Leicester Tigers boss insists late night police call to McDonalds was over a disputed cookie robbery

But they paid for the cookie BEFORE the cops got there.

Leicester Tigers have found themselves embroiled in a pre-season fiasco after the Italian police [carabineri] were called to a McDonalds outlet following a victory over Benetton Treviso. Tigers geared up for the start of the Aviva Premiership season by swatting Treviso aside, 33-10. The game took place on Friday evening and in the early hours of Saturday, August 20, several of the squad visited the fast food establishment. There, according to reports, players reacted poorly to being forced to queue for a long time. Food was said to be taken without payment and the police were summoned. The news broke on Monday and the players involved have been reprimanded by the club. Tigers director of rugby, Richard Cockerill refused to name the players involved but said:

"The players involved have been dealt with, it is disappointing for obvious reasons. I would much prefer it not to happen. As the reports say, there was a player who took a cookie from a jar and that was paid for by the time the police arrived. "It all died down. It was something of nothing but the players involved have been dealt with by myself and that's the end of the matter. It is private. It was dealt with swiftly and it was not particularly serious otherwise it would have been dealt with by the police."

Cockerill stressed that modern professionals are now being held to a higher standard. He believes that infamous blow-outs of the past, and team bonding sessions, are becoming 'a danger for everybody'. He added:

"We have seen it with ‘Mad Monday’ in New Zealand [Waikato Chiefs], those days have gone now. It is what it is. "You are a Leicester Tiger 24/7 and you are judged upon how you behave however good or bad that is. It is a lesson learnt for some young people about how those things can escalate. It made us all look a bit silly."

Hands in the cookie jar and a distraction that Tigers could do without before their league season kicks off, on Friday. The new GAA Hour football podcast is here. Listen to Colm Parkinson, Senan Connell, and Barry Cahill dissect a classic between Dublin and Kerry. Subscribe here on iTunes.