RUGBY NEWS: MATT STEVENS' prospects of salvaging his career with Bath look increasingly shaky after a senior official said the club felt "tarnished" and "let down" by the England prop, who has tested positive for a banned drug, believed to be cocaine. No decision has been made regarding his future at the Recreation Ground but sympathy at board level for the suspended player appears to be strictly rationed.
Officially, Bath will wait for the outcome of a European Rugby Cup (ERC) disciplinary hearing, as the test followed a Heineken Cup match. The hearing is unlikely to take place for at least a fortnight.
Bath’s owner Andrew Brownsword, however, is believed to be unimpressed with Stevens, and his chief executive, Bob Calleja, made little attempt to disguise the club’s disapproval.
“We all feel let down. This is clearly a very serious matter. The club does not, and will not, condone the use of illegal, recreational or performance-enhancing drugs by any of its employees.”
Bath are also unamused that Stevens chose to speak to Sky TV on Tuesday without previously informing the club, who had been initially alerted to the failed test by the ERC on Monday night.
“I was absolutely shocked when I heard . . . it was devastating news,” said Calleja, who has endured a tough few days following the latest Charity Commission rejection of Bath’s plans to upgrade their Recreation Ground. “With all the problems we’re facing at the club, it was another shock we could certainly have done without. This week should have been all about the anticipation of a classic winner-takes-all game against Toulouse at the Rec. Instead the headlines are going to be dominated by Matt Stevens.”
The 26-year-old, who has admitted to having a drug problem, is facing a two-year ban and Bath can ill afford to employ a prop who could be kicking his heels until the 2010-11 season.
England have responded by promoting Leicester’s 35-year-old tighthead Julian White to their Six Nations squad, accompanied by a stern rebuke – “Illegal drug use cannot be tolerated” – from Martin Johnson. There was no hint that England are in a rush to welcome Stevens back any time soon.
Some pundits, including former England coach Dick Best, think Stevens may struggle to represent England again if he receives a lengthy ban.
His Bath team-mates, however, expressed solidarity, the club captain Michael Lipman claiming the team are now more determined than ever to beat Toulouse on Sunday. “If anything we’re going to do it for him,” he said. “Over the last 24 hours he’s shown more guts and courage than I’ve seen from anyone in a long time. He’s one of our dearest friends and a great colleague. Hopefully in two years or one year, or whatever he gets, he’ll be back playing at Bath.”
White’s career, meanwhile, has come full circle since his decision to decline to join England’s training camp in the Algarve before the 2007 World Cup. “He is an experienced international,” Johnson said. “He has had time out of the England set-up but he is ready to make the step back up.”
Newcastle’s David Wilson has been named in a provisional 21-man Saxons party to play Italy A tomorrow week, with London Irish’s Alex Corbisiero filling the vacancy left by White. Leicester’s scrumhalf Harry Ellis has also been included, but Johnson has fitness issues at openside flanker. While Lipman is set to attend next week’s Portugal training camp, he has spent recent days battling a virus while Lewis Moody is not yet a guaranteed starter against the Ospreys on Saturday.
GuardianService
