Steve Diamond welcomes RFU findings, lashes out at critics

Sale Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond has welcomed the finding by the RFU reports that the Sale players are not guilty of misbehaviour that supposedly catalysed an outbreak of Coronavirus which resulted in the infection of 27 people. Diamond has also shown disdain for the prominent rugby personalities of Pat Lam, Ugo Monye and Alan Solomons for their comments regarding his players after the break out took place.

It was alleged that the Sale players were partying in Manchester with no regard for the danger of the spread of the virus after their Premiership Cup final win in September, which sparked plenty of criticism. The RFU’s investigation, however, exonerated the players of any wrong-doing.

“Quite rightly we were cleared by the RFU,” Diamond said. “The judgment isn’t out until this afternoon but that appears to be the decision. 

“I’m philosophical about it really. Obviously, we had a mass outbreak so they have got to have a look at it. I’m just a bit disappointed with rugby in general really over the event where Pat Lam, Ugo Moyne, Alan Solomons all jumped in on these false allegations that we were partying in the inner city and the student areas of Manchester, which was a real poor thing to say with no evidence and was factually incorrect.

“I’m disappointed with them. I thought rugby had a bit more about it. Maybe I’m one of them blokes who is too old school, that we believe these qualities are there, that you don’t do each other on the slightest thing, but obviously not. The world’s changed a little bit, so a bit disappointed about that. But delighted that the decisions that have come, that we have been exonerated. There are some issues no doubt in the report that will be advisory and will be advisories for all clubs.

“I was delighted. I knew when I went on BT and said that none of our players had been out into Manchester, it just didn’t happen, I knew that was the case then. What we have done since is put it to bed. We have not really talked about it at work. 

“We managed to get four weeks off which was the positive of it and we have trained for two weeks pretty hard. It’s one of those things, it’s a peculiar year and we move on and hopefully we can get this season started on Friday and crack on and hopefully some normality will return in the new year.”