Aviva Premiership
Falcons cleared by RFU
ESPNscrum Staff
November 5, 2010
Falcons assistant coach Paul Moriarty talks to ESPN at half-time
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Players/Officials: Kieran Brookes

The Rugby Football Union have ruled that Newcastle did not breach rules regarding the use of front-row replacements during Saturday's Aviva Premiership defeat at the hands of Northampton Saints.

After reviewing evidence from Newcastle, Northampton and referee Nigel Owens, the RFU concluded that the substitution of Kieran Brookes and his subsequent second-half reappearance did not break IRB Law 3.12 and no further action will be taken against the club.

However, the RFU were concerned about comments from Falcons forwards coach Paul Moriarty at half time of the match and he will now appear in front of RFU Disciplinary Officer Jeff Blackett on November 8 to explain those remarks.

In a half-time interview with ESPN, Moriarty appeared to suggest Brookes was taken off "to give him a couple of minutes break" before switching him to the other side of the scrum in a pre-planned tactical move. Premiership Rugby regulations do not permit the use of rolling substitutions but clubs can name an extra front-row player on their bench to help ensure that the scrum is a fair contest should props have to be replaced due to injury.

A statement from the RFU read: "The RFU is concerned over the comments made by Mr Moriarty on live TV during the half time break and felt that they were misleading and could have been construed as signalling an intended breach of IRB Law 3.12."

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