Bloodgate 10 years on

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/47882458

Really good honest interview with Tom Williams about Bloodgate. I had forgotten that he was basically thrown under the bus by 'quins - the pressure on him to take the fall must have been immense, but totally unfair on him.

As Monye says at the end, the good thing to come out of it is it massively cleaned up the game - sounds like incidents like this were rife at the time.

Just the most awful incident that it appears lots of clubs were doing at the time.

It was not just the players and coaches that got caught up in it, the medical professionals involved paid a huge price as well, both getting struck off, though eventually re-instated and basically had their careers trashed. I don't have an awful lot of sympathy for them but I do understand how, in the heat of the moment they made some very bad decisions that they will undoubtedly regret for the rest of their lives.

There does seem to be lots of double standards here. Deano has said sorry and rehabilitated himself whereas Williams and the medics will be forever dammed.

Interesting that Williams just retired from all rugby coaching this week. His interview when leaving alluded to never really being able to get away from this incident.

By all accounts a great guy and good coach of the Quins academy.

It's always a situation that is relevant when it comes to concussion and the need for independent medics when assessing them. Didn't realise how rife it was, you have to wonder why Horgan was so sure it was a capsule and why that was so quick to his thoughts

Richards should be the next England coach but that is never going to happen due to this.

marty2086 wrote:It's always a situation that is relevant when it comes to concussion and the need for independent medics when assessing them. Didn't realise how rife it was, you have to wonder why Horgan was so sure it was a capsule and why that was so quick to his thoughts

To be fair the blood capsule was so comically bad it didn't look like a normal cut!

Sorry Collapse I had to delete your post - this is a public forum so we can't have comments that could get us in trouble.

Controversial subject and it just goes to show that the little man can often take the biggest hit but the higher ups or a large organisiation like Quins can move on passed the mud throwing.

Its a shame in life that often these things are determined by who has the money or resources for a good lawyer or PR team!

Sure the players association managed to help Williams out to an extent but he's not been able to move forward in Rugby while Quins have!

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/apr/12/bloodgate-made-us-a-laughing-stock-but-the-collateral-damage-was-brutal

Ugo Moyne version of the events. He does not seem to have Williams as the main victim to come out of it. The medical professionals were the main fall guys