Dean Richards must now consider a career change © Getty Images

Dean Richards carved out a formidable reputation as a player for Leicester, England and the Lions and is widely as one of the greatest players of his generation. As a coach he was equally impressive - steering the Tigers to back-to-back Heineken Cup titles and overseeing the re-birth of Harlequins as a major force in English rugby. But all that now lies in tatters after he was handed a three-year ban for masterminding the fake blood substitution that has cost him, winger Tom Williams, the world-famous Quins and the sport so dear.

Many questioned the original findings of the 'Bloodgate' investigation and there was little surprise when European Rugby Cup chiefs signalled their displeasure too and opted for the appeal.

While it originally appeared that Williams had taken one for the team, it now seems that Richards is the fall guy for rugby as a whole. With the full force of the International Rugby Board, the Rugby Football Union and European Rugby Cup - not to mention the considerable weight of the wider mass media who have pounced on the issue - he has now been cast into the wilderness as the sport desperately tries to restore some credibility.

With the appeal ruling the disciplinary chiefs had to make a very strong statement and thankfully they got it right having fudged the issue on their first attempt. With no precedent an example had to be made of Richards and with a three-year ban they have definitely sent a message that such behaviour will not be tolerated.

Richards can consider himself a little unlucky to be the one to get caught if the tactic is as common as some would have us believe. But he was a fool for trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the officials in such a high-profile game with the eyes of the rugby world centred on his side. The ban is extremely severe but Richards' role in the incident is only part of the story - he is also paying the price for failing to admit his guilt in the original investigation, for orchestrating the subsequent cover-up and, to a certain degree, the shortcomings of the sport.

And what happened to the team ethos that rugby holds so proud? This scandal had the leading protagonists diving for cover to protect themselves leaving one of their number to take the flack. Had the club not been so cowardly in the first place then the fallout may have been contained.

It is a shame that a season that promised so much for Quins - with two thrilling victories over Stade Francais in the same Heineken Cup competition that would be the stage for their downfall - ended in such a manner.

Will the punishment dished out to Richards prevent a repeat? Unlikely. The high-profile nature of this case will ensure the sale of blood capsules fall through the floor but the demands of professionalism will ensure clubs continue to dice with death.

As my colleague John Taylor has suggested a return to independent medical officers on the sidelines or rolling substitutions are perhaps the best options available to the game. Which would get your vote? Medical officers may be able to spot fake blood but if real cuts are being made or old wounds being opened up then they have little chance of spotting foul play. And what of 'injuries' where there is no blood? In my own experience I can vouch that the M in MRI scan does not stand for Mobile.

Maybe rolling subs are the way to go? On the surface this seems like a viable option but there are those who believe that replacements strip matches of momentum and they would see an extension of that as another nail in the coffin of the sport.

Those that don't follow the sport closely may question why this issue has taken to long to come to the boil with Quins having been found guilty of fabricating the injury a month ago. The reason may well be because the tactic employed by Quins is not that shocking to those involved in the game. In fact, if reports are to be believed it is an all too common occurrence.

Coaches and players such as former England coach Dick Best and Rugby World Cup winner Matt Dawson have recently revealed their exposure to such dishonest tactics but they are now safely ensconced outside the inner workings of the game.

In contrast, England manager Martin Johnson and his skipper Steve Borthwick opted for a straight bat last week insisting they had never been witness to such controversy. But you would not expect them to matter-of-factly confirm its presence in the game. Whatever they say - it happens - we've seen it with our own eyes thanks to the Sky Sports cameras but whether it is common practice on the international stage is another thing altogether.

That form of the game has flirted with its own replacement controversy with the return of Springboks skipper John Smit to the first Test clash with the Lions raising eyebrows - but Lions refused to stir the controversy at the time or since.

And before our rugby cousins start pointing the finger to the ills of the commercially-rich northern hemisphere I think it is a safe bet that this problem is not limited to England, the UK or even Europe. But whether it is as widespread as some reports would have us believe is of course open to debate.

The ill-advised Williams was originally singled out by the investigation and hit with a 12-month ban - a completely over-the-top decision against a player who was allegedly set up as a scapegoat.

Thankfully some sense prevailed with the reduction of his ban - thanks largely to the actions of the player himself - but he can still feel a little hard done by. A cheat he may well be but does his punishment fit the crime? I still don't think so. As previously mentioned here his ban looks ludicrous compared to the comparative slap on the wrist for the likes of South Africa's Schalk Burger who picked up an eight-week ban for his assault on the Lions Luke Fitzgerald earlier this year.

You may or may not agree that jeopardising the integrity of the sport by cheating warrants a stronger sanction than an attempted gouging but what is not in doubt is the fact that by treating the latter so lightly the sport is doing as much damage to the game as any misguided use of fake blood.

Harlequins can count themselves very lucky to have escaped with just a fine - albeit a hefty one. It is amazing to me that a side that treated a tournament with such contempt last season by cheating can be welcomed back into its embrace this season.

By allowing Quins to compete for the European crown this year, ERC are in danger of undoing some of the great work they have put in during the last 10 years to craft the best club competition in the world. I don't buy reports that the monetary sanction was in danger of crippling the Premiership club - such is the strength of their brand and the large following they have benefitted from for many years - even in their brief spell back in National 1.

Rugby now has some work to do to restore its reputation and time will tell if the sport's recent woes will take their toll at the turnstiles or in terms of playing numbers. The sport has long laid claim to the moral high ground but those foundations, built on more than a century of amateur status, now appear very shaky. Sadly, it has only taken 14 years of professionalism to bring us to this day.

And with the Rugby Football Union now investigating more fake injuries unearthed by the Harlequins investigation it appears the sport is a long way from being in the clear.