Thursday 25 June 2015 19:45, UK
Former Leicester Tigers defence coach Phil Blake has been handed a six-month ban by a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel, having been found guilty of two breaches of RFU Regulation 17 (Anti-Corruption and Betting).
The 51-year-old Australian was charged with betting on two matches, Leicester’s Champions Cup game against Toulon in December and the Premiership meeting with Newcastle in March.
The ban began on 24 May and will run until 24 November, and Blake was also fined £669 (the profit made on the bets placed).
Blake, who placed the bets on touch-screen self-service machines at Leicester’s Grosvenor Casino, told the disciplinary panel: "Having my whole career on the line for a minimum gain is something I will regret for the rest of my life."
When initially informed of the RFU investigation, Blake had explained by letter: "I had no knowledge of the specific regulations relating to gambling under the jurisdiction of the RFU.
"I am, of course, aware that it is not appropriate, in most jurisdictions, to gamble against one's own team, but I was not aware of the exact regulations that pertain in the UK.
"I saw some very favourable odds on Tigers to beat Newcastle and thought that there would be little harm arising from my betting on Tigers to win, as, obviously, it is my professional duty to try and do everything possible to ensure that Tigers did, in fact, win.
"I put the bet on against Toulon in very similar circumstances.
"No one could be more sorry than myself that this incident has taken place."
RFU disciplinary panel chairman Christopher Quinlan said: “This is the first such case that we know of in rugby union and is certainly the first brought under the relatively new Regulation 17, so this is new ground.
"In arriving at the appropriate sanction, we have been careful to remind ourselves that we must not make an example of Phil Blake.
"We have imposed a sanction which we consider fair and proportionate to what he did, while having due regard to the proper consideration of deterrence.
“We have sought to strike a proper balance between the competing factors and arrive at a sanction we consider to be just.
"We must have regard to the wider interests of the game. It is important that those involved in the game and the wider public understand that any breach of the anti-corruption and betting regulations will and must be treated seriously."
Blake had an appeal against the length of the ban dismissed and was ordered to pay costs in the sum of £500.
Antony Davies, who chaired the RFU Appeal Panel, said: “We find that the RFU Disciplinary Panel correctly applied its findings of fact arising from the evidence to the sanctioning process set out in the Regulations.
“We cannot find any fault with the Panel’s sanctioning process. The offending clearly merited an immediate period of suspension.
“Six months was, in our view, well within a reasonable range and was not so excessive as to be unreasonable."
Born in London, Blake joined Leicester in June 2014 on a one-year deal, which was not extended at the end of the campaign.
In the light of the former Manly coach's ban, the club released a statement which read: "We acknowledge the decision of the disciplinary hearing in relation to the conduct of Phil Blake and the panel's views on betting within professional sport.
"The club also fully endorses the governing body's regard for the wider interests of the game in respect of any breaches of the anti-corruption and betting regulations.
"Phil Blake was under contract for the 2014/15 season and is no longer employed by Leicester Tigers.
"The club would, however, like to place on record, as it did during his time at Leicester, that he was a popular and valued member of the coaching team, and we hope he is fully able to return to the game in a suitable capacity at the end of the period laid down by the disciplinary hearing."
