RFU reveals 141 cases involving children
The Rugby Football Union's safeguarding team dealt with 141 cases involving interactions between adults and children in 2015-16.
Some of the cases concerned "serious harmful sexual behaviour", although a spokesperson for the RFU told the Guardian those were of a "very small number" and most the of the cases were to do with abusive language or allegations of bullying.
The number of cases looked at by the safeguarding team was revealed in notes from the RFU council meeting of October 14, which were published on the Somerset RFU website.
An RFU spokesperson told the Guardian: "Typically, we deal with around 140 incidents per year, of which a very small number relate to allegations concerning sexual incidents within rugby."
The meeting notes also revealed that during the same period the safeguarding team made 13,725 Disclosure and Barring Service checks.
Allegations of historical child sex abuse have rocked soccer, with the National Police Chiefs' Council revealing last week that 83 potential suspects and 98 clubs have been identified in connection with claims.
A number of former soccer players have waived their right to anonymity to speak about their experiences.
RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie said in the Guardian: "The scale in football is shocking because every offence of this kind is distressing and distasteful, something you need to discourage."
