Rugby Union: Gibbs is charged with drink-driving

SCOTT GIBBS, the Swansea and Wales centre selected to tour New Zealand with the Lions this summer, was arrested and charged with drink-driving on Monday night. Gibbs, 22, spent 12 hours in custody at Bridgend police station.

In addition, Gibbs and two other Heineken First Division players - Maesteg's Matthew Brown, 23, and Bridgend's Paul Jones, 22 - were charged with taking and driving away a motor vehicle after an incident involving a stolen taxi.

Now Bob Weighill, secretary of the Four Home Unions, which selects the Lions, is expecting to receive a full report from the Welsh Rugby Union on the facts surrounding the arrest of Gibbs.

The three players are set to appear in court on 6 May, a week before Gibbs is due to depart with the Lions and two days before a possible Swalec Cup final appearance with Swansea. Gibbs, capped 18 times, was Welsh Player of the Year in 1991.

Geoff Cooke, the Lions manager, said: 'It is not for me or the Lions management to take any moral stance. There is no reason for me to speak to Scott about this at the moment.'

Meanwhile, Mike James, Swansea's chairman, said the club would support Gibbs as much as they could. 'He's absolutely distraught,' James said.