England great and current Newcastle boss Dean Richards has claimed the national team used fake blood to help them win the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
He first made his assertion in a confidential meeting with the Rugby Football Union at the time of the Bloodgate crisis 10 years ago.
“The use of fake blood, cutting players, re-opening wounds, feigning injury in the front row, jabbing players with anesthetic all occur regularly throughout the game,” Richards said in the report but insisted he had only been involved in using fake blood.
Richards was asked for examples and listed seven, including: “RWC 2003. England used faked blood [did not know whether capsule or cut by someone in medical team] to manage replacements.”
When asked how he knew, Richards indicated he was informed by a person in the England squad.
England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup head coach Sir Clive Woodward has responded to the accusation, branding it “absolute nonsense”.
“We won every match in Australia,” he said. “Why would we want to cheat? This is simply not true. I am not sure why Dean raised this. I have never been involved in anything like this. It is ridiculous.”
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15. Josh Lewsey – possibly single
Most recently known to have dated British Winter Olympic gold medalist Amy Williams in 2012 but it didn’t work out.
14. Jason Robinson – Sian Griffin
Robinson divorced first wife Amanda, with whom he has six children including; Cameron, Jemimah, Joseph and Lewis. In June 2017 he married Sian Griffin with whom he has one son, Noah.
13. Will Greenwood – Caroline Greenwood
Greenwood and his wife, Caroline, have three children. They previously had a son Freddie who died 45 minutes after his birth in 2002. He is a patron of Child Bereavement UK, a charity which supports parents who have lost a child.
12. Mike Tindall – Zara Phillips
In 2010, it was announced that Tindall was engaged to Zara Phillips, only daughter of Anne, Princess Royal and the granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II. The couple, who now have two daughters, first met during the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
11. Ben Cohen – Kristina Rihanoff
The winger was married to Abby Blayney in 2003, and has twin daughters with her, whom they named Harriette and Isabelle. The couple were estranged since 2014, and divorced in March 2016. In January 2016 it was announced, his former Strictly Come Dancing dance partner and now girlfriend, Kristina Rihanoff, have had their first child together, a daughter named Milena.
