The Harlequins Blood Injury Mystery

I was at the Quins v Leinster Heineken Cup game which recently resulted in a one year ban for the player involved, winger Tom Williams and a £215k+ fine for Harlequins.

I recall the animation on the Leinster bench when Williams did his Ronaldo style wink to his bench as Nick Evans re-entered the fray at a point in the game when his kicking could have swung the game Quins' way. I put it down to a technical rules argument about whether a player who had already been replaced could re enter the game.

Little did we know that it would result in a huge fine for the club and a year long ban for the player.

It begs some interesting questions.....if he was using fake blood, did the coaching/medical staff give it to him? in which case why punish the player so harshly, surely it wasn't his call to use the alleged fake blood, presumably in capsule form?? Is fake blood a standard item in a physio's kit bag?

If the infringement did take place, why not punish the doctor or the physio, both of whom have been exonerated? and finally does it matter that much? Have the European Rugby Cup overreacted in trying to protect the integrity of the game, .....the penalties are indeed draconian....

I suspect an appeal will see reductions all round.