{"id":500550,"date":"2026-03-28T18:52:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-28T18:52:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/500550\/"},"modified":"2026-03-28T18:52:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T18:52:12","slug":"leicester-tigers-boss-geoff-parling-involved-in-x-rated-exchange-with-tnt-sport-presenters-over-pre-match-incident","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/500550\/","title":{"rendered":"Leicester Tigers boss Geoff Parling involved in X-rated exchange with TNT Sport presenters over pre-match incident"},"content":{"rendered":"

By MICHAEL PAVITT, SPORTS REPORTER<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 11:43 EDT, 28 March 2026 | Updated: 14:34 EDT, 28 March 2026 <\/p>\n

Leicester Tigers boss Geoff Parling had an X-rated exchange with TNT Sport presenters ahead of their\u00a0Prem Rugby clash with Gloucester.<\/p>\n

Footage showed Leicester players warming up ahead of the match at Villa Park, where Gloucester had opted to stage a showpiece match.<\/p>\n

Out on the touchline presenter Craig Doyle invited Liam MacDevitt to attempt a conversion at the posts, joking it was part of an initiation due to being a new part of their team.<\/p>\n

Doyle said: ‘You’re going to kick this ball’, with\u00a0former footballer-turned presenter MacDevitt quipping ‘this is going to be a debut defining moment’ as he prepared to take the kick.<\/p>\n

As MacDevitt ran up and struck the ball towards the posts and close to the Leicester players, Parling and a member of his coaching staff could be seen approaching the TNT presenters.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Doyle first congratulated him on a ‘good effort’ and jokingly asked ‘would you sign him, Geoff?’ as the Leicester boss approached.<\/p>\n

WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Presenter <\/p>\n

Presenter Liam MacDevitt attempted a conversion as part of a light-hearted initiation to the TNT Sports team, but it drew the attention of Leicester Tigers boss Geoff Parling<\/p>\n

\"Parling <\/p>\n

Parling was seen approaching presenters Craig Doyle and MacDevitt, visibly unhappy after the ball had been kicked towards his players, who were warming up<\/p>\n

\"Parling <\/p>\n

Parling was seen shoving Doyle and declared ‘It’s f***ing not on’ as he told the presenters to get off the pitch<\/p>\n

Parling, however, was less than impressed with the Leicester coach telling the presenters ‘That\u2019s not on, that\u2019s f***ing not on. Get off the pitch.’<\/p>\n

The Leicester coach was seen shoving Doyle, who then offered an apology.<\/p>\n

‘Sorry, Geoff not happy about that,’ Doyle said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘Apologies for the language, Geoff understandably upset about that, let’s just step off the pitch here for a second.’<\/p>\n

Viewers of the coverage on\u00a0TNT, who pay around \u00a340m to show Prem Rugby each season, were split over the incident.<\/p>\n

Some argued that Parling had overreacted to the incident, while others were critical of the TNT presenters for interrupting Leicester Tigers’ warm-up ahead of the match.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For his part, Parling confirmed afterwards that he had received an apology\u00a0from the Prem’s official TV broadcaster.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Leicester Tigers would ultimately earn a 36-17 victory over Gloucester in the early kick-off, lifting Parling’s side up to third in the table.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Leicester won the Slater Cup as a result, with the fixture between the teams played in honour of their former player\u00a0Ed Slater, who is suffering from motor neurone disease.<\/p>\n

The match at Villa Park has helped to raise money for the charity founded in his name, 4Ed.<\/p>\n

Prior to the match, Lewis Moody – who is also suffering from MND – completed a charity bike ride with his 2003 World Cup winning captain Martin Johnson.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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