Swansea to take action

Press, 11 December 1982, Page 64

Swansea to take action

i NZPA London ; The Welsh rugby club, i Swansea, worried that it may i be gaining a reputation for : being a party to brutal : rugby, has committed itself , to take action over an inci- ‘ dent last month which put a ; Richmond player in hospital. Barry Crawshaw, a ■ flanker for the London club, i had his jaw broken in three ’ places by a punch and is out ; of action for six weeks. The incident came after a particularly violent match j between Swansea and the j New Zealand Maoris earlier i in the month during which * the props, Paul Koteka and ■ the Welshman, Gareth John,; were sent off.

Crawshaw’s injury, which took place while a line-out was forming as the referee looked elsewhere, provoked calls from the British rugby press for the offending Swansea player to be idehtified and punished. One English newspaper, the “Sun,” named the player who threw the punch as the Welsh international lock, Richard Moriarty. Swansea refused initally to be pressured into launching an inquiry. However, after behing the scenes discussion between Richmond and Swansea, the London club said yesterday in a statement: “Swansea have replied formally regretting the incident and have undertaken to take the necessary action.” If Swansea deems strong action to be necessary, it is likely to suspend the guilty’ player. '