Newcastle's Paul Moriarty to appear before RFU disciplinary officer

The Newcastle forwards coach, Paul Moriarty, has been summoned to appear before the Rugby Football Union's chief disciplinary officer, Jeff Blackett, next week to explain remarks he made on television last weekend which appeared to imply the Falcons had taken off a player to give him a rest with a view to bringing him back on later. The 20-year-old prop Kieran Brookes was replaced after 32 minutes as Newcastle came under pressure in the scrum from Northampton at Franklin's Gardens. He returned six minutes into the second half to take over from the tighthead prop Tim Ryan. Under the International Rugby Board regulations a substituted front-row may only return to the field to replace an injured player. Newcastle said Ryan had come off because of a back injury, something the RFU accepted because the Falcons will not be charged with breaching the rules. Moriarty will face Blackett at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Monday. "The RFU is concerned over the comments made by Mr Moriarty on live television during the half-time break and felt that they were misleading and could have been construed as signalling an intended breach of IRB Law 3.12," said the club on their website. Samoa could be without their No8 George Stowers, who led them on their tour of Europe last year, for the game against England this month. The London Irish forward has been cited for an alleged dangerous tackle during the Premiership victory over Sale last Sunday and will appear before an RFU disciplinary panel on Monday. Stowers was sent off the previous month against Bath for a high tackle but escaped a ban.