Rugby World Cup plunged into spy row after teams express fears

The Rugby World Cup has been plunged into a spying controversy over fears certain teams will deploy espionage tactics in France.

A leading tier one nation is understood to have asked World Rugby for clarification about sanctions for any team found spying and that any advantage from such tactics could prove decisive in what is expected to be the most competitive World Cup since 1987.

Separately, Telegraph Sport understands there is a belief that training sessions have been spied on by international teams in recent years.

Sources close to the Lions say there were major concerns that their training had been observed by South Africa during the 2021 tour and the use of espionage to gain an advantage in Test rugby has been an ongoing concern and bone of contention.

Scotland face South Africa in a critical pool opener in Marseille on Sunday, before facing Ireland at the Stade de France in Paris on Sept 23. England, if they progress beyond the quarter-finals, could also potentially face South Africa in the semi-finals or final.

Eddie Jones, the former England coach, raised similar concerns during the World Cup in Japan four years ago, sparking fears that New Zealand may have been recording England’s training session ahead of their semi-final in Yokohama.

Jones said the England security team, including one of Prince Harry’s former bodyguards, became aware of someone using a long-lens camera to film their entire training session from the balcony of a nearby apartment overlooking their training pitch. As a result he joked that England had sent a member of staff to spy on the All Blacks.

In his recent autobiography, Martin Bayfield, the former England and Lions lock, revealed that England had spied on an entire training session by Australia ahead of their quarter-final in the 1995 World Cup.

Security at each of the team venues so far has been described as ‘extremely tight’ including police officers guarding training venues and team hotels in what is thought to be a ‘dry run’ ahead of the Olympic Games in Paris next year.

England’s training camp in Le Touquet in northern France is currently being protected by security officers at the top of a tower as well as French police and it is understood the security around Ireland’s base in Tours is equally as tight.

But that has not prevented concerns being raised in advance about the potential for opposition teams from spying on their opposition given the stakes of what is expected to be the most competitive World Cup since its inception in 1987.

One source said that security provision included six police officers attached to the team, with the same number of private security personnel also patrolling the team hotel.

But the concerns are that their presence is primarily to combat any terrorist threat and help with travel to and from training rather than monitoring any spying or cheating by other teams.

“It is important to know what the sanctions are if a team is caught spying given what is on the line,” said one source. “Is it a points deduction or a fine? The stakes could not be higher.”

World Rugby declined to comment.

It is understood there are also concerns about team personnel - other than water carriers – illegally entering the field of play to pass on instructions to players during matches.

World Rugby moved to tighten up regulations in the wake of the controversy during the Lions tour when South Africa’s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus donned a bib and took to the field of play during matches during the 2021 tour – which raised objections from the tourists.

The new regulations, which apply to the World Cup, said that teams are permitted two dedicated water carriers – neither of which can be a director of rugby or head coach – and they must remain in the technical zone

The regulations also state that water carriers will only be able to enter the field of play twice per half at points agreed with the match officials - this can only be during a stoppage in play or after a try has been scored.

World Rugby also state that medical personnel may enter the field of play in accordance with the laws of the game only when a player is injured. “They must not obstruct, interfere with or aim comments at match officials and can only carry and provide water to a player who they are treating.”