NEWPORT Gwent Dragons have been given a £10,000 suspended fine and forced to forfeit last Friday's LV= Cup game with Saracens.
Tournament organisers dished out the punishment because the Welsh region failed to provide alternative arrangements after calling the game off.
Club chiefs deemed the frozen Rodney Parade pitch was unplayable and postponed the Dragons’ final pool fixture against the Aviva Premiership side.
It was also decided that Sarries would be awarded the fixture by a 20-0 scoreline with the suspended fine in place until next season’s LV= Cup pool phase is completed.
In a statement, cup organisers said: “The LV organising committee accepted that there was no intention to gain any advantage by the pitch being unplayable and that preventative measures were put in place.
“However, the LV= Cup regulations are clear in that it is the home team's responsibility to ensure they can stage the fixture, as outlined in regulation 6.7.”
The outcome of the match wouldn’t have had any bearing on either side’s chances of reaching the semi-finals with the Dragons finishing bottom of Pool D.
It wasn’t the first time the Dragons had to postpone a match due to frozen or waterlogged pitches. Successive home derbies against Cardiff Blues in 2010 and 2011 were also called off.
The region also had to switch last season’s Heineken Cup pool game against Wasps to the Cardiff City Stadium because of a frozen playing surface in Newport.
Thursday, 9 February 2012
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