Friday, November 27, 2009

Sharks angry over Wasps call-off

Sale director of rugby Kingsley Jones
Sale Sharks' director of rugby Kingsley Jones was frustrated at Edgeley Park

Wasps were criticised after refusing to play their Guinness Premiership match at Sale, citing safety concerns.

The visitors claimed surface water down one channel of the pitch had made it dangerous, although both Sharks and the referee said the pitch was playable.

Sale director of rugby Kingsley Jones said: "I'm not happy about it and I'm really disappointed for the players."

However Wasps' director of rugby Tony Hanks said: "I'm not going to risk the safety of the players."

Referee David Rose was happy for the game to go ahead, but Wasps officials and players were back on their coach and had left the groundby 1930 GMT.

"The situation is that Wasps didn't want to play the game because they felt the pitch was unsafe," said Rose.

"At that point my opinion doesn't count for anything - I cannot make any team take the field to play."

Premier Rugby issued a statement in the wake of the postponement, saying: "Following the cancellation of the Sale Sharks v London Wasps game this evening, we will be urgently requesting a full report from the referee."

It was the third season running that Wasps have been involved in a late postponement.

Hanks insisted: "We don't believe, especially when it comes to scrummaging, that the surface was safe.

"Nobody informed us that the pitch was in such a bad state."

The outcome was a disappointment for the thousands of fans who had gathered at Edgeley Park, and there was frustration from Sale officials.

"I'm sure the Wasps players aren't as disappointed as they got on their bus," Jones explained.

"All our preparation has been wasted. The referee basically said that Wasps weren't happy to play the ground on safety grounds.

"He was happy to take the field of play but he cannot force either team to take the field of play."

ะพ 11:37 AM

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