A rugby team which touts its connections to the legal profession has apologised after members of the public complained about its players' loutish behaviour.

In correspondence seen by RollOnFriday, the Secretary of the Law Society Rugby Football Club told a disgusted passenger that her report of the squad's conduct on a train from Edinburgh to London "sounds totally unacceptable" and that, "on behalf of the rugby club I apologise". He said that heavy drinking and loud talking were part of a weekend trip, but that "no one should be subjected to the language you mention and in the confine of a day time train carriage with children present". He promised that "sanctions" would be imposed on those who had "embarrassed our Club and let themselves down".

The Law Society RFC was established in 1965 by a group of lawyers, but it is not affiliated with the Law Society. It puts forward three teams, tours internationally twice a year and accepts non-lawyers into its ranks.

A witness told RollOnFriday that for six hours on 19 November passengers on the cross-country train were forced to listen as approximately 20 members of the squad, who wore purple blazers with a crest declaring "Law Society RFC", became increasingly drunk and belligerent. "They were obnoxious and repeatedly used foul language loudly", she said. "I lost count of how many times we heard the word 'c*nt'". She said that the head of the club called a group of young women "miserable slags" and at one point was "extremely threatening" towards another passenger.

  If you see wands dressed like this LAD, avoid. 

A passenger stated that several players spent parts of the journey "bragging" about being solicitors. However non-lawyers were also involved, and were identified as employees of companies including CBRE, Bloomberg, and Close Brothers Asset Management. But because even the non-lawyers wore branded clothing, members of the public were under the impression that all of them were solicitors playing in the official Law Society team. Which is particularly unfortunate given that several of them, said a witness, loudly discussed "their experience of prostitutes over the weekend". 
 
The Law Society declined to confirm that it had nothing to do with the Law Society RFC, because after a month of news about its sexist, hypocritical and misleading travails, why bother.
Tip Off ROF

Comments

Anonymous 24 November 17 07:56

Having played for the team, I am not in any way surprised by this. While there were some decent people there, there were also a lot of entitled and boorish tossers.

Roll On Friday 24 November 17 08:19

If it is not connected to the Law Society why is it allowed to use the name? Does the Law Society not protect its intellectual property rights and if so why not? If it needs some IP law help I am ready and able to assist it.

The sooner most solicitors whether playing rugby or not are female the better.

Anonymous 24 November 17 09:32

I didn't know Charlotte Proudman commented on RollonFriday under the pseudonym of "Lydia".

Roll On Friday 24 November 17 10:07

This is hardly RoF-worthy... I've met a number of these "louts" and they're generally lovely guys. I believe some of them even read the Guardian. My boyfriend used to play for the club (yes, I am a gay man) and they were all really accepting of us, unlike many other clubs (which I will not name).

UP YOUR GAME ROF - THERE'S SOME INTERESTING NEWS OUT THERE

Roll On Friday 24 November 17 11:09

Lydia - that was brilliant. Really brilliant. You're a class 1 troll. Made me laugh.

Anonymous 24 November 17 11:12

Love it, 10:07 - "because my boyfriend once played for the team and some of them were ok, you shouldn't report them being massive arseholes"

Anonymous 24 November 17 11:15

Shock-horror!

Rugby team gets drunk and noisy on train;
Rugby team apologises for actions; and
Rugby team imposes sanctions on those that misbehaved.

Story of the century...

Anonymous 24 November 17 12:20

Seriously though, why on earth do they call themselves a Law Society team if they're allegedly nothing to do with it?

Oh well, just reinforces the Law Society's quality image so no need to change there.

Anonymous 24 November 17 14:13

I once delivered a seminar for the Law Society in Moscow. When we all went for lunch, on our table there was a metal holder bearing a white card with the words, 'Low Society'. Some mistake, surely?

Anonymous 24 November 17 14:23

If these otherwise decent rugger chaps want to get a bit tipsy and start shouting about c***s and slags on a public train, then this is all perfectly innocent and excusable banter. Had I been on the train with my young children, I am sure that I would have gone along with the merry japes.


On the other hand, as it is in the public domain, they could have no objection to a member of the public getting out a smartphone, recording the innocent banter, and uploading that on to social media. After all, it is only banter and everyone can share in the entertainment. Indeed, if there are any recordings out there, then please share them.


Anonymous 24 November 17 14:58

Anonymous user at 7:56. Yes and exactly: for the most part top blokes but as long as * & * run the club there will be an element of this culture.