By Duncan Wood
July 10 2002

Peter Wheeler was fairly critical of Dean Ryan and Bristol between the league and playoff clashes between Bristol and Leicester. He will now have to justify his comments to an RFU disciplinary panel.

Wheeler's comments were made in the Leicester Mercury back in May after the league clash between Bristol and Leicester at the Memorial Ground and ahead of the playoff QF clash at Welford Road.

Amongst his quotes were the following:

"In his playing days (Bristol coach) Dean Ryan was always an abrasive, aggressive handful, meandering along the line between hard but firm and physical but foul. With more control he could have added to his international appearances."

"Of the team he now controls Garath Archer has long been disregarded by Clive Woodward for indiscipline and White has too short a fuse as was obvious from his red card offence on Sunday."

"It might be that they are affected by the stroppy nature of the talented, though apparently self centred, nature of Agustin Pichot."

Shortly afterwards, Felipe Contepomi was cited by Leicester although the charge was dismissed by a tribunal. Contepomi had the last laugh inspiring Bristol to a stunning victory. Felipe had this to say:

"Peter Wheeler has been disrespectful to Bristol...It seems hard to understand that two days after he said what he said, I was called to a disciplinary hearing...I don't know whether it's a conspiracy against the club but Leicester should concentrate on their own side and not us...They are not the best example of good discipline...We are a tough side but not dirty...We play within the rules."

Now Wheeler will have to answer three charges regarding alleged infringements of the IRB's Code of Conduct following a complaint from Bristol.

Wheeler's charges are: "making a public criticism of the appointed referee; making critical comments concerning certain members of Bristol Shoguns RFC and failing to take all possible steps to prevent the game from being brought into disrepute".

Wheeler made a semi apology at the time, saying that he only intended his comments to be read by people within the Leicester area and blaming the internet for his comments making it as far as Bristol!

"The comments were intended to be complementary and helpful, if they were not taken as such I apologise and I will buy Dean and his players a beer."

The panel that will decide on Wheeler's fate will be chaired by Jeff Blackett (Royal Navy) assisted by Peter Budge (Surrey) and Richard Moon (Cambridge University) and will be held on Thursday, August 8 at the London Bloomsbury Holiday Inn.

One irony is that, if Wheeler was accusing Bristol of being a team made in the image of their coach i.e. Dean Ryan, well Deano's gone! Dean was quite upset about the comments and rightly so. He knows what it's like to be hauled up in front of the RFU disciplinary panel. I'm sure he'll be watching with interest from his new home at Kingsholm!