Falcons face one-year Euro ban for not fulfilling Amlin fixture

NEWCASTLE have been handed a one-year ban from European competition, suspended for five years, and fined €25,000 after pleading guilty to a charge of misconduct at a European Rugby Cup disciplinary hearing in Dublin yesterday.

The punishment relates to the Falcons’ Amlin Challenge Cup Pool Three clash against Bourgoin, which was scheduled to be held on Saturday, January 22.

The match was postponed due to an unplayable pitch at Stade Pierre Rajon and rescheduled for the following day, but the Falcons chose to return to Britain before a pitch inspection at midday. The fixture was never played but, with neither side able to reach for the quarter-finals, it had no impact on which sides progressed from the pool.

Newcastle, who currently sit bottom of the Aviva Premiership, pleaded guilty to a charge that they had “refused and/or failed to participate in the match on its rescheduled date, January 23, or at all,” and were expelled from this season’s Amlin Challenge Cup and handed the suspended one-year ban from European rugby, which will be activated should they commit a similar offence during the next five years.

The match was also awarded to Bourgoin, with the French club being handed a bonus-point 28-0 victory.

Bourgoin, however, were also handed a one-year ban, suspended for five years, after they pleaded guilty to a charge that the club did not do its best to ensure that the match was not postponed due to adverse weather, and did not have an alternative venue where the game could have been played. The Top 14 side were also fined €75,000.

Meanwhile, Northampton forward Christian Day claimed he was not “gouged” by England wing Mark Cueto, in written statements to RFU disciplinary chiefs. Cueto this week received a nine-week ban after being cited for making contact with Day’s eye/eye area during an Aviva Premiership game between Northampton and Sale Sharks on April 2.