Africana55 Radio 
English
Afrikaans
Albanian
Amharic
Arabic
Armenian
Azerbaijani
Basque
Belarusian
Bengali
Bosnian
Bulgarian
Catalan
Cebuano
Chichewa
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Corsican
Croatian
Czech
Danish
Dutch
Esperanto
Estonian
Filipino
Finnish
French
Frisian
Galician
Georgian
German
Greek
Gujarati
Haitian Creole
Hausa
Hawaiian
Hebrew
Hindi
Hmong
Hungarian
Icelandic
Igbo
Indonesian
Irish
Italian
Japanese
Javanese
Kannada
Kazakh
Khmer
Korean
Kurdish (Kurmanji)
Kyrgyz
Lao
Latin
Latvian
Lithuanian
Luxembourgish
Macedonian
Malagasy
Malay
Malayalam
Maltese
Maori
Marathi
Mongolian
Myanmar (Burmese)
Nepali
Norwegian
Pashto
Persian
Polish
Portuguese
Punjabi
Romanian
Russian
Samoan
Scottish Gaelic
Serbian
Sesotho
Shona
Sindhi
Sinhala
Slovak
Slovenian
Somali
Spanish
Sudanese
Swahili
Swedish
Tajik
Tamil
Telugu
Thai
Turkish
Ukrainian
Urdu
Uzbek
Vietnamese
Welsh
Xhosa
Yiddish
Yoruba
Zulu
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Saracens are at risk of being thrown out of the Heineken Champions Cup this season after they admitted they may have fielded an ineligible player in their recent pool stage victory over Racing 92.
The club, which is already facing relegation from the Premiership at the end of the season due to the salary cap scandal, contacted European Premier Club Rugby to inform the governing body that replacement prop Titi Lamositele played against the French side a day after his work permit expired, which may result in the United States international being ruled ineligible.
The 24-year-old came on in the round six fixture in the 60th minute, helping Saracens to a 27-24 victory that carried them through to the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup, setting up a last-eight clash with Leinster in a rematch of last season’s final.
With a hearing set to take place in London on Friday evening, Saracens will learn their fate ahead of England’s Six Nations clash in Scotland on Saturday, adding yet another extra layer to the Calcutta Cup clash that needed no extra fuel to be doused on the flames.
An EPCR statement read: "Following an investigation, EPCR has decided to bring a misconduct complaint against Saracens arising from the club’s Heineken Champions Cup, Round 6 match against Racing 92 on Sunday, 19 January.
Created with Sketch.
Created with Sketch.
1/16 Six Nations: Team of round one
Our rugby correspondent Jack de Menezes selects his Six Nations team of the round.
Getty Images
2/16 1. Rory Sutherland (Scotland)
A strong display despite defeat as he took the fight to the Irish front row in the scrum, while also contributing well both in attack and defence with both his carries and tackles completed in double figures.
Getty Images
3/16 2. Rob Herring (Ireland)
Life after Rory Best looked promising on Herring’s first Six Nations start, with the Irish lineout functioning without cause for concern and the hooker getting through good yards with the ball in hand.
Getty Images
4/16 3. Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)
Not a great weekend for tightheads all things considered as many showed signs of rustiness. It’s for that reason that Furlong takes the shirt thanks to his supreme defensive work in completing 15 tackles for Ireland, and he also offered glimpses of his gifted handling when given the chance.
Getty Images
5/16 4. Bernard Le Roux (France)
A defensive colossus in stopping England from getting over the gainline this weekend as the flanker-cum-lock hit everything that moved in white. His thundering tackle on Sam Underhill stood out as one of the moments of ‘Le Crunch’, but he set the tone for Les Bleus’ unyielding defence.
AFP via Getty Images
6/16 5. James Ryan (Ireland)
Ireland’s great locks have always led by example and Ryan is proving no different. The Leinsterman was a prominent figure in getting what little go-forward they were able to produce, with his head cropping up time and time again in the middle of mauls and coming round the corner to carry through the Scottish defence.
PA
7/16 6. CJ Stander (Ireland)
His best performance in the Emerald jersey for a long, long time, although we didn’t get to see an awful lot of him back in the No 6 shirt as he was needed at No 8 following Doris’s early departure. Stander was Ireland’s most prominent carrier and proved the difference between victory and defeat.
AFP via Getty Images
8/16 7. Charles Ollivon (France)
A debut as captain to remember, Ollivon scored the two tries that took the game away from England, but his performance offered far more than just points. The flanker was part of a French back-row unit that gave England a nightmare afternoon at the breakdown, and he is setting the tone for the French renaissance that we’re currently witnessing.
AP
9/16 8. Gregory Alldritt (France)
Sublime without the ball on Sunday as he disrupted English possession to leave Owen Farrell’s side with no answer in how to combat his breakdown dominance. Alldritt also go through a boatload of work defensively, and deservedly claimed the man of the match award inside the Stade de France.
AFP via Getty Images
10/16 9. Antoine Dupont (France)
A magician with the ball in hand who could prove to be the face of French rugby in the coming years. Dupont played a crucial role in all three of his side’s tries, releasing Teddy Thomas in the lead up to the first, providing the box-kick that proved the catalyst for the second and making the dazzling break to send Ollivon over for the third. Just don’t mention him kicking the ball dead with a minute left on the clock...
AFP via Getty Images
11/16 10. Dan Biggar (Wales)
Pushed hard this week by Johnny Sexton’s 19-point haul and Romain Ntamack’s composure for France, but Biggar produced one of the moments of the championship with a pass between his legs to send Josh Adams over. It was a highlight in a standout performance.
EPA
12/16 11. Josh Adams (Wales)
Another three tries to his tally has Adams as one of the most dangerous finishers currently playing the game. Adams is able to link well across the pitch with his fellow back three, but he also showed the value of staying out in space on Saturday by taking his chances when presented.
REUTERS