It seems I can't leave you alone for two weeks without all hell breaking loose.
All I wanted was a quiet couple of weeks away with the family but as soon as my back's turned the world of rugby is rocked by scandal.
I'm referring, of course, to the shenanigans at Harlequins and Bath. For the record, here's my tuppence ha'penny's worth...
For Quins the biggest problem is twofold:
(a) they were caught; and
(b) they attempted to hang Tom Williams out to dry and let him take the rap.
Feigning injury is wrong, without doubt, but it's hardly a new phenomenon in the professional game (witness the number of games that dubiously end up with uncontested scrums, for instance) - fact is though that Quins' attempts were almost comically poor and the person who paid the price should perhaps have been the drama coach rather than Dean Richards who has now been well and truly (and perhaps deservedly) scapegoated.
As for Bath, despite each receiving 9 month bans it seems as if Messrs Lipman, Crockett and Higgins believe that they've been cleared of taking cocaine. Who are they trying to kid? There may have been no direct evidence with which to find them guilty of drug taking but their failure to provide hair samples is damning evidence enough that Matt Stevens and Justin Harrison were by no means alone at the club when it came to indulging in Class A drugs. Frankly they got off lightly.
Meanwhile they're still playing some little tournament down under...
Good to see that Gavin Henson is taking pre-season training seriously! 
