Williams was suspended for 12 months and Harlequins were fined £215,000 - half of which was suspended - following the incident in last season’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leinster.

The disciplinary panel’s full written judgement was emailed to both parties today and they now have 72 hours to lodge any appeal.

If no appeal is forthcoming the contents of the judgement will then be made public.

Williams is understood to have been in contact with the players’ union - the Professional Rugby Players’ Association - who have provided him with specialist legal advice.

Williams was found to have faked a cut mouth in order to allow substituted fly-half Nick Evans, a drop-goal specialist, to return to the field with five minutes remaining and Quins trailing 6-5.

Harlequins managed to engineer a late drop-goal attempt for Evans but the New Zealand fly-half was struggling with a knee injury and pulled it wide.

The original ERC released a statement read: “It was the view of the committee that this was a very serious offence and one that damaged the reputation of the tournament and of rugby union, and accordingly the committee imposed a fine of 250,000 euro on Harlequins, of which 50% is suspended for two years.

“The committee also suspended Mr Williams from playing rugby for period of 12 months up to and including 19, July 2010.”

Harlequins director of rugby Dean Richards plus two members of the club’s medical team - physiotherapist Steph Brennan and Dr Wendy Chapman - had similar misconduct complaints dismissed.

PRA chief executive Damian Hopley reacted furiously to the verdict, claiming Williams had been “singled out” and that a 12-month ban was “excessive and entirely disproportionate”.

Harlequins had said they were both “surprised and disappointed” that both Williams and the club were found guilty when other charges had been dismissed.