'It's not sour grapes' insist Leicester
Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:12
Key moment: Wales fullback Lee Byrne down and receiving attention.
The ERC are reportedly still looking into the '16th man incident which occurred during the Leicester Tigers/Ospreys clash at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday but have not stopped the Welsh region from advancing into the quarter-finals of the competition.
By confirming the quarter-final draw on Sunday evening the ERC made it crystal clear that, whatever their findings, they will not be reversing the result of the match or even ordering it to possibly be re-played.
The incident, which saw fullback Lee Byrne return to the pitch without his temporary replacement Sonny Parker leaving it, occurred midway through the second half of the titanic Round Six clash and, according to Tigers CEO Peter Wheeler, 'could have affected the outcome' of the game.
ERC officials will continue to look into the matter, and could potentially fine the Ospreys for accidently playing a minute of the match with 16 men, but, in terms of top eight qualification, have already made their minds up.
Wheeler, speaking to the Mirror, insists that it was not bitterness, but rather the desire for a fair resolution, which motivated the Premiership side to lodge a formal complaint.
"Something happened that should not have happened and could have affected the outcome," said Wheeler.
"Their 16th player had a significant impact on the game."
Explaining: "This isn't sour grapes on our part at all,
"We just wanted the matter dealt with fairly."
With the Tigers attacking down the right flank Byrne, back on the pitch after receiving treatment, was involved in defending the attack while Parker, filling in at centre, covered wide on the right.
Referee Alan Lewis was made aware of the incident by the fourth official immediately after the conclusion of the movement and was seen very clearly to be reprimanding one of the Ospreys' physio staff.
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