Stephen Jones, Rugby Correspondent
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WASPS have reacted furiously to insinuations that they cheated in their vital and unexpected win at Leicester on Friday evening.
During the second half Wasps lost two props, Phil Vickery and Pat Barnard. Because they did not have enough fit props, the scrums were made uncontested in line with rugby’s strong safety rules. But it was clear that the Leicester crowd, as well as some Tigers figures, suspected that Wasps had withdrawn their props to protect their scrummage.
Tom Rees, the Wasps flanker and man of the match, was incensed at the insinuations. “Phil and Pat are proud and durable men. There is no way they would leave a match if they did not have to.”
Yesterday, director of rugby Ian McGeechan weighed in. “Phil took a very heavy blow to the sternum. It was so severe that he was retching and being sick, and the medical staff said there was no way he was going back on.
“Pat pulled a hamstring. Like Phil, he tried to carry on for some time but then he realised that by doing so he could cause himself very serious damage. We did not feel we were having problems in the scrum in any case but we were told by our medical men we definitely had to replace both players.”
Wasps’ season is at least partly back on the rails after a team denuded by injury and unavailability clearly bested a Leicester team nearing full strength, with the performance of Rees especially catching the eye.
The question of making scrums uncontested when props leave the field is vexatious. Clearly, not every incident can be compared to the plight of Wasps on Friday and sharp practice is not unknown, especially by teams who are having problems up front.
One solution put forward is that each team should now have eight replacements instead of seven, with the extra man being a prop. At present, each team has to have a minimum of two specialist front-rowers on the bench and clearly the addition of an extra prop would remove some of the potential for controversy.
However, the rest of the game would deem the measure impossible to operate. If a whole raft of props were needed for elite games, many of them doomed to sitting out the match on the bench, rugby at lower levels would be crippled and many games would have to be called off.
It seems the game must learn to trust not only its coaches but also its medical men. Sharp practice has never been prevalent at Wasps or in most areas of the game at large.
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Its fair to assume that very few rugby players would willingly walk off the pitch uninjured. Therefore if a team goes uncontested scrums they did so unwillingly, so why penalise them for bad luck. As in France, move a back rower into the front row, go uncontested and continue with 14 players.
Andy Webb, Devizes, Wiltshire
Simple answer, give a penalty against a team that cannot provide a complete front row
Stanley Peters, Bournemouth, UK
How about an automatic 2 bonus points for a team that has to play uncontested scrums (where they are not at fault)?
Andrew, Seaford, UK
Do we see a huge amount of 'concern' for Leicester's plight? No maybe becuse they invented 'professional practice' in the modern game - Neil Back god love was the master - loved it when it was for England though.
Wasps did not cheat, leicester choked against them...again!!
Paul, Clanfield, England
As a member of the paying public I expect to see a full contest for 80 mins, uncontested scrums are not good enough. If a team goes into a game with a prop who cannot play for 80 mins then they should have two replacements on the bench.
Chris, Cambridge, Cambs
Under the rules, Wasps did nothing wrong in what they did. So calling them cheats is futuile and wrong. - Understandably Tigers fans are upset their team lost again due to Wasps tactics in the game. However they should direct their efforts to homeward to solving their in-game tactical erorrs.
George, London,
Sounds like a bad case of sour grapes to me. Is the irony that it is Leicester, the arch-users of borderline forward play (is it only me who remembers Neil Back's famous ball slap v Munster that won Leicester the game). Perhaps Leicester are embarrassed to have lost and been "out-Leicestered"?
Peter, Amersham,
There is nothing more frustrating to watch (or play)than uncontested scrums -how about a simple rule change, any team in a competitive league match that resorts to uncontested scrums automatically forfeits the game - BUT the game is allowed to finish (for the spectators & bonus points). wasps cheat!
mike, kingswinford, england
If i remember correctly, Wasps didn't destroy Tigers in the GP final (and HK final the year before) because uncontested scrums gave their backs better ball, it was becuase they absolutely dominated all forward areas except the line-out. It would be illogical to go to uncontested deliberately.
