Five accused of violent conduct

Five players stood accused of violent conduct last night as the dirty war between Wales and France degenerated into a tit-for-tat squabble.

No sooner had Stade Francais cited Swansea hooker Garin Jenkins and his Wales compatriot Andy Moore for off-the-ball incidents than their opponents in Saturday's Heineken Cup tie responded with counter-accusations against three of the French.

The whole sorry business would have been averted had the tournament organisers, European Rugby Cup Ltd., left the vexed question of retribution for foul play in the hands of an independent citing commissioner.

Instead they created the potential for such a mess by allowing every club to make their own complaints within a 48-hour deadline of the final whistle.

Stade, beaten 18-16, got their retaliation in first via their president, Max Guazzini. He reported Jenkins for kneeing Pieter de Villiers in the back and Moore for a similar offence on David Aradou, attaching a medical report on the injuries to both players.

Swansea claim that Diego Dominguez kicked Colin Charvis immediately before the Welshman was sent off for flattening the Italian fly half with a punch. Hooker Fabrice Landreau, according to Swansea, was cited for stamping on Tyrone Maullin and Aradou for kicking the same player.

The citings are due to be heard at a disciplinary hearing later this week.