Richards quits Quins

Dean Richards has resigned as director of rugby at Harlequins, the Guinness Premiership club announced this morning.

The news comes in the wake of sanctions handed down after Quins back Tom Williams was found to have faked a blood injury to allow a substitution in last season’s Heineken Cup quarter-final defeat by Leicester.

Williams was given a 12-month ban by the European Rugby Cup panel while the club were fined €250,000.

Quins are currently reviewing the incident, and a statement today read: “During the course of this process Dean Richards unreservedly tendered his resignation from his post as director of rugby.

“The board of Harlequins has accepted his resignation.”