Heineken crux as Ospreys face ERC player probe

THE knockout stages of the Heineken Cup could be thrown into chaos following another player controversy involving the Ospreys.

The Welsh regional side were fined and their Wales full-back Lee Byrne had a two-week ban quashed on appeal after he briefly appeared as a 16th player during their pool stage victory over Leicester last month.

Ospreys’ win meant they secured a quarter-final place, booking a tie against Biarritz in San Sebastian on April 10. But it has now emerged that European Rugby Cup bosses are probing the eligibility of Ospreys’ South African scrum-half Ricky Januarie.