When the RFU launched an inquiry into the violent nature of their Five Nations match in Cardiff in 1989, they announced their verdict within 48 hours: the suspension of captain Richard Hill, Graham Dawe, Gareth Chilcott and Wade Dooley.
A notorious incident in Edinburgh the previous season came to a similarly swift if lopsided conclusion. Scotland's John Jeffrey and England No.8 Dean Richards were given contrasting punishments for taking the Calcutta Cup on a public bashing along Princes Street.
The SRU banned Jeffrey for five months. The RFU took much less of a dim view of the drunken prank and banned Richards for one match. What happened in a pub in Cardiff a week last Saturday night is still under investigation, according to the Arms Park club.
Allegations of ‘appalling behaviour' against a number of unnamed Cardiff players have been looked into but, more than a week after the event, still no verdict, thereby leaving a vacuum filled by rumour and counter-rumour. Ten days and counting.
How much longer will it take?
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