Obscenity aimed at officials led to Diamond's six-match ban

Steve Diamond's season-ending ban was meted out because he called a group of match-day officials "cunts" before telling the television match official he should retire.

- Gerard Meagher

The Newcastle director of rugby was given a six-match suspension last week after a disciplinary hearing into an incident that took place in the dying throes of the Falcons' late defeat by fellow strugglers Exeter last month.

Diamond was found guilty of directing verbal abuse at officials and the full written judgment details the incident. At the hearing, Diamond admitted using "industrial language" and expressed frustration at himself. He also claimed to have been being "sarcastic" with officials with whom he shares a "kinship".

The Rugby Football Union has introduced stricter sanctions at all levels of the game, including the Premiership, after almost 50% of match officials surveyed said they have been subjected to abuse in recent seasons.