Rugby

Bath to make unprecedented request for Toulouse game to be replayed

Club say whistle was blown early and also believe French side should have been down to 13 men

Bath’s Freddie Burns runs behind the posts but fails to ground the ball to score a try during the European Champions Cup match against Toulouse at the Recreation Ground. Photograph: David Davies/PA Wire

Gerard Meagher
Fri Oct 19 2018 - 20:30

The Champions Cup organisers have confirmed Bath have signalled their intentions to request formally that last week’s defeat by Toulouse is replayed in what represents a remarkable course of action from the West Country club.

Bath have informed European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) they want last weekend’s 22-20 defeat to be chalked off and the match played again with the competition organisers waiting on an official letter from the club before taking any decision.

In an unprecedented move the club feels justified for doing so because, according to the match clock shown on television screens, there were still a few seconds to go before the referee, Andrew Brace, blew for full-time, denying Bath an attacking lineout in a promising position.

Bath also believe that, because two Toulouse players – Jerome Kaino and Lucas Pointud – have since had citing complaints against them upheld, the French side should have been down to 13 men.

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Toulouse’s Jerome Kaino is yellow carded by referee Andrew Brace following a high tackle on Jamie Roberts of Bath during the Champions Cup game at at the Recreation Ground. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho

Kaino was shown a yellow card for striking Jamie Roberts with his shoulder and has subsequently been banned for five weeks. Pointud was cited for striking Nathan Catt and has been suspended for four weeks but he stayed on the field after the incident. Toulouse for their part are appealing against Kaino's suspension.

Bath ultimately lost a thrilling contest by two points when Freddie Burns made a colossal error in failing to score the match-winning try in the dying stages. Burns had started to celebrate the try early but was caught unawares by Maxime Médard before touching the ball down under the posts.

Todd Blackadder, the Bath director of rugby, has kept faith with Burns for Saturday's Champions Cup match against Wasps and even selected him at outhalf with Rhys Priestland sidelined for up to eight weeks with a knee injury. Roberts is ruled out, however, by the head injury suffered as a result of Kaino's tackle.

Leinster take on Toulouse at the Stade Ernest Wallon on Sunday afternoon (3.15pm Irish time)in the other gam e in Pool One this weekend.

- Guardian service

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