REFEREE Tony Spreadbury has come under fire over his handling of the injury to Saracens wing Francisco Leonelli in yesterday's home defeat to Harlequins.

The Argentina international was concussed in a tackle 10 minutes before half time in the build up to Quin's second try of the match.

However, Somerset offical Spreadbury allowed play to continue and Quins exploited the situation with Ugo Monye crossing over in acres of space.

Saracens director of rugby Alan Gaffney revealed after the game that team doctor Mark Curtin has passed Leonelli fit to return to the field after examining him, but claimed Spreadbury ignored the medic's opinion.

To confuse the matter futher Gaffney said Spreadbury has ruled Leonelli had suffered a blood injury, whereby a player may be replaced for up to 15 minutes to receive first-aid treatment before returning to the action.

"Our doctor passed Leonelli fully fit to go back out onto the pitch," said Gaffney. "But Tony Spreadbury, in his wisdom and medical opinion decided he couldn't return to the pitch.

"I found that quite astounding and I'm still confused by it.

"He overruled our doctor who was 100 per cent sure that Leonelli was okay to go back onto the pitch.

"We went to quiz Tony at half time and he said to us 'he's not allowed back onto the field'."

Leonelli's place went to Dan Scarbrough, back in the first team since suffering medial knee ligament damage in the second game of the season against Gloucester.