RUGBY NEWS:HARLEQUINS CHIEF executive Mark Evans has pleaded for his club not to be thrown out of European competition before Monday's appeal hearing into the fake blood scandal.

European Rugby Cup (ERC) Ltd disciplinary officer Roger O’Connor has lodged an appeal against Harlequins’ €250,000 fine – with 50 per cent suspended – in the belief it was too lenient.

In an open letter of apology to supporters, Evans insisted Harlequins had been punished severely enough and deserved their place in this season’s Heineken Cup.

He also reiterated the club’s support for Tom Williams, who is appealing against his 12-month ban for fabricating a cut to his mouth.

Evans wrote: “Our focus as a club now is to reduce Tom Williams’ ban, which we felt was disproportionate, and to ensure that we do not get expelled from European rugby.

“The club have accepted the findings of the initial ERC inquiry and accepted the sanction. The scale of the sanction is unprecedented in the game – and the severity of the fine is a clear message, not only to our club but to the game as a whole, that this type of behaviour is not acceptable and will be severely punished.

“We entirely agree with that message and sincerely hope that no further sanctions are imposed upon a club whose presence in the Heineken Cup is based on playing merit and playing merit alone.”

Evans revealed the club have written a letter to Leinster to “apologise unreservedly” for the incident. He did the same to the club’s supporters yesterday and vowed to rebuild Harlequins’ tarnished reputation.

Evans wrote: “We have been found guilty of behaviour that cannot be accepted or condoned. For that, we apologise to you unconditionally. We must now work to ensure that the highest of standards are upheld.”

Evans added that the internal review into the incident, which led to the resignation of Dean Richards as director of rugby, is ongoing.

Meanwhile, All Blacks lock Bryn Evans has been ruled out of the rest of this year’s Tri-Nations because of a back injury.

Evans hurt his back while training to play for Hawke’s Bay in the New Zealand Cup and scans revealed he had a disc problem that needed surgery.