Pubdate: Sun, 30 May 1999 Source: Sunday Telegraph (UK) Copyright: Telegraph Group Limited 1999 Contact: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ Author: Paul Ackford and Andrew Alderson TABLOID REPORTERS SPIKED MY DRINK, CLAIMS DALLAGLIO LAWRENCE DALLAGLIO, the shamed former England Rugby Union captain, has told friends that he fears his champagne was drugged before he made astonishing "confessions" about his private life to News of the World undercover reporters. Dallaglio's suspicions, which are shared by his girlfriend and supporters, will be raised with the Rugby Football Union panel investigating his "disclosures" about his drug-taking past. Senior representatives of Dallaglio, who resigned the captaincy last week, have spoken to Sir John Hall, who suspects that his son Douglas, and Freddy Shepherd, then fellow directors of Newcastle United, may also have had their champagne drugged before they made outrageous "confessions" to another News of the World undercover reporter. He believes that the comments were out of character. Sir John, former chairman of Newcastle soccer and rugby clubs, spoke to Andrew Morris, Dallaglio's adviser, and a senior official from the RFU last week to compare notes over the undercover investigations. Yesterday, Phil Hall, editor of the News of the World, laughed off suggestions that the champagne had been drugged. He dismissed the suspicions of Dallaglio and Sir John as "nonsense", saying he was aware of the former Newcastle chairman's claims. The Telegraph has learned that Alice Corbett, Dallaglio's girlfriend and mother of his two daughters, has also expressed concerns that he was uncharacteristically "odd" after his two meetings with reporters at the London Hilton and Conrad International hotels. Sara Pearson, spokesman for Dallaglio, said yesterday that the player was concerned that champagne he drank was not opened in front of him. She said: "The whole thing is so curious. Mr Dallaglio believes the champagne had an unusual effect on him and it is a drink he is familiar with. He is adamant that the effect the champagne had on him was different to any he had had before." Although Dallaglio, 26, will air his concerns to the RFU panel studying allegations of drug taking and sex with prostitutes, he has no proof of his suspicions. He has denied claims that he made to the News of the World that he had once been a drugs dealer and took cocaine and ecstasy during a British Lions tour. It is understood that Sir John has made extensive investigations into the circumstances of his son's and Mr Shepherd's revelations last year. The men were taped in Spain criticising Newcastle women and boasting of ripping off fans. Yesterday, Phil Hall, who has made the undercover videos available to the RFU, said: "I think Mr Dallaglio's claims are absolutely wonderful and I look forward to refuting them. Our investigators' entire operation was videod. You can see the champagne being opened. The RFU were shocked by the tapes. Most of Mr Dallaglio's confessions were made before he drank most of the champagne." - --- MAP posted-by: Patrick Henry