Cardiff Rugby boss Dai Young has warned his players they will face consequences if an investigation finds their behaviour has fallen short of what is expected of professional rugby players.
Young says he will do everything he can to uphold the reputation of the region after allegations emerged at the weekend. A group of players are accused of threatening staff and throwing eggs at The Grange pub in Cardiff during a team social event.
A probe has been launched by club bosses, with a resolution expected within the next couple of days. Young was speaking at the team's weekly press conference on Tuesday. You can read the full transcript here.
SIGN UP: Get the latest Welsh rugby news sent straight to your inbox for free with our daily newsletter
He revealed he gathered the players together on Monday morning, telling them any unacceptable behaviour would have repercussions.
"I basically addressed the group on Monday, said there has been allegations made of inappropriate behaviour by individuals or the group," Young said. "This is a situation that we wouldn’t accept in no uncertain terms. It’s certainly not something that we want to condone or be a part of. We will investigate it thoroughly. If there’s anything in there that we feel is inappropriate or unbecoming of a professional, we will address it."
He added: "Obviously, we’re aware of the allegations and we’re undertaking a thorough investigation. If we uncover anything that needs addressing, we’ll address it.
"I’m not part of that process. That process is undertaken by senior execs of the company and board members. I couldn’t put my hand on my heart and tell you how exactly long it will definitely be, but I can’t see anyone wanting to draw out the proceedings so I’m sure it’ll be a couple of days to be solved.
"Our culture and values are very important to the club. If we feel they haven’t been adhered to, we’ll address it."
Asked if the players should have been out drinking so soon after another disappointing loss at home to the Lions on Friday night, Young said: "I think at the end of the day, would you be asking that question if we’d won three out of three? Probably not. But, in saying that, it all depends in what context it is in. They all live locally and spend time together so if they’re meeting up and enjoying a quiet beer and enjoying each other’s company, I don’t think there’s an issue with that. Everybody has got social lives. By the sounds of it, it could be more than that. But I’m not a part of that investigation.
"From just a pure director of rugby point of view, it wasn’t something we, as a club, were a part of. We didn’t organise it and there were no staff members there. It was purely a players' event. Obviously, not all players were there. But the majority of players were there, apparently. The timing probably wasn’t great, certainly on the back of a loss. Player socials are always frowned upon when you lose and if you’re not in the right position, but they can also add as a bit of a bonding. Everything in moderation and with the right context, though. This might have gone too far, who knows? But in an ideal world, you don’t want to be doing these sorts of things on the back of losses."
Finally, in a message to fans, Young said: "Any behaviour off the field is unacceptable, whether we win, lose or draw, if they are of the like that some people reckon they are. At the minute, they’re only allegations. We wouldn’t be taking this any lighter if we were on the back of three wins or three losses. These allegations aren’t something we want to brush under the carpet if they are proved founded. The reputation of Cardiff Rugby is huge and we’ll certainly be doing everything in our power to uphold our reputation both on and off the field."
Read more:
Today's rugby news as Dai Young to be quizzed on 'appalling' player allegations
Wales announce summer Tests and will play England three times in six months
Ospreys beat Glasgow as Keelan Giles scores two tries in bonus-point win
South African superstar Evan Roos escapes red for 'old school cheap shot' in 'disgraceful' decision
