Diamond to face double RFU charges

Sale Sharks boss Steve Diamond has been charged by the Rugby Football Union with two counts of verbally abusing match officials.

Sale Sharks boss Steve Diamond has been charged by the Rugby Football Union with two counts of verbally abusing match officials.

The Sharks' executive director of sport is due to appear at an RFU disciplinary hearing in Stafford next Tuesday night.

Diamond has been charged under RFU Rule 5.12 which covers “conduct prejudicial to the interests of the Union and/or the Game”.

He is alleged to have verbally abused referee Wayne Barnes and assistant referees Rhys Davies and Gareth Copsey at the end of the Aviva Premiership match between London Irish and Sale Sharks on January 8.