The ban handed down to Tom Williams was ridiculous and out of proportion with anything else that happens in the game (eye gouging, drug taking).

Sad day for Quins.

It was a joke- how you can justify that is beyond me! Clearly he had help from someone. As for Deano, he'll be back again soon enough. But certainly a great coach.

Deano banned from coaching for 3 years

Does Richards' ban only apply to Rugby Union?

Yes and it is not technically a worldwide ban either, only Europe.

Only applies to European Rugby.
That said, the International unions will be asked to implement the ban across the board.
In my opinion, he should never coach again, at any level, in either code, Cheating, if committed in the heat of the moment should be severely punished, but this was premeditated and apparently, not the first time.
What example does it send to young players when one of the best coaches in the country, who was touted to get the England RU jobs blatantly cheats.

I seem to remember that when he was at Leicester Tigers, Neil Back blatantly cheated at a Munster Scrum under his own posts, got away with it and everyone in Union giggled...because it was only the Irish!
You reap what you sow Mr Richards!

Tut tut, besmirching the Harlequins "brand".

Here comes rupe1 ...

Tbf that was gamesmanship from Back in the heat of the moment rather than a planned tactic, if Leicester had pulled the scrum down and the ref given the decision in their favour (most of the time scrum decisions are just a guess on the part of the ref) then it would have been cheating. As it was the scrum half should have been more alert to Back niggling him.

Call it what you want, but his hand swept the ball back as it was coming out on the munster side and they were robbed...I call it cheating.

There are many forms of cheating in all sports. The punishment on this occasion seems excessive. Even drugs cheats generally get banned for a year less than Dean Richards, and players guilty of actions that could end an opponent's career much less still.