Union to investigate after 'racial abuse' stops game

Bruce Reihana

The Rugby Football Union's disciplinary panel is to investigate an incident without precedent in English rugby after spectators at Northampton's 33-18 win over Bath on Sunday complained of racial abuse in an exchange between players from both sides.

Three Bath supporters and one from Northampton made complaints after hearing comments on the pitch.

Their signed statements are thought to allege that Andy Higgins, the Bath wing, was racially abused in the second half when he refused to return the ball after a breakdown in play. Higgins refused to shed light on the alleged incident, saying: "There are always strong words. I never take any notice of them. It was sledging, nothing more."

Play was halted in the 57th minute and the captains were called together by the referee, Wayne Barnes.

Kiwi Bruce Reihana, of Northampton, and Isaac Fea'unati, of Bath, were warned of the allegations, although the referee, both touch judges and the fourth official, David Rose, were not aware of any abuse taking place. Barnes restarted the game with a scrum.

Brian Campsall, the RFU's referee assessor at the game, said: "It was brought to the fourth official's attention by the chief security officer at the ground that he had received at least one complaint that players from both sides had been racially abusing one another."

Campsall's take on events was that the chief security officer told the fourth official to stop the game.

"The captains were given 30 seconds to talk to all their players," he said, "and to tell them there were accusations and that if they were taking place, we didn't want to hear any more.

"I'm not aware of what might have been said. None of the match officials had heard anything."

An RFU spokesman said: "We take such allegations very seriously and we will take a report from the match officials, and also from the chief security officer and Brian Campsall, once a top referee himself."

- INDEPENDENT