BrilliantBr Bamford SATURDAY OCTOBER 24 2020 liftslif Leeds to third ForwardFor hits hat-trick to give his sideside a stunning 3-0 victory and halthal Aston Villa’s winning start Sport PAGEPAG 7 Game offCovid rule-breakers including Robshaw force England to cancel match against Barbarians Alex Lowe Deputy Rugby Correspondent The Barbarians who enjoyed two nights out in Mayfair and left the RFU with no option but to cancel tomorrow’s game against England have been accused of a “serious breach of trust” that put players’ health at risk. Chris Robshaw, Richard Wigglesworth, Jackson Wray, Joel Kpoku, Tom de Glanville and Fergus McFadden were among 12 players sent home on Thursday for leaving the team’s biosecure bubble and breaking coronavirus protocols. It is understood that RFU security staff posted at the Barbarians hotel on Park Lane became suspicious about the players’ whereabouts and tracked them down to an Italian restaurant. The players isolated from the rest of the squad on their return to the hotel and then stood down, leaving embarrassed Barbarians officials to scramble for a dozen replacements. The RFU and Premiership Rugby Robshaw was Continued on page 2 among the 12 Barbarians who left the team bubble ALEX DAVIDSON/GETTY IMAGES 2 2GS RM Saturday October 24 2020 | the times WEEKEND Sport Rugby union BRIEFING Premiership final GUILTY Wasps face Exeter Chiefs in the Premiership final today. ‘Stupid’ stars BARBARIANS The European champions are a formidable opponent — but if there are chinks in their WHO BROKE armour, Jimmy Gopperth is the man to exploit it BEN KAY COLUMN, PAGE 6 signed up to RULESRUULES FERGUS MCFADDEN Problems at home CLUB: LEINSTER AGE: 34 Manchester United have won rules on not ten consecutive games away from home — but at Old Trafford they are in turmoil. Paul Hirst unpicks the reasons for their slump and asks how they can address it leaving bubble PAGES 8-9 CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE The Twitter call-ups agreed that England would provide seven players for the Barbarians and at When The Times Deputy Rugby “Mesut Özil, the lunchtime yesterday it appeared that Correspondent Alex Lowe tweeted Kafka of the the game would go ahead. that the Barbarians needed 12 However, the RFU discovered during players by 3pm yesterday, there grass, has been the course of its investigation, which was no shortage of volunteers. left behind had included reviewing hotel CCTV by football’s footage, that a group of players had also James Johnston Once one of been out on Tuesday night in an the world’s most formidable metamorphosis” tight-heads, the 22st Samoa JAMES GHEERBRANT, PAGE 9 “undeclared” second breach. At that point the match had to be international, 34, now plies his called off to avoid the risk of England trade in the French second players contracting the virus in division. He asked: “Looking advance of a five-Test autumn for a prop?” campaign, which begins next Saturday with a Six Nations title decider against Michel Roux Jr The two-Michelin Italy in Rome. star chef, 5ft 10in and according to “We are all incredibly frustrated and one newspaper “very fit from disappointed that the actions of a years of long-distance running”, number of Barbarians players mean we put his hand up on Twitter, no longer feel it is safe for the game to saying “I’m free”. go ahead,” Bill Sweeney, the RFU chief executive, said. Old Northamptonians 3rd XV If the RFU were furious, the Barbari- Every member of the self- ans were “hurt” and embarrassed at proclaimed “best 3rd XV in the RICHARD WIGGLESWORTH being let down by professional players country” — and champions of the who would have been paid £5,000 Estrella Damm Merit League in SARACENS, 37 for a week in camp and the match 2018-19 — declared themselves at Twickenham. available. “We are very disappointed, to the Silver lining point of being absolutely mortified,” John Afoa The Bristol Bears prop, John Spencer, the Barbarians most recently sighted in the On the anniversary of his red president, said last night. “When you Premiership semi-final defeat by card in Southampton’s 9-0 look at the players involved, I just don’t Wasps, said “All I wanna do is defeat by Leicester City, Ryan understand it at all. help. come on PRL [Premiership Bertrand tells Matt Dickinson “There has been a serious breach of Rugby]. you know me.” why that loss was the catalyst trust, a trust which rugby players have Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side between each other and a respect they Mark Hunter A 58-year-old prop needed to improve PAGES 14-15 have for their club and their coach in with “limited ability” who was last usual circumstances. seen reviewing his Naked Wines CHRIS ROBSHAW “When