So who is to blame?

Clarke: inquiry needed

Is it incompetence or institutionalised deceit, what's gone on over the last three years?

Phil Clarke
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• Deported down under

Phil Clarke has called for an independent enquiry into the visa row that has seen six Celtic Crusaders players deported back to Australia.

Captain Jace Van Dijk and fellow Australian team-mates Tony Duggan, Damien Quinn, Josh Hannay, Darren Mapp and Mark Dalle-Court have all been ordered to leave the country following a UK Border Agency investigation into immigration offences.

The irregularities are nothing to do with their debut season in Super League but date back three years.

Crusaders chief executive Mike Turner insists the club did nothing wrong, but the news will come as a major bodyblow to the sport's attempts to gain a foothold in the union stronghold that is Wales.

The Rugby Football League's communications manager, Craig Spence, says they are not responsible for the confusion, but Clarke says we need to know exactly what has happened, for the good of the game.

"I think 'Visagate' is a huge embarrassment for the sport and I think definitely we need an independent investigation into this to see exactly what's gone on," he told Boots 'n' All.

"Is it incompetence or institutionalised deceit, what's gone on over the last three years?

"There's a lot that has allowed this to happen and a big question mark has to be put against the decision to admit Celtic Crusaders into Super League."

Opportunity

The Welsh franchise were brought into the elite division as part of its expansion after a successful license application

It meant the likes of Widnes, Leigh, Halifax and Featherstone, famous names of the past, were consigned to at least two years in the Co-Operative Championship.

And Clarke believes they have every right to feel cheated by the failure to spot that the 'Celtic six' have been plying their trade over here for three years without the correct documentation.

"I always try and talk with honesty and fairness and a lot of clubs have lost respect for the Rugby Football League because they believe, in their words, that Celtic Crusaders over the last three years, were given priority treatment, the discretionary ability to allow some of those players in," he said.

"There hasn't been a level playing field. For example some of the other sides in Championship One and at Championship level competing against Celtic over the last three years, haven't had the same opportunity.

"They've had better criteria to bring players in but haven't been allowed to bring them in, so I think that we need this independent inquiry to really see what's gone on."

The players have until September 7 to appeal the decision to deport them but if they are unsuccessful, will not be allowed back into Britain - at all - for a further 10 years.