LIST: The five craziest rugby conspiracy theories down the years...

Wales hosted the 1999 World Cup and were then coached by Graham Henry, now of New Zealand. They were knocked out in the quarter-finals by the eventual winners, Australia. Henry was convinced the Wallabies had cracked Wales's line-out calls and some of their moves. It was claimed some months later that an Australian who was working on the university site where Wales's notational analysis team was based left his job immediately after Wales had been knocked out. Presumably, he could take no more of the Welsh weather.

Is it true? Definitely could be.

New Zealand’s All Blacks rugby team were poisoned just 24 hours before the sensational 1995 Rugby World Cup final which saw outsiders South Africa claim the title, a bodyguard to former president Nelson Mandela has claimed. 

Rory Steyn, Mr Mandela’s head of security during his time in office who the president appointed to ensure the security of the mighty New Zealand national team, said he believed betting syndicates were responsible. 

There have been numerous theories for their collective sickness and one of the most popular is that “Suzie the waitress” poisoned their water in the week leading up to the final game. Others say it was milk. “Suzie” is now widely considered to be fictional but the story of food poisoning is true and any consider it to be conspiratorial in nature.

Is it true? Certainly has legs

Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu made the infamous spear tackle on Lions' captain Brian O'Driscoll in the first minute of the opening Test of the series in 2005. The pair were not cited for the challenge, which left O'Driscoll with a dislocated shoulder, despite compelling evidence. The Lions were unable to get an explanation from the citing officer and privately expressed the fear that he had been got at.

Is it true? New Zealand cheating? Nothing new.

This may seem strange, but there were actually theories that Donald actually missed the penalty that decided the World Cup final in 2011.

It's been widely suggested that  Donald actually missed the penalty that decided the final and, paralysed by fear and their innate pro-New Zealand bias, match officials refused to assert themselves.

Is it true? I suspect not. It looks like it glanced off the inside of the right upright, but it doesn’t help that the video is less than conclusive.

Former England captain Will Carling did little for both his clean cut image and the name of rugby when he hit the headlines in mid- 1990s after allegedly having a romantic relationship with Princess Diana. Divorce between Carling and his wife Julia followed and it wasn’t long before the tabloids were dubbing the ex-Harlequins man a love rat.

Is it true? Not really any of our business.