Clubs to face pitch inspection from ERC
January 17, 2002

Premiership clubs Newcastle and Sale, meanwhile, will be summoned to disciplinary hearings in Dublin following recent match postponements.

Newcastle's Heineken Cup group game against Leinster was switched to Leeds following a double Kingston Park postponement inside 24 hours, while Sale rearranged their Shield appointment with Narbonne five days later than originally scheduled because of Heywood Road pitch problems.

Italian representatives L'Aquila and Overmach Parma are in the dock for identical reasons, with Overmach also facing questions about why they failed to turn up for a rearranged fixture against Pontypridd, which was moved from their own ground to Gloucester by ERC.

ERC said all four clubs would be asked "to account for the state of their pitches, and their contingency arrangements".

And ERC have also started an investigation into last Saturday's Shield encounter between Ebbw Vale and French club Agen.

Against all odds, Vale won the pool one game 59-10, scoring nine tries and finishing above Agen on try-count as a result to secure a quarter-final spot.

"It was agreed that ERC should initiate an investigation into the game to determine whether or not a charge of misconduct should be brought against Agen."

If Agen are found guilty of what is, effectively, not trying then they could face a substantial fine or possible ban.

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