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On This Day - Matt Stevens leaves Bath following two-year drugs ban

By PA
(Photo by Steve Haag/Gallo Images)

England prop Matt Stevens announced he was quitting Bath following his two-year drugs ban on this day in 2009.

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Stevens was banned from all rugby until January 18, 2011 after testing positive for cocaine.

The 26-year-old revealed in an interview with the Times he was leaving the Guinness Premiership club before he was sacked.

“I have to do the honourable thing,” Stevens said. “I am quitting before they sack me. I want to spare the club who have been so good to me.

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Le French Rugby Podcast – Episode 19

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    Le French Rugby Podcast – Episode 19

    “I can’t thank the coaches enough for the support they have shown me, and the players. Everyone has been magnificent. Again I can only say how sorry I am at letting people down.”

    The South Africa-born prop was selected at random to provide a urine sample following Bath’s Heineken Cup win over Glasgow on December 14, 2008 – only a fortnight after winning his 32nd England cap.

    Stevens felt the pressure of professional sport contributed to his cocaine addiction.

    He said: “A lot of people don’t understand how much pressure there is on professional sportsmen. I am not making excuses as there are hundreds of professionals in the world who deal with it well. I wasn’t one of them.”

    Stevens revealed his use of the drug only became a serious problem towards the end of 2008, when he used to take it alone at night.

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    “That was the worst,” he said. “I would end up binge-drinking and then looking for oblivion somewhere else.

    “Coupled with the personal stuff and the actual pressure of rugby, it sometimes felt easy just to lose myself. I can’t believe I would do that to myself. I am a confident, ambitious, social person. That I would be addicted to anything is completely incomprehensible to me right now.”

    Stevens signed for Saracens upon the completion of his ban and returned to the England fold as well as earning a call-up for the 2013 British and Irish Lions tour, although he did not play a match.

    He returned to his native South Africa in 2014 to play for the Sharks before retiring the following year after a spell back in Europe with Toulon.

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    JW 1 hour ago
    Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

    I’d have loved to see Bledisloe Cup rugby on Anzac Day.

    Yes, but by now you must realize you don’t hold common opinions, let alone can think for New Zealand rugby’s best interests.

    The preparation of the All Blacks is timed to the minute and introducing a test match in the middle of the Super Rugby Pacific season has the potential to throw that carefully managed system into chaos.

    I don’t think that should come into it, it’s a business decision when it comes down to it. First though, it hasn’t passed the “is it OK to do?” has it.

    I get that surrendering the cup isn’t something the current crop of NZR staff and governors eye with any relish, but I’ll continue to argue that it would ultimately be good for our rugby.

    That view would be an oxymoron in their (most peoples) eyes.

    I’ll be interested to know what fans think of seeing the proposed Anzac Day clash scuppered. Like, genuinely interested.

    I hadn’t been expecting anything, but that’s likely because if it was in the spotlight to expect something, I would have expected the status quo to come out on top like every other time.

    But RA’s Bledisloe proposal gives us an opportunity to wonder about how sacred the timing of this competition is and whether we couldn’t reimagine how the season is configured.

    Isn’t that being determined now in conjunctin with World Rugby/every other union?

    Perhaps RA’s desire to start Anazc Bledisloes from 2026 was a bit premature. Maybe 2028 or 2030 would give everyone enough time to decide how the game can be accommodated.

    It could be their is reason to change in that time frame, but why on Nations League years? More pointedly, shouldn’t it be every year?

    the idea that the Bledisloe Cup could become Anazc Day’s marquee sports event

    I could probably easily get out of the idea these sorts of days aren’t for sport/fun to take center stage. It’s a mentality I don’t think holds everywhere already. But I’m happy to follow what those that really do care about the day (never been a dawn service person) think.

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