Robbie Cooke, Oxford, UK
Also, issues with feeding? Is this a joke? Every team bar none feeds. That does not condone the action at all, but if the ref is on the other side, every SH who fancies keeping his place will do it. ANYWAY wasn;t it Neil Back of Leciester who handled the ball in teh scrum to win the HK??!!
Robbie Cooke, Oxford, UK
This absolutely smacks of sour grapes. How a true rugby fan can so callously question the integrity of a guy like Phil Vickery leaves me speechless. No-way were Wasps losing the scrum so what advantage did they have? Leicester were well beaten, again, by Wasps, at home and they don't like it!
Andy Webb, Devizes, Wiltshire
Given that hookers no longer have to hook the ball because it is always fed somewhere towards the second row, why don't we do away with specialist hookers, thus freeing up a substitute spot for a prop?
Bob, Crawley,
Matches involving Wasps end up with uncontested scrums to often for it to be a coincidence. The scrum is a integral part of the game if a team cannot take part they should forfeit the match. Or as in France uncontested scrums but you can't replace the prop and have to play with 14 men.
Chris, Cambridge, Cambs
I was also at the game and Wasps have done this before and will do it again unless there is a change of law. They have played within the laws but way outside the moral law of the game. It must change! Also, Wasps continually fed the ball into the scrum on their side without the ref calling the foul!
Graeme, Huntingdon, UK
At an "A" team game against Harlequins last season, Shaun Edwards was allegedly overheard telling a prop in the 85th minute that he was injured. As a result he left the field, the game went to uncontested scrums and Wasps held off a scrum on their 5 yard line to win the match.
David, Twickenham,
Mr Jones...what a strange thing to write - "a Leicester team nearing full strength". Caught the game on TV and was disappointed to see such a weak Leicester team, endless kicking & uncontested scrums - as in Prem Final...becoming a habit for Wasps?
Nick, London,
In the French championship, teams that lose a prop are not allowed to bring on a substitute thus removing the 'cheat' aspect. The number of games going to uncontested scrums has dramatically reduced over there. A team should not be allowed to remove another's advantage by feigning injury. Simple.
Chris, Leicester, United Kingdom
Wasps might be the little boy who cried wolf, that's impossible for us to tell, but after the last time it happened, Vickery admitted that he wasn't injured, just 'tired and sore'. Perhaps it's time for the team who can't field a front row to have to continue with 14 players?
Niel, Wolverhampton, England
Wasps cheating again - there is a surprise. Go look at last seasons play off semi against Bath and then again in the final and wow uncontested and a try scoring threat removed. Especially the Bath match when the field Vickery, coming back from injury, was never going to last a whole match. Cyncial. - Leeds Fan
Dave, Southampton, UK
Why no mention that one reason for the Tigers' suspicions is that exactly the same thing happened during last season's Premiership Final? It's the coincidence that fuels Tigers' suspicions. That and the fact that Wasps never seem to have this problem except against Leicester. Most strange!
James, Guildford, England
Im not surprised Wasps have reacted angrily - they have been exposed! The game on Friday night (I was there) was a dire example of how a team's exploitation of new (and old) rules killed off a high pressure game and threatens to affect the wider sport. This is not where fans want this game to go..
Chris, Leicester, United Kingdom
Both Wasps props were injured on Friday, but I do believe it is wrong to go into a game with props that are very unlikely to last 80 minutes, I wonder how many games Vickery has played from start to finish in the last two seasons? 5 Wasps games finished uncontested last season and 2 this year. Hmmm
Jonathan , Nuneaton,
Leicester are nearing full strength? No Harry Ellis, Lewis Moody, Alex Tuilagi, Seru Rabeni, Louis and Brett Deacon, Dan Hipkiss, Martin Castrogiovanni or Derek Hougaard, to name but a few. Most of these mentioned would be first choice players if not injured or banned. Well done to Wasps anyway!
Nick, Arnold,