ERC now target London Welsh
European Challenge Cup organisers, the ERC, have made a misconduct complaint against London Welsh over a player eligibility issue which helped undermine their Premiership season.
ERC said an independent disciplinary committee would consider its complaint against the club over the registration of scrum-half Tyson Keats.
The Exiles were handed a five-point penalty and a £15,000 fine by the Rugby Football Union in March for fielding Keats in 10 Premiership games when he was ineligible. A further suspended five-point penalty was later removed after an appeal.
Mike Scott, the former London Welsh team manager, was banned for life from rugby over his role in the matter after he admitted supplying false information regarding New Zealander Keats, including a forged passport, to the RFU.
Following the deduction, Welsh finished bottom of the Premiership and Newcastle's Championship triumph effectively confirmed their relegation.
But, as Keats also featured for the club in the Challenge Cup, the ERC has decided Welsh have a case to answer over his registration for European competition.
"The complaint is that London Welsh may have committed one or more acts of misconduct when the club's then team manager, Mike Scott, registered Keats for the tournament," the ERC said.
AFP
