproportionate punishment”.
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Sturridge’s ‘insider information’
Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge was handed a two-week suspension from football and a £75,000 fine for breaching betting regulations.
An independent regulatory commission found that Sturridge, capped 26 times by England, had given his brother inside information on a possible move to Sevilla during the January 2018 transfer window.
Sent home from Japan, it appears as if Rob Howley's coaching career is in tatters following an alleged betting rules breachhttps://t.co/4M27IQrj1P
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 17, 2019
However, nine of the 11 charges were dismissed against Sturridge, who was free to resume his career on July 31 as four weeks of a six-week ban were suspended.
After his contract at Anfield expired this summer, the former Chelsea forward was a free agent and went on to sign a three-year deal for Turkish side Trabzonspor.
Stephenson pays a heavy price
Australian rules football handed out a 10-match ban to Collingwood star Jaidyn Stephenson and a 20,000 Australian Dollar (£11,350) fine for betting on games involving his club. Stephenson had been hit with a sanction of 22 matches, but 12 of those games were suspended.
It emerged the Magpies’ player had given money to a friend to place bets for him, and also once used a friend’s betting account. The total amount wagered was 36 AUS Dollars (£20) – all of which were unsuccessful.
Springboks assistant Matt Proudfoot gets put on the spot regarding Aphiwe Dyantyi's positive drugs test https://t.co/hf1Py0azOo
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 17, 2019
Who ate all the pies?
Former Sutton goalkeeper Wayne Shaw was fined £375 and suspended for two months for betting-related offences after being pictured eating a pie on the substitutes’ bench during the FA Cup fifth-round defeat to Arsenal in February 2017.
Shaw had been found guilty at an independent disciplinary hearing after he was alleged to have intentionally influenced betting markets. The goalkeeper tucked into the food as he watched the closing stages from the sidelines – with a bookmaker having offered odds on the likelihood of Shaw eating a pie during the match.
The incident caught widespread attention and quickly became known as ‘piegate’. Shaw, who was sacked by the club in the wakes of the controversy, later said he had suffered from depression.
– Press Association
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Comments on RugbyPass
Exeter were thumped by 38 points. And they only had to hop on a train.
29 Go to commentsI am De Groot.
1 Go to commentsHad hoped you might write an article on this game, Nick. It’s a good one. Things have not gone as smoothly for ROG since beating Leinster last year at the Aviva in the CC final. LAR had the Top 14 Final won till Raymond Rhule missed a simple tackle on the excellent Ntamack, and Toulouse reaped the rewards of just staying in the fight till the death. Then the disruption of the RWC this season. LAR have not handled that well, but they were not alone, and we saw Pau heading the Top 14 table at one stage early season. I would think one of the reasons for the poor showing would have to be that the younger players coming through, and the more mature amongst the group outside the top 25/30, are not as strong as would be hoped for. I note that Romain Sazy retired at the end of last season. He had been with LAR since 2010, and was thus one of their foundation players when they were promoted to Top 14. Records show he ended up with 336 games played with LAR. That is some experience, some rock in the team. He has been replaced for the most part by Ultan Dillane. At 30, Dillane is not young, but given the chances, he may be a fair enough replacement for Sazy. But that won’be for more than a few years. I honestly know little of the pathways into the LAR setup from within France. I did read somewhere a couple of years ago that on the way up to Top 14, the club very successfully picked up players from the academies of other French teams who were not offered places by those teams. These guys were often great signings…can’t find the article right now, so can’t name any….but the Tadgh Beirne type players. So all in all, it will be interesting to see where the replacements for all the older players come from. Only Lleyd’s and Rhule from SA currently, both backs. So maybe a few SA forwards ?? By contrast, Leinster have a pretty clear line of good players coming through in the majority of positions. Props maybe a weak spot ? And they are very fleet footed and shrewd in appointing very good coaches. Or maybe it is also true that very good coaches do very well in the Leinster setup. So, Nick, I would fully concurr that “On the evidence of Saturday’s semi-final between the two clubs, the rebuild in the Bay of Biscay is going to take longer than it is on the east coast of Ireland”
11 Go to commentsWhat was the excuse for the other knockout blowouts then? Does the result not prove the Saints were just so much better? Wise call to put your eggs in one basket when you’ve got 2 comps simultaneously finishing.
29 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
86 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
86 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
4 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
29 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
4 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
4 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
11 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
11 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
11 Go to comments