Paul Gustard, the Harlequins head of rugby, has called for rugby fans and pundits to think twice before they rush to condemn players on social media following controversial incidents. The Quins hooker, Dave Ward, was widely accused of stamping and spitting in their win against Wasps last Saturday but, ultimately, neither allegation resulted in a citing charge.
While Gustard accepts Ward was out of line for cynically treading on an opponent, an act described by the former England assistant coach as “pathetic” and deserving of a one-game club suspension, he remains irked by the modern trend for players to be instantly judged in the court of public opinion based on partial video evidence.
“He was convicted before he even had a chance to say anything,” said Gustard. “Before the game was over and he knew anything about it people were saying he spat and stamped on someone. There is no evidence of him spitting on anybody.
2019, World Cup fever No 3: rugby union hits Japan amid uncertainty
“In our country you are innocent until proven guilty. But not in this case; he was found guilty [on Twitter] by 5.30pm for spitting. Which he didn’t do, otherwise he would have been cited. He says he absolutely didn’t spit. If you have evidence that he is lying, prove it.”
Gustard, nevertheless, has since apologised on Ward’s behalf to both Thomas Young and the player’s father, Dai, Wasps’ director of rugby, for the hooker’s sly and deliberate attempt to irritate his opponent by stepping on him. “It’s pathetic and that’s why I banned him. It wasn’t a stamp, which is why he didn’t get red-carded, but it is not acceptable and there is no need for it. It is not behaviour I want to see. We have a duty of care to protect the game and the values of the club and I have to protect those values. I don’t want that in our club and the players don’t accept it either.”
Quins are also calling for the game’s disciplinary standards to be applied more consistently, with Gustard suggesting accusations of sledging made against some of his players tell less than half the story. “We talk to the referee, like every other team. Owen Farrell at Exeter the other week got done for backchat, Wasps were haranguing the ref at the weekend. How many times is Brad Shields in his face, is Dan Robson there, is Elliot Daly pushing people on the floor after? But we get singled out for it, which is unfair.
“We want to work towards being seen in a better light, myself included. I remonstrated with the fourth official and that’s me not under control, which I have to work at. But in terms of discipline, we only conceded seven penalties all game.”
England, meanwhile, have increasing back-row injury problems less than a month before the opening weekend of the Six Nations. Bath have confirmed that the flanker Sam Underhill needs to see a specialist after damaging ankle ligaments during Sunday’s 23-16 Premiership win over Leicester, in which his clubmate Mark Garvey also broke an ankle, and it is understood the former could be out for a minimum of four weeks.
Quins also say Chris Robshaw, sidelined since early October with a knee problem, will not make a competitive return to action before England’s Six Nations squad is announced on 17 January, although he has resumed light running.