Demands from New Zealand for Sir Clive Woodward to be punished for bringing the game into disrepute fell on deaf ears at Twickenham yesterday when the England coach was formally cleared of abusing match officials after the second Test against New Zealand in Auckland in June.
Far from castigating Woodward for criticising the decision to dismiss Simon Shaw, the Rugby Football Union's disciplinary officer Jeff Blackett insisted there was "no case to answer" having reviewed a DVD of the press conference forwarded to the union by the International Board following a complaint from the NZRFU.
"I have decided that, although Sir Clive Woodward made some comments, which questioned the merits of the decision to send off Simon Shaw, any criticism was very minor," said Blackett in a blunt rebuttal of suggestions that Woodward had breached the IRB's code of conduct.
"These comments were not prejudicial to the interests of the game, nor did [they] bring the game into disrepute. In those circumstances there is no case to answer and no further action is necessary."
Instead Blackett has simply "reminded the England management about the requirements of the code of conduct" which in the context of international diplomatic sanctions barely equates to a slap on the wrist with a damp beer-mat.
New Zealand, whose deputy chief executive Steve Tew alerted the game's rulers, will respond by asking whether the IRB's code of conduct is worth the paper it is printed on. Woodward, though, is unconcerned about winning popularity contests in New Zealand when he returns as coach of the Lions next year and his description of the Shaw red card as "ridiculous" is hardly a hanging offence.
The only thing the RFU was guilty of yesterday was poor timing, the Woodward verdict inevitably cutting across the news that the world champions have signed a new four-year deal worth £12m with their existing shirt sponsors O2.
Scotland, meanwhile, have placed themselves on a collision course with several English clubs by agreeing to play an extra Test against Australia on November 6, a date which clashes with a Zurich Premiership weekend.
· Jonny Wilkinson's rehabilitation continued last night in Newcastle's pre-season match with Munster in Limerick which the English club lost 13-10. The England fly-half played an hour and kicked a penalty and a conversion and showed no reaction to the shoulder-neck operation he had in February.
