English Premiership rugby club Harlequins have been fined over half a million dollars by the European Cup organisers for faking an injury in their European Cup quarter-final with eventual champions Leinster.
The club have the right to appeal against the punishment inflicted by European Rugby Cup who also slapped a 12-month suspension on winger Tom Williams for his role in the faked injury where he left the field allegedly with a blood injury.
Half of the fine has been suspended for two years.
Williams came off in the dying minutes of their clash with Harlequins losing 6-5 which permitted the English club to bring back on their New Zealand kicker Nick Evans - he had left the field of play injured in the 47th minute while his replacement Chris Malone also had to go off injured.
Television footage appeared to show Williams winking as he left the pitch.
With the match delicately poised, Evans had a late attempt at a drop-goal to put Quins into the semi-finals - but his effort was wide of the posts.
