Rugby Union: Dallaglio findings `soon'

THE RUGBY Football Union officials investigating drugs allegations made against the former England captain, Lawrence Dallaglio, intend to release their findings "as soon as possible".

The three-man panel, chaired by the High Court judge Sir John Kay, will concentrate on three main areas. These are allegations that Dallaglio took drugs while a player, took drugs with others on the 1997 Lions tour of South Africa, and sold drugs for financial gain.

The enquiry team's terms of reference were set out yesterday in a statement released from Twickenham. "It is intended that the report will be produced as soon as possible and presented to the RFU disciplinary officer," the statement said. "Whilst the function of the enquiry panel should be to investigate and report, it shall be entitled to make recommendations should it consider it appropriate."

In Dallaglio's absence from England's training camp in Australia, Ben Clarke has flown out to raise the number of players in the squad back to 36.

France, beaten in their three previous matches, ran in nine tries as they crushed Romania 62-8 in a one-off Test in Castres yesterday. Four new French caps started the match, with the centre Guillaume Delmotte scoring two tries. The replacement fullback Ugo Mola also went over twice in his second international. The Brive centre Christophe Lamaison, back from injury along with the 1995 World Cup veterans Abdel Benazzi and Jean- Luc Sadourny, kicked superbly for seven conversions and one penalty, a tally of eight successes out of 10.

France now embark on a tour of the south Pacific with tests against Western Samoa, Tonga and New Zealand.

Bristol are close to capturing a third player from troubled Richmond - the England A flanker Adam Vander.

The former Ireland lock Gary Halpin has left Harlequins and is joining AIB All-Ireland League Division Two club Blackrock College next season.