ERC Ltd, the organisers of the European Cup, have confirmed that the former Wallaby centre Tim Horan is ineligible for the pool stages of the competition after an administrative error by his new club Saracens meant he was not registered with the RFU and thus will not be in their line-up for next Sunday's game at home to Ulster.
Saracens admitted their culpability in the matter but somewhat remarkably, had hoped that ERC Ltd would for some reason ignore the club's oversight. "It's our mistake I know but it's not as if Tim's participation was top secret," maintained Saracens owner Nigel Wray.
"Everyone knows he was due to play in the competition. His name was in the press for months. So what are we saying here? That for the sake of a piece of paper we want to deprive the public and the tournament of one of the world's best players? That doesn't make sense surely. It's stupid."
However, an ERC spokesperson yesterday confirmed that notification through the press would not suddenly count as formal registration of a player or that there would be one rule for some, and none for others. Horan would most probably not have been able to play in Saracens' opening four pool games due to a foot injury anyhow, though he is also ruled out of the concluding two pool games after Christmas.
He at least will be available for the knock-out stages should Saracens qualify. Not so Peter Rogers, who recently joined another of Ulster's Pool Three rivals Cardiff from Newport and had been named as one of their four additional front-row forwards. It transpires that Rogers hadn't been de-registered as such with Newport, and so the Welsh international loose-head will not be eligible for the knockout stages.
Ireland have been drawn with defending champions Fiji and the host nation Argentina in the World Cup Sevens which will be held in Argentina next January. Korea, Russia and Kenya are the other teams in Group A.
England, quarter-finalists in 1997, will face the mighty All Blacks while Wales must overcome the formidable presence of Samoa and Australia in Group D.
GROUP A: Fiji, Korea, Argentina, Russia, Kenya, Ireland.
GROUP B: South Africa, France, Cook Islands, Canada, Georgia, Chinese Taipei.
GROUP C: New Zealand, England, Zimbabwe, Japan, Chile, Spain.
GROUP D: Samoa, Australia, Wales, Portugal, Hong Kong, USA.
