APROFESSIONAL rugby team stopped off in Bristol for a couple of hours only to have belongings stolen as they trained. Sale Sharks visited Clifton RFC on Good Friday to break up the long coach journey from Manchester to Sandy Park, where they were due to play Exeter Chiefs in the Aviva Premiership on Saturday.
It must have worked, as Steve Diamond’s play-off-chasing side battered their opponents 55-12.
However, as they trained in the sunshine at Clifton’s Cribbs Causeway ground, someone entered the changing rooms and stole six mobile phones, an iPod Touch and a watch.
The Bristol Post understands some of the valuables belonged to the Sale players, but others were owned by members of a junior rugby team.
The burglary, which is being investigated by Avon and Somerset police, took some of the gloss off what had been a coup for National Two South side Clifton, who also host Bristol Rugby training sessions.
Sharks star Danny Cipriani, top, their Bristol-bound scrum-half Dwayne Peel and the former Bristol player Tom Arscott, bottom, were all put through their paces on Clifton’s first team pitch.
Alongside a gallery of pictures, Clifton posted on their website: “In beautiful sunshine, the Premiership side ran through drills and preparation for their game and looked to be thoroughly enjoying our ground and facilities.
“Plenty of juniors were on hand to watch the preparations and were delighted when Dwayne Peel, Danny Cipriani and Tom Arscott were among many players who stopped to chat and sign autographs.”
The person or people responsible for the thefts entered the changing rooms through an “insecure rear access”, according to police.
There were six victims in total, and six phones were stolen – a Galaxy S3, Galaxy Ace, Galaxy S2, iPhone 5, iPhone 5C and a Blackberry 9900.
Neither Sale Sharks nor Roger Bealing, the secretary of Clifton, wanted to comment on the incident.
Police spokesman Martin Dunscombe said: “We’re investigating a burglary at Clifton Rugby Football Club between 2pm and 3pm on Friday, April 18. The changing rooms were entered and items belonging to some of the players were stolen.
“We would like to speak to anyone who knows who was responsible, or saw someone acting suspiciously in the area at that time.
Anyone who can help should contact us by calling 101, quoting the reference 38685/14.”
Article source: http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Welsh-rugby-regions-good-nick-need-plasters/story-20000854-detail/story.html
Thieves strike as rugby stars practise at Clifton
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