The Three Tuns bar at LSE

THEY are some of the brightest young minds in the country, studying for degrees at a university that requires only the best grades to secure a place.

But a less-than-clever incident in the student union bar at the London School of Economics has seen the men’s rugby team closed down for the year.

No matches have been played since March after complaints about “derogatory” messages on T-shirts worn by club members.

The students’ union, which manages clubs and societies, investigated the circumstances and decided to pull the plug on men’s rugby for the rest of the year.

The incident relates to T-shirts worn in the Three Tuns bar on the university campus in Holborn – a social spot which is cemented in folklore for many undergraduates who have passed through the university, although nearly always for happy times and memorable nights out.

The students’ union has not shared further details of what the messages on the T-shirts said.

It is not the first time that sanctions have been imposed on the LSE rugby team.

The team of 2014 was disbanded for the academic year after circulating a seven-page leaflet that contained sexist and homophobic language.

Female students who played hockey, netball and rugby were described as “beast-like women who play sport just so they can come out with us on Wednesdays”.

It added of another student nightspot, ZOO bar: “Nowhere in the world can so many mingers look so appealing.”

In that case, the punishment of shutting down the club for a year was ordered because nobody was willing to accept individual responsibility for writing the text – the source of dozens of complaints.

University rugby is a significant part of the sports offering for students, and major rivalries have developed over the years.

LSE takes on King’s College London for the Strand Cup each year, and sponsors get interested in the City Varsity match against Imperial College.

More than 1,000 fans come to watch the latter each year at £10 a ticket, and it had been due to be played at London Welsh RFC’s ground in Richmond until the club’s suspension.

The women’s match did go ahead, while a team from Oxford replaced the men’s side.

The Beaver – one of the longest-running student newspapers in the UK – reported that “social members” had been blamed for the T-shirts, and not the actual first-team players.

There had been reports of “repeated social misconduct”, however.

“It is unfair the student union has punished the entire team, even those who genuinely love rugby like myself and have a paid a hefty £140 for the year, but haven’t participated in these incidents. It’s understandable that Varsity has been suspended, but stopping the club’s ability to participate in matches and training make it difficult for those who were simply a part of the club for sport,” one player told The Beaver.

A statement from the LSE Students’ Union said: “The London School of Economics Students’ Union has completed a comprehensive investigation following allegations of serious misconduct involving the Men’s Rugby Club.

“The investigation established clear evidence that conduct linked to the club failed to meet the standards required of Students’ Union members. Such behaviour contradicted our Code of Conduct, violated explicit instructions that had been communicated to the club’s leadership, and presented serious risks to student wellbeing and safety.

“In accordance with our disciplinary procedures, the Men’s Rugby Club has been suspended until the end of this academic year. This suspension covers all activities, sporting and social. Our decisions reflect our fundamental responsibility to protect students and our absolute intolerance of behaviours that pose a risk to any student’s wellbeing and safety.”