England rugby star Mike Brown has launched a broadside at Alun Wyn Jones for his role in the Joe Marler punishment.
Brown, an England and Harlequins team-mate of Marler, dubbed the 10-week ban handed out to the Lions prop a 'witch-hunt' and appeared to lay the blame for the punishment firmly at the door of the Wales captain.
Brown, capped 72 times by England, argues the moment Jones made an issue of the Marler penis-grabbing incident at his post-match Press conference, disciplinary chiefs were compelled to act.
He claims 'there is an unwritten rule' amongst players that the matter should have been left on the pitch, insisting this type of thing happens 'pretty regularly in rugby' and saying Marler was 'thrown under a bus'.
Brown also reckons there are double standards, criticising Jones for 'verbals and cheapshots' against England's other prop Kyle Sinckler in the Wales v England game at the Principality Stadium last year.
"But he was dubbed a genius," says Brown, Sinckler having been withdrawn by Eddie Jones after losing his rag when he was wound up by Wales.
The England full-back has previous with Wales and was once involved in an infamous dust-up with Sam Warburton.
And he didn't hold back while launching a staunch defence of Marler in a column for Mail Online.
"It was a silly mistake I'm not condoning, but all it warranted was a slap on the wrist. Instead, he has been the victim of a witch-hunt and an equally ridiculous outcome," writes Brown.
"He's been sanctioned for twisting or grabbing — which is an aggressive act — but it's clear Marler was never trying to rip off the Welsh guy's privates. It was never a forceful motion.
"What concerns me is that rugby seems to be guilty of double standards, with the sport treating certain people in certain ways. If the roles were reversed between Marler and Jones, would there be all this hysteria?
"I'm not sure. Jones hounded Kyle Sinckler for the whole game last year with verbals and cheapshots, but he was dubbed a genius. If I did that, the Welsh fans would be calling me every name under the sun."
He went on: "As soon as Jones made an issue out of the Marler incident in his press conference, it was inevitable the story would turn into a circus. As soon as an incident starts generating headlines, World Rugby have to be seen to be doing something about it.
"By all accounts, Jones is an intelligent guy with a law degree. He must have known that by criticising the officials for not picking up on the incident it would turn up the heat on Marler.
"They have been on Lions tours together so I was surprised by that. There's an unwritten rule that you don't turn on another player unless they've done something beyond the pale. Maybe I'm just too old-school?"
Others, of course, feel was Marler did was 'beyond the pale', but Brown remains adamant the punishment was too harsh.
"I feel like Jones knows the type of person Marler is. He's a joker and people love him for it. Everyone wants characters and unpredictability, but if you turn on them every time something goes wrong they will quickly disappear," continues Brown.
"Would Jones have said anything if Wales had won? I'm not sure. I don't think it would have been a story.
"Unless Jones was genuinely uncomfortable with it - which I'm not sure he was because, like it or not, these things happen pretty regularly in rugby - he could have just laughed it off."
