Tigers lodge official protest

Leicester tonight lodged an official protest with tournament chiefs after their Heineken Cup exit was overshadowed by a 16th player blunder at the Liberty Stadium.

Tigers’ 17-12 Pool Three defeat against the Ospreys meant they crashed out of Europe behind group winners Clermont Auvergne and the Welsh side, who both progress into this season’s quarter-finals.

But the Ospreys briefly had 16 players on the pitch when their Wales and Lions full-back Lee Byrne went back on after initially going off nursing a bloodied foot.

Chaos ensued on the touchline while referee Alan Lewis rectified the situation, but not before the Ospreys had played for about a minute with 16 players.

Leicester chief executive Peter Wheeler and chairman Peter Tom confirmed a complaint had been made to European Rugby Cup, although it is understood tournament rules mean the result of the match cannot be affected.

England were fined a five-figure sum during the 2003 World Cup when Dan Luger briefly appeared as a 16th player during their group victory over Samoa in Melbourne.

And that would be the likely punishment for the Ospreys – as opposed to any points deduction – if ERC rule against them.

During Byrne’s second-half appearance as a 16th player he was involved in helping to thwart a menacing Leicester attack sparked by their scrum-half Ben Youngs.

Both Leicester coach Richard Cockerill and his Ospreys counterpart Scott Johnson moved to play down the incident.

But Wheeler said: “During a significant part of the game, the Ospreys had 16 players on the pitch, and he was involved in a break by Ben Youngs being stopped from developing.

“We think the interference of the 16th man was significant – you are only entitled to have 15 players on the pitch.

“We think it affected the outcome of the game. The players put their heart and soul into it out there, and they deserve to be treated fairly.”

Referee Lewis could be seen berating an Ospreys touchline official when the matter was brought to his attention.

Tom added: “A serious error has been made. We are 12 years or so into the professional game, and it is time administrative procedures were sorted out.

“There has been a significant mistake that could be said to have had an impact on the game.

“People who administer the game have to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”