Blues pivot in the doghouse

Cardiff Blues flyhalf Jason Tovey is in the doghouse with his club after he was ruled out of Saturday's European Cup game against Toulon because a Labrador puppy ate his passport.

Blues star Tovey was unable to join his Cardiff teammates on their flight to France because his pet dog Buster chewed up his passport.

The 23-year-old has been being forced to stay home and watch the Pool Six encounter with Jonny Wilkinson's Toulon on television and a Cardiff Blues spokesman said: "Jason rang to say what happened – he's in the doghouse."

"It's a bit like the old schoolboy excuse that the dog ate my homework," Tovey told BBC Wales.

"Buster is always chewing things, but usually it's my sock and shoes. As soon as I saw the passport, I thought I would never get through airport security with it.

"I was dreading telling my team coach. I didn't think anyone would believe it."

Tovey later posted pictures of the ruined passport on his Twitter account.