'It wasn't in my mind to check whether there was fake blood... I hadn't come across that before or even heard talk of it'
Nigel Owens has admitted there was nothing more he could have done at The Stoop 10 years ago when the Bloodgate saga played out in the infamous Harlequins-Leinster European Cup quarter-final.
The Welsh official was referee on that never forgotten Sunday a decade ago when Quins got winger Tom Williams to bite into a fake blood capsule so that Dean Richards could get his kicker Nick Evans back on the field as a blood sub in a match the Londoners were to lose 5-6.
Writing in his weekly walesonline.com column, Owens reflected how the controversy unfolded and is still incredulous Harlequins tried to cheat their way to victory.
“Could I have done anything more to prevent the above events unfolding? Probably not,” wrote the referee about a bust-up that would surely have had far deeper repercussions had Leinster not won the quarter-final en route to winning the trophy that season.
“Call me naive and overly trusting, but it certainly didn’t cross my mind that something like that would happen in rugby. I wasn’t qualified to go over and test whether there was fake blood.
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“Had I asked to see the cut, the people handling Williams could have told me it was at the back of his throat and so wasn’t visible. Not being medically trained, I wouldn’t have been able to agree with that contention or dispute it.
“There has to be an element of trust. In those days, there was no neutral match-day doctor. My concern when Williams left the pitch was to make sure Evans had earlier been substituted for a tactical reason rather than an injury. Had he gone off for the latter, he would not have been allowed to return.
“Once I had established he had been subbed for tactical reasons it was permissible to allow him to replace a team-mate with a blood injury. It wasn’t in my mind to check whether there was fake blood. I’d seen a lot in the game, but I hadn’t come across that before or even heard talk of it.”
The true story of Nigel Owens, bloodgate and the day a scandal changed rugby foreverhttps://t.co/ZoTYqC4F8Z pic.twitter.com/FVVQfBd58d
— WalesOnline ??????? (@WalesOnline) April 13, 2019
The first Owens really knew that something dubious had taken place was when he entered the changing room following the match to be to Leinster had made an allegation concerning the use of fake blood. He went on to add that he had little to do with the ensuing investigation, merely telling those who asked at the inquest what he has seen and done at the time.
Ten years on from the fall-out, he insisted rugby must continue to be vigilant if it is to keep its integrity. “Some good did come from the episode because it proved a watershed moment for rugby union,” he said.
“It raised awareness and let people know that our sport can be affected by cheating as much as any other sport. But rugby deals with these issues and we haven’t seen the like of it since — certainly nothing so wild and audacious.
“We can’t take the moral high ground as things do go on in our sport that are unacceptable but rugby tends to deal with the issues firmly but fairly.
“I don’t want to come over all preachy, but no matter how much cash is involved, we have to uphold the integrity of the game. This was more than gamesmanship and pushing the boundaries.
“It was cheating and bringing the game into disrepute. There’s a line that shouldn’t be crossed in sport. Sadly, a decade ago, such a border was crossed.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks for a much more balanced piece Ned and not that BS that Bin Smuth just posted a short while ago. read this article and then Bin Smuth’s and tell me there isn’t a huge difference🙄
1 Go to commentsWere the Baby Boks part of this game or did the Baby Blacks play themselves?🤔 That man Bin Smuth once again does a little write-up on the game and it is like 95% about the Baby Blacks🤣 Glad he ends off with the Baby Blacks were actually in cruise control for most of the game and weren’t actually playing for the win WTF🤣🤣 Maybe he was expecting the Baby Blacks to run rampant….
1 Go to commentsOne does not expect anything more from Ben Smith who epitomises the worst of New Zealand media arrogance and an inability to balance what he has to say about any team that beats the All Blacks. His reference to context is pathetically thin. He does not comment that Frizell deserved a red card given his blatant manipulation of his body to ensure that he could drop his body weight onto Mbonambi’s lower leg. No mention of the ball lost forward before the All Black’s try (lost in-field of the 5 metre line and gathered beyond). The All Black commitment and effort was superb and there was little in it. Given the Springbok passage to the final and the loss of their hooker in the first three minutes, their resolve and capacity to win their fourth final out of eight attempts (not three out of ten) deserves the praise that has been forthcoming from media around the world, worth reading and listening to. Ben should join his “pundit” friends on TV - he would fit in well. This sort of article reduces any credibility Rugby Pass has ever had. Why persist with this sort of nonsense? The man does his country and a rugby blog a disservice.
185 Go to commentsEtzebeth went on to say: “I would never dream of saying that systems stay in place following a change in captain. To say that would be deeply, deeply, disrespectful of Siya. A while back an Irish person told me they would be fine without Sexton, so I’m just responding to that.”
3 Go to commentsClose games are what we want to see…. What a match it was…. I am sure that everyone was drained by the end of it. The reality of it all there has to be a winner and a loser. The fact that we still talking about it is almost 6 months to the day Rugby is the winner.. Asante sana… Here is to 2027 and what it will bring out.
185 Go to commentsIt’s going to be a good game. COYQ
1 Go to comments“Shock”, the guy was casually saying he was just slightly surprised. Nowadays if you say anything it gets taken completely out of context. Calm down everyone.
156 Go to commentsAll I can say after reading this bitter, sour, sad piece is… Thank you very much! This will be read in the change room just before kick off on 31 August…
185 Go to commentsLook, we know contradicting opinions and wacky comments bring readers and clicks, so well done to RP for allowing always-wrong-Ben to say something here. However RP needs to put a disclaimer next to his comments for their own credibility. NZ was and is incapable of acknowledging their opp beating them. They refused so with Ire and with Arg in 2022 and also the Boks in 2023 x 2. Nothing Ben says here holds water, NZ attacked backwards, except when Kolisi and Kolbe was off And cyncialy took out Bongi, we played without lineouts for 75mins. Kolisi and Kurt-Lee almost scored twice. Thats 3 vs 2 for Boks, but the Boks opportunities was legal. Boks should have been 16-3 up by half time. Tacticaly the Boks attacked better defended better scrummed better (without a hooker) kicked better and crossed the whitewash more times. Boks beat Fr Eng Nz to win in 23, comeon give some credit at least. Even Federer Verstappen NY Mets, Mamoa, was able to see a great human sport achievement by the Boks and their DNA Boks #RWC27 !🏉
185 Go to commentsForget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
3 Go to commentsI’ve read loads of nonsense before but this article takes the cake. Or perhaps someone changed the date for April Fool's Day.
3 Go to commentsReally Rugbypass? Ben Smith I think you forgot what the Springboks did to the All Blacks at Twickenham 8 weeks earlier? Springboks 35 All Blacks 7. There is alot of ifs and buts in your article. The All Blacks threw the sink at the Springboks and unfortunately they were not good enough regardless if they played with 14 men or not. It was the Springboks who forced the All Blacks to make mistakes! Sorry but not Sorry the Springboks is the best ever Rugby World Cup Nation in the world. 4 Cups baby!
185 Go to commentsYou just backed the Boks with that fantastic review! Well done! Have some cake!
185 Go to commentsBen Smith please write up something better than this. The Springboks would have won the world cup if you were 15 men on the field. They would have found a way, they always find a way to beat the All Blacks.
185 Go to commentsWow, there is a lot of “could have” and “ should have” in this waist of time dribble. I love the desperation in this story to search for a glimpse at a silver lining. Here are the facts, NZ was a badly coached and undisciplined shadow of their former glory. They never took the lead in a game they were never going to win.
185 Go to commentsGOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
3 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
185 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
2 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to comments