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Spanish rugby president resigns after World Cup exclusion

The head of the Spanish Rugby Federation confirmed his resignation on Saturday after the country's appeal against disqualification from the 2023 Rugby World Cup was rejected this week.

Published: 2 July 2022 16:51 CEST
Spanish rugby president resigns after World Cup exclusion
Spanish and South African players compete for the ball at the London 2022 World Rugby Sevens Series event at Twickenham Stadium in London on May 29, 2022. Photo: Glyn KIRK/AFP

Alfonso Feijoo said in April he would quit his role after Spain were thrown out of next year’s tournament in April for fielding an ineligible player during qualifying.

South African-born prop Gavin van den Berg, who has been playing in Spain since 2018, featured in two qualifiers against the Netherlands in 2020 and 2021 but was deemed not to have served the three years of residency needed to become eligible under World Rugby rules.

READ ALSO: Spain miss out on Rugby World Cup after appeal rejected

Spain were sanctioned five points for each infringement and fined £25,000 ($30,250).

They will be replaced by Romania at the 20-team World Cup while Portugal have taken the spot vacated by Romania in the final qualification event taking place in November.

It is the second time that Spain have missed out on World Cup qualification on these grounds.

In 2018, along with Romania and Belgium, they were sanctioned for fielding ineligible players, paving the way for Russia to qualify for the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

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SPORT

England rugby star Billy Vunipola tasered and arrested in Spain

England and Saracens forward Billy Vunipola was arrested and fined for "disobedience" and resisting arrest following an incident in Mallorca, Spanish police said on Monday.

Published: 29 April 2024 12:23 CEST
England rugby star Billy Vunipola tasered and arrested in Spain

Vunipola, 31, appeared in court on Sunday following the episode at a bar in the island’s capital Palma.

“This weekend’s incident of a man arrested for disobedience and resisting (authority) was brought to court yesterday, and he was released with charges,” a police spokesperson told AFP.

English Premiership club Saracens said they were aware of an event involving their player and would be dealing with the matter internally.

Vunipola released a statement on X, formerly Twitter, saying: “I can confirm I was involved in an unfortunate misunderstanding when I was leaving a club in Mallorca on Sunday, which got out of hand.”

He insisted there was “no violence, no fight and I did not threaten anybody at any stage, with bottles or chairs or anything else”.

Vunipola said he had been charged with resisting the law and was fined 240 euros ($257) after a brief trial.

“The Spanish police investigation is now closed, and I am flying back to the UK today.”

The Mallorca-based Ultima Hora newspaper said Vunipola was tasered twice by police in the incident and that it took eight police officers to subdue and handcuff him.

The newspaper’s website carried a video showing a handcuffed Vunipola, as well as other men, being led from a police van into a courtroom.

A Saracens statement on social media said: “Saracens is aware of an incident involving Billy Vunipola.

“We will of course deal with this incident internally, and will not make any further comment until then.”

Vunipola is expected to leave Saracens at the end of this season and has previously been linked with a move to France, although nothing has been confirmed.

He has won 75 England caps, making his Test debut against Argentina in 2013. He is not currently part of the England squad.

Vunipola made an appearance as a second-half substitute for Saracens in their 15-12 victory over Bath on Friday.

The club are not scheduled to play again until May 11.

Saracens are second in the English Premiership and are chasing a sixth league title in the last 10 seasons with just two rounds of regular season games left before the play-offs.

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