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Five of the most infamous drugs bans in rugby

(Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Doping is a growing problem in rugby, particularly across the levels of the game that are not in the spotlight. In recent years, scandals in South African schoolboy rugby and semi-professional rugby in Wales have magnified how widespread this issue has become and various unions have tried to crack down on this. 

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However, in the top tier of professional rugby, failed tests are not as common. That isn’t to say there are none, though. Such cases often receive a lot of attention due to how rare they are among international players. 

Here, RugbyPass sifts through some of the most infamous drugs bans of the modern era: 

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Matt Stevens

Ex-Bath and England prop Matt Stevens was handed a two-year ban by the European Rugby Cup in 2009 after testing positive for cocaine following a fixture against Glasgow in December 2008. The then-26-year-old was at the top of his game when this happened and it understandably created shockwaves. 

The South African-born prop bounced back admirably from this ban, moving to Saracens and resurrecting his career. He was a key member of the London club’s resurgence at the beginning of last decade, starting in the victorious Premiership final in 2011. 

He would also be capped by England again, playing in 2011 World Cup, and was even a surprise pick for the 2013 British and Irish Lions tour which followed on from his selection for the 2005 tour as well. 

Justin Harrison

The Australian was banned for eight months after admitting taking cocaine at an end-of-season party with Bath in London following the 2008/09 campaign. 

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The then 35-year-old was one of four players charged by the Rugby Football Union with bringing the game into disrepute after the night out which also evolved a fight with rival Harlequins players. 

Bath trio Michael Lipman, Alex Crockett and Andrew Higgins all resigned and received nine-month bans for failing to take drugs tests.

Following his ban, Harrison announced his retirement but he made a return to playing by signing a one-year deal with the Brumbies, the side he started his career with. 

He then played for Narbonne in France before moving into coaching. Now works as CEO of the Rugby Union Players’ Association (RUPA) in Australia. 

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Wendell Sailor 

The former dual-code Australia international was banned for two years in 2006 for cocaine use during his time playing for the New South Wales Waratahs. 

The powerful winger argued that this was only recreational and therefore not performance-enhancing, but the ban still stood. 

This came after a few months of ill-discipline in which Sailor was also sent home from a tour of South Africa for his behaviour, suspended for three matches and fined after an incident outside a Cape Town nightclub.

The drugs ban ended Sailor’s five-year union career in Australia. However, while it threw his entire career into doubt, he made the return to league in 2008 with St George-Illawarra, the club his son Tristan has now made the breakthrough at. 

Johan Ackermann

The current Gloucester coach had a career in South Africa tarnished by his two-year ban in 1997 for taking the steroid nandrolone to help recover from an ankle injury. 

The ex-lock was 26 years of age at the time and already had four Springboks caps to his name, but he was forced to rebuild his career after the ban. 

He spent the two years out of rugby working for the police before a return to play for the Golden Lions, Cats, Griquas and Sharks in South Africa. There was also a stint with Northampton in England. 

He would also play for South Africa again, becoming his country’s oldest ever player in 2007 at the age of 37. That record has since been surpassed. 

Chiliboy Ralepelle

The ex-Springbok hooker’s career has been chequered with drug bans and drug-related incidents. 

It first dated back to 2010 when at the then 24-year-old was suspended and sent home from his country’s end of year tour for testing positive for methylhexanamine constrained in a diet supplement. 

This later turned out to have been supplied by the Springboks themselves and the charges didn’t stand after it was discovered that the British version of the supplement contained methylhexanamine, something which the South African version didn’t.

However, the 25-cap international failed a test again in 2014 while at Toulouse, testing positive for the anabolic steroid, drostanolone. He was banned for two years and his contract with the French giants was terminated. 

He made a return to rugby in 2016 with the Sharks, but the 33-year-old is now awaiting a decision after his hearing for another failed drugs test in early 2019, this time for the growth hormone zeranol, which could result in a career-ending ban. 

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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