Drugs not in the English game, says Leonard

The England prop forward Jason Leonard has expressed his shock after learning that his French opposite number, Pieter de Villiers, has been ruled out of the Six Nations' Championship opener at Twickenham on 15 February after failing a drugs test.

Leonard had expected to line up against the South Africa-born prop and was surprised to hear De Villiers would not be picked after the test following a club game in Decembershowed up traces of cocaine and ecstasy. "I've been out with Pieter a number of times after games and there's been nothing to make me believe he would do anything like that," said Leonard.

"When we've been out, just like anyone else, he had a couple of beers. He's a lovely person, as a player and a bloke, he is a star."

The England and Harlequins player told a Sports Writers' Association lunch in London yesterday that in more than a decade in top rugby he had seen nothing to suggest that the game has any sort of drug culture.

"I've never encountered or heard anything at all. I'm shocked by the things that have happened today," he said.

"In England, people are always being told the perils of drugs, right down to youth level. Players are always being tested. I don't think drugs are there in the English game. If they are, you would think you would have seen it in 12 years in the game, but I never have."

Leonard also dispelled fears that he had joined the injury crisis, currently afflicting England's prop forwards in the build-up to the game with France.

With Phil Vickery and Julian White rated extremely doubtful – and Trevor Woodman and David Flatman already ruled out – the way is clear for Leonard to collect his 100th England cap.

But he revealed that he had suffered a knee injury, playing for Harlequins at Newcastle at the weekend, and had received treatment yesterday. "I'll be okay," he said. "I took a knock on the knee and tried to run it off, but it stiffened up. That happens at my age but I'll be ready to play for Quins against Sale on Saturday. It's not a problem."

Because of the England injuries, Leonard could be switched from his normal loosehead position to tighthead prop. "It will be OK but they are like chalk and cheese – different techniques and ways of playing the game," he said.

* The Stirling County back-row forward Gareth Flockhart has been handed a four-week suspension by the Scottish Rugby Union discipline panel after his sending-off for kicking an opposition player in the BT Premiership Division One game against Melrose at Bridgehaugh on 25 January. The Melrose hooker Wayne Mitchell was sent off for stamping in an unrelated incident in the same match and has received a two-week suspension.