Williams ‘deeply regrets Bloodgate'

Rugby:Harlequins wing Tom Williams, the player at the centre of the so-called "Bloodgate" saga that resulted in a three-year Heineken Cup ban for Dean Richards, said he deeply regretted his role in the incident.

Former England forward Richards resigned as director of rugby at Harlequins earlier this month after an independent European Rugby Cup (ERC) panel decided the team had staged a blood injury to Williams during their Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leinster in April.

Richards said he was shocked and surprised by the judgment and said the punishment was "disproportionate".

Williams, who left the field with fake blood dripping from his mouth allowing specialist kicker Nick Evans back on the pitch near the end of the match, was originally banned for a year by an ERC ruling in July but his punishment was reduced to four months on Monday.

"I deeply regret the role that I played in this unacceptable incident which has done so much damage to the image of rugby union," Williams said in a statement.

"I let down my team mates and the club fans, and I will have to live with my actions for the rest of my career. In deciding to come clean and do the right thing I have honestly tried to rectify this mess and repay the good faith shown in me by my friends and family.

"I would like to thank the ERC Disciplinary Appeal Panel for their decision to reduce my sanction for which I am very grateful. However, I also realise the grave error of judgment I made in fabricating my original evidence.

"I hope that as a result of this episode that no player or employee will ever be put in a similar compromised position and that if they are, then they will always tell the truth, as I wish I had done from the outset."

Richards, who was also originally given a one-year ban, had his punishment increased on Monday after the appeals committee heard new evidence from Williams.

Harlequins physiotherapist Steph Brennan was also found guilty of misconduct and was banned for two years while Harlequins had their initial fine of €250,000 with half suspended raised to €300,000to be paid in full.

The hearings had also found that Richards and Brennan had fabricated a wound or a blood injury on four previous occasions in non-ERC tournaments.

While the case has shocked the sport, some leading figures in rugby said the fabrication of injuries has being going on for many years.

Former Harlequins and England coach Dick Best said he had raised his suspicions eight years ago.

"My attention was that there were blood injuries and people were leaving the field of play and they were playing the following Wednesday or Saturday," said Best.

"If you have sustained a cut bad enough to leave the field I found it very difficult to believe that people would come back to play the following week.

"It's an unfortunate incident that has arisen and basically Harlequins have got caught cheating and they have been severely punished. The severity of the ban to Richards is a warning to everybody out there that if you do this sort of thing you are going to get severely treated."