Ospreys facing ERC investigation over Januarie

THE Ospreys say they are "co-operating fully" with tournament chiefs amid reports they face a second investigation relating to this season's Heineken Cup campaign.

The Welsh regional side were fined and their Wales full-back Lee Byrne was banned for two weeks (later quashed on appeal) after he briefly appeared as a 16th player during their pool stage victory over Leicester last month.

Ospreys' win secured a quarter-final tie against Biarritz in San Sebastian on 10 April. But it has now emerged that European Rugby Cup chiefs are probing the eligibility of Ospreys' South African scrum-half Ricky Januarie.

According to a newspaper report yesterday, Premier Rugby – the organisation that represents England's 12 Guinness Premiership clubs, including Leicester – queried Januarie's eligibility with ERC. The player joined the Ospreys on loan from Cape Town-based Super 14 outfit the Stormers at the end of November, and is now back playing for them in South Africa.

"We were contacted by ERC last month as, we believe, were a number of other clubs, to clarify certain issues around the registration of players in this season's European competitions, in our case regarding Ricky Januarie," an Ospreys spokesperson said.

"We are co-operating fully with ERC, providing them with all the relevant paperwork relating to Ricky's transfer and registration, and believe that all our actions comply implicitly with tournament regulations. We would reiterate that this is not solely an Ospreys issue. It is our understanding that ERC have also made contact with a number of other clubs regarding the issue of registration."

Teams can add one player to their Heineken Cup squad during the tournament's pool stages, but competition rules state he must have "at least a three-month contract with the club". The Stormers said Januarie's move was on a two-month deal when they first announced his departure to Wales. He played in Ospreys' final four group games, against Viadana (twice), Clermont Auvergne and Leicester.

ERC is now reportedly examining the terms of Januarie's loan deal, and Ospreys could face a disciplinary hearing if they are deemed to have broken any rules.

That could then result in another fine, points deduction or even expulsion from the competition. The latter option, though, would throw this season's Heineken Cup quarter-finals into chaos, with Leicester taking the eighth-seed spot and Northampton, currently England's sole quarter-final representatives, moving up to seventh.

Two ties would need to be rescheduled, with Leicester going to Munster instead of Northampton, who would tackle Biarritz rather than the Ospreys.