Tigers lodge complaint to ERC in bid to join Munster et al

THE dust may have just about settled on the pool stages of the Heineken Cup with the players now focused on their respective countries and their participation in the RBS 6 Nations Championship, but for one team that failed to make the quarter finals, their final pool match of last weekend remains very much in their minds. Leicester Tigers have spoken out about the Ospreys allegedly fielding 16 players at one stage during the game.

After Saturday’s Heineken Cup Pool 3 match against the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium, Leicester Tigers issued the following statement:

“We have looked at the television footage and it is clear that Ospreys had 16 men on the pitch at a point in the second half and that the player who returned to the field had a significant role in affecting an attack by Leicester Tigers No.9 Ben Youngs at a crucial part of the match.

“We have lodged an official complaint with ERC and they will look at it.

“It is up to ERC as tournament organisers to determine the next course of action.”

However, it has emerged that the Tigers themselves could find themselves in hot water as they have been accused by the Welsh team of having 16 players on the field during the game. Ospreys will hold out on lodging a complaint to the ERC after receiving advice that they could be merely fined for the alleged offence. The threat of expulsion from the tournament would be the only scenario whereby Ospreys could be seen to lodge a counter complaint.

On Tuesday last, the ERC confirmed that they received a complaint from Leicester officials regarding the incident and would investigate it further.

Pictured is Tommy Bowe, the Ospreys centre, battling through the Leicester defence.