Bath Rugby have formed a five-man leadership group in an effort to tackle any potential code of conduct issues at the club.
Bath form leadership group to eradicate problems at The Rec
Bath Rugby have formed a five-strong leadership group in an effort to tackle any potential code of conduct issues at the club.
The reputation of the Guinness Premiership heavyweights has been tarnished over the last five months after five leading players left the club for drug-related offences.
Of those five, respected internationals Matt Stevens and Justin Harrison both admitted to taking cocaine.
Prop David Barnes has since been appointed players' union chairman, and he is confident Bath's recent problems are not indicative of a widespread drug culture in the English game.
"I don't suddenly believe a massive drugs problem has erupted in rugby over the last few months," he said.
Danny Grewcock, who joins Barnes, David Flatman, Stuart Hooper and Joe Maddock in the leadership group, believes Bath would have avoided previous disciplinary problems if the new structure had been in place earlier.
Fantastic job
"From the players' point of view we want to prevent any issues," said the former England lock.
"If it got to the stage (where rumours or accusations were made) we will have failed as a player group. I think in the past as a player group we did fail.
"That is why we have addressed it now and made sure the whole player group understands what to expect.
"We are very lucky people, working for a fantastic company. Playing for Bath Rugby is a fantastic job and with come a lot of obligations on our part to fulfil on the field and to fulfil off it and perhaps we have been a bit slack in areas.
"Now we have addressed it and no-one in the player group has questioned what is acceptable or unacceptable. Everyone understands what is right.
"We are confident it will never get to the accusatory stage again."
