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Bloodgate 10 years on: Tom Williams on rugby's biggest scandal

Tom Williams

Tom Williams left the field during Harlequins semi-final against Leinster with a 'blood injury'

The date is 12 April 2009. There are five minutes left to play in the Heineken Cup quarter-final between Harlequins and Leinster at Twickenham Stoop.

Dean Richards' Harlequins side trail by a point. Their goal-kicker is off the field with an injury. Their replacement kicker has just pulled his hamstring off the bone. Quins need a penalty or drop-goal to win...

What happens next, involving winger Tom Williams and a fake blood capsule, becomes one of sport's most fascinating scandals.

After four months of protracted disciplinary hearings, Richards resigned and was handed a three-year ban from all rugby.

Steph Brennan, the team physio, was struck off by the Health Professions Council before winning a High Court appeal almost two years after the incident.

Williams was banned for a year, although this was later reduced to four months. Charles Jillings, the club's co-owner, resigned as chairman.

Ten years on, this is the story of 'bloodgate' told by Williams and two team-mates on that day, Danny Care and Ugo Monye.

Short presentational grey line

Williams: I was about to run on to the pitch and the physio said: 'Deano says you're coming off for blood.' That was the first I'd heard of it.

I just ran on the pitch and got on with my job. A few phases later, the physio runs on and gives me a blood capsule and I was like: 'What the hell do I do with this">