Former Harlequins physiotherapist Steph Brennan has resigned from his role with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) with "immediate effect", the English governing body announced in London on Saturday.

Brennan was this week banned for two years by European Rugby Cup (ERC) disciplinary chiefs for his role in the fake blood scandal that led to the resignation of Harlequins's director of rugby Dean Richards.

Former England No.8 Richards, banned for three years, and Brennan were punished Monday following an incident where Harlequins wing Tom Williams used fake blood during a home European Cup quarter-final against eventual champions Leinster on April 12 to create the appearance of a cut in his mouth in order to allow a substitute onto the field.

Monday's hearing also revealed that there had been four previous occasions in non-ERC tournaments when Richards and Brennan, banned from European rugby for two years, had fabricated a wound or blood injury.

The International Rugby Board (IRB) subsequently confirmed that Richards and Brennan's ERC bans would be applied worldwide under rugby union's disciplinary doctrine of 'universality'.

Brennan only started work with the RFU as an England team physio earlier in the northern summer.

Saturday's RFU statement said: "Steph Brennan has tendered his resignation which the RFU has accepted. Mr Brennan has left the RFU with immediate effect.

"Mr Brennan wholeheartedly wanted to apologise for any aspects of his behaviour that caused concern for the RFU and the physiotherapist profession."

Richards and club medical staff were all cleared of an initial misconduct charge by a disciplinary panel looking into Williams's blood injury in a match Irish province Leinster won 6-5 at Quins's Twickenham Stoop ground.

By contrast, Williams received a 12-month ban.

But the ERC's own disciplinary officer appealed against the lack of action taken against Richards and the other backroom staff while Williams blew the whistle on what had happened at a 14-hour hearing in Glasgow on Monday after appealing against his own ban, which was cut to four months.

Richards took responsibility for organising the fake injury that saw Williams go off six minutes from time to be replaced by Quins' top goalkicker Nick Evans, who had earlier gone off injured.

Only a blood injury could have seen the New Zealander go back on the field.

But despite the individual punishments and the substantial fine, Harlequins avoided being kicked out of the European Cup.

Their opening game of this season's tournament is away to Cardiff Blues on October 10.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP