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Howley will join a rogues' gallery of other sportsmen if found guilty of breaching strict gambling regulations

(Photo by Getty Images)

Wales have sent home assistant coach Rob Howley from the World Cup in Japan for a potential breach of betting rules. If found guilty of any wrong-doing, the well-known rugby figure will join a rogues’ gallery of other sportsmen who have recently fallen foul of the strict regulations surrounding gambling.

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Barton banned

Midfielder Joey Barton was suspended from all football activity for 18 months during April 2017 after he admitted a misconduct charge from the Football Association related to betting.

Barton was fined £30,000 and warned about his future conduct after breaking FA rules for placing 1,260 bets on matches between March 26, 2006, and May 13, 2016.

Following an appeal, the sanction was later reduced by almost five months. Barton would go on to make a return to the game as the new head coach at Fleetwood in June 2018.

(Continue reading below…)

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Bingham hit in the pocket

Former world champion Stuart Bingham was given a six-month suspension for breaching snooker’s betting regulations. Bingham, who won his title at the Crucible in 2015, was found to have placed bets of close to £36,000 on matches – some of which he was playing in – over a period of 12 years.

The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association said Bingham had admitted to a small amount of betting using two accounts in his own name but was actually guilty of “greater betting over at least seven years”.

Half of the ban was suspended, meaning Bingham was not allowed to play again until January 26, 2018, and was also ordered to pay £20,000 in costs.

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Teenager Stevens sanctioned

Earlier this month, Leeds midfielder Jordan Stevens was given a six-week ban and a £1,200 fine after being charged with misconduct by the FA in relation to its betting rules. The 19-year-old admitted to placing 59 bets on football between August 2018 and May 2019 – five of those involved games in which Leeds played.

The ban is on all footballing activity which means Stevens is unable to train with Leeds during that period or interact with players or the coaching staff – a move the club has called “excessive” and a “disproportionate punishment”.

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Sturridge’s ‘insider information’

Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge was handed a two-week suspension from football and a £75,000 fine for breaching betting regulations.

An independent regulatory commission found that Sturridge, capped 26 times by England, had given his brother inside information on a possible move to Sevilla during the January 2018 transfer window.

However, nine of the 11 charges were dismissed against Sturridge, who was free to resume his career on July 31 as four weeks of a six-week ban were suspended.

After his contract at Anfield expired this summer, the former Chelsea forward was a free agent and went on to sign a three-year deal for Turkish side Trabzonspor.

Stephenson pays a heavy price

Australian rules football handed out a 10-match ban to Collingwood star Jaidyn Stephenson and a 20,000 Australian Dollar (£11,350) fine for betting on games involving his club. Stephenson had been hit with a sanction of 22 matches, but 12 of those games were suspended.

It emerged the Magpies’ player had given money to a friend to place bets for him, and also once used a friend’s betting account. The total amount wagered was 36 AUS Dollars (£20) – all of which were unsuccessful.

Who ate all the pies?

Former Sutton goalkeeper Wayne Shaw was fined £375 and suspended for two months for betting-related offences after being pictured eating a pie on the substitutes’ bench during the FA Cup fifth-round defeat to Arsenal in February 2017.

Shaw had been found guilty at an independent disciplinary hearing after he was alleged to have intentionally influenced betting markets. The goalkeeper tucked into the food as he watched the closing stages from the sidelines – with a bookmaker having offered odds on the likelihood of Shaw eating a pie during the match.

The incident caught widespread attention and quickly became known as ‘piegate’. Shaw, who was sacked by the club in the wakes of the controversy, later said he had suffered from depression.

– Press Association 

WATCH: The first episode of Behind the Bears, the series featuring Pat Lam’s Bristol 

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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
LONG READ
LONG READ England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit
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