Whistleblowers.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) have revealed they were informally contacted by a betting company this day last week in relation to a potential breach involving coach Rob Howley before things got formal about the potential offence on Friday evening.

The WRU then informed World Rugby of the potential breach before sitting down with Rob Howley and coming to the decision that he would be sent home to continue the investigation.

Speaking from Wales’ World Cup base in Kitakyushu this morning, WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips said:

“We were contacted informally on Wednesday of last week to suggest there was a potential breach of regulation six. It came from one of the betting company’s integrity teams.

“We were then contacted formally with further information on Friday evening and at that point we informed World Rugby there was a potential breach and we would be seeking face-to-face time with Rob. We reached the decision on Saturday that we were best-placed to come out to Japan.

“That triggered the formal process we’re now in and it will carry on back in Wales. It is a serious allegation about Rob. He’s our employee and we have a duty of care to him. I can assure you that has been a major factor we’ve considered over the last few days.

“Rob is back in Wales and we have put the necessary support around him. We’re checking in on his wellbeing as we formalise our processes to get through the investigation.”