Geoff Parling has received an apology from TNT Sports, the PREM's official TV broadcaster, following a controversial pre-match incident involving Craig Doyle and Liam MacDevitt.
Leicester Tigers recorded a 36-17 win over Gloucester to retain the Slater Cup as tries from Will Wand, Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Jamie Blamire (2), Orlando Bailey and Harry Wells secured the spoils.
It was a relatively straightforward afternoon for Leicester, who claimed their fastest try-scoring bonus point of the Premiership season.
But instead of the on-field action, Leicester head coach Parling spent part of his post-match interview addressing a heated incident involving TNT broadcasters Craig Doyle and Liam MacDevitt.
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Before kick-off, Doyle invited Liam MacDevitt to take a conversion during Leicester's warm-up.
MacDevitt was encouraged by Doyle to make the kick as part of his initiation. "Usually it's a song, or you've got to down something disgusting," the latter said. "You're going to kick this ball."
After kicking the penalty wide, the ball landed in the middle of Leicester's squad, which prompted Parling to storm over to the pair.
Doyle tried to diffuse the situation by saying, “Would you sign him Geoff?” but moments later, Parling ignored the question and replied, “That’s not on. That’s f***ing not on. Get off the pitch."
A light shove on Doyle followed. "Geoff wasn't happy about that," the presenter said as he walked towards the touchline. "Apologies for the language. He was understandably upset."
Geoff Parling addresses TNT incident in post-match interview
Speaking after the match at Villa Park, Parling told the BBC that he had received an apology.
"The producer for TNT has just come to apologise to me," he said. "They had something set up that wasn't passed with anybody to our knowledge."
Parling added: "I'm very wary that I need to protect my players and certainly balls flying towards our players that could go anywhere. When there's an injury risk, obviously I'm not going to be happy."
Topics: Rugby Union, Rugby
Jack Kenmare