we had knowledge of the order on Twitter. “I talk a good second breach I don’t think the RFU game,” he said. “Pace not what it HARLEQUINS, 34 How to follow had an alternative but to call it off. was, not that it ever was.” today’s football People are dying from this virus and we were putting at risk not only the rest of West Ham v Man City, 12.30pm the Barbarians team but the England Both broadcasters were thought to be BT Sport 1, talkSPORT team as well. I am not arguing with any- due a rebate, which is expected to be a were understood to have breached the Watford v B’mouth, 12.30pm thing the RFU have done. They have seven-figure sum that the RFU can protocols. The club said that they were talkSPORT 2 been particularly helpful during the ill afford to pay, given that the govern- “extremely disappointed” in the whole of this transgression.” ing body is already forecasting losses of conduct of those involved. Real Madrid v Barcelona, 3pm Robshaw, the former England £60 million this year. “Although not on club duty while La Liga TV captain, was one of several players to Even if the RFU is not liable to pay with the Barbarians, these players Fulham v Crystal Palace, 3pm issue an apology via social media match fees, believed to be about £5,000 have fallen well short of the high BT Sport Box Office, BBC 5 Live yesterday. All the players involved may per player, it is understood that any professional standards that are Bristol City v Swansea, 3pm yet face disciplinary action from the savings will not be offset by the costs expected at Saracens. RFU once the investigation is com- already incurred. Freelance stadium- “Representing the invitational side is talkSPORT 2 plete, given they had signed documents workers and broadcasters are also a privilege which they have now missed Man Utd v Chelsea, 5.30pm confirming they understood the expected to be out of pocket due to out on due to their poor judgment,” a Sky Main Event, talkSPORT Covid-19 protocols and were reminded the match being cancelled. club statement read. Liverpool v Sheff Utd, 8pm often by the Barbarians of their “Any match-related cost savings “Management has spoken to the Sky Box Office, talkSPORT 2 responsibilities. will be offset by costs already players involved about their responsi- “We did everything we possibly could incurred by cancelling so late,” an bilities of representing Saracens away to avoid this situation and to make it RFU spokesman said. “The RFU from the club and the impact that clear what the regulations were,” Spen- is evaluating the legal and these actions have on everyone Guess the season cer said. “They all signed letters con- financial implications.” associated with the club.” With Bill Edgar firming their knowledge and under- England are likely to take a dim Spencer’s surprise at the identity of 0 Arsenal, 1-0 up after 40 standing of the terms and conditions view of De Glanville being those involved was understandable minutes, beat Newcastle 7-3 and they were reminded at frequent in- involved, given that the Bath back given the experience of players such 0 All-German Champions tervals while we were together.” had been in their training-camp as Robshaw, who was expected to be League final at Wembley The RFU was left counting the cost of bubble last week and had been named the Barbarians captain, 0 Fourth-tier Bradford reach its decision last night. Sky Sports was picked by the Barbarians at the Wigglesworth and Wray. League Cup final due to broadcast the final England request of Eddie Jones, the England The Barbarians game had been due Answer on page 13 match of a five-year contract before head coach. to be Robshaw’s farewell to English closing its rugby department and the Saracens had 11 players in the rugby before he joins San Diego BBC was planning to show highlights. Barbarians squad, many of whom Legion in the United States and he the timestimes | SaturdaySaturday OctoberOctober 2424 2020202 20 2GS RMRM 3 Sport . but don’t worry, the JACKSON WRAY Six Nations is back SARACENS, 29 Peter O’Reilly How they stand IrelandIrela resume their Six Nations campaigncam today after an eight- P W D L F A BP Pts England.................4 3 0 1 87 72 1 13 monthmo hiatus and will be desperate France....................4 3 0 1 103 90 1 13 to hit the ground running. At Scotland................4 2 0 2 63 49 2 10 fourthfou in the table but with a game Ireland....................3 2 0 1 55 50 1 9 Wales......................4 1 0 3 109 84 3 7 inin hand over England, France and Italy.........................3 0 0 3 22 94 0 0 Scotland,Sc they need a bonus- pointp victory over Italy today to Ireland will win the title if they beat beb in with a shout of nicking the France and Italy with bonus points.