Rob Howley Slapped with 18-Month Ban for Betting Breach
Rob Howley is the former Wales and Lions attack coach. He has been banned for 18 months and he mainly suspended for breaching the betting rules. He had made 363 bets covering over 1000 matches including some involving Wales for a period of more than three and a half year from November 2015 as per an independent disciplinary panel.
The three-member panel
Sir Wyn Williams, a former high-court judge chaired the three-member panel was told that Rob Howley was sent home from the World Cup of Wales campaign in Japan subsequent to the Welsh Rugby Union received all details of his recent betting activities and held the complete accounts with three bookmarks. This list includes his WRU mobile phone and also the email address mostly used to place bets.
Rob Howley has been banned from rugby for 18 months after being found guilty of placing 363 bets over 4 years. He had been sent home from Japan on the eve of the famous World Cup followed by a bookmaker, Betway alerted the rule breach of WRU including some bets placed on his own team. Howley agreed the accusation lay against him during the three months of investigation and handed over all his bank accounts, a mobile phone and a laptop.
Rob Howley hit with 18-month ban for breach of the world rugby betting and anti-corruption regulations recognized as regulations 6. Welsh Rugby Union confirmed that Howley was sent home from the World Cup in Japan a few days before the actual commencement of the tournament. Howley’s case was done in Cardiff after a comprehensive and detailed investigation by the WRU. The board chaired by Sir Wyn Williams has submitted its final decisions shared with World Rugby.
Rob Howley’s initial withdrawal
Rob Howley was withdrawn from all his duties with Wales ahead of the upcoming Rugby World Cup soon after the WRU became aware of the breach of regulations and an immediate launch of the investigation. The overall suspension is backdated to the time of Howley’s initial withdrawal from the World Cup in September 2019. Howley would be free to return to the game on or after June 2020.
Rob Howley was charged with betting using accounts held with Ladbrokes, William Hill and Betway. The final bet of this coach was made during this year’s Six Nations. He gambled on the first try scorer in Grand Slam decider in opposition to Ireland as part of a treble. A bokmakers’ integrity unit alerted the WRU regarding a potential breach of World Rugby regulations on the day Welsh team flew to Japan a few months before. Howley was identified as the man accused and visibly upset all through the match.
All visitors to the official website of the WRU these days focus on this decision related news in detail. There is no further comment made by Rob Howley or WRU on this subject so far. The media are requested to please respect Rob Howley’s privacy and also his family with this in mind. He has two weeks to appeal the ruling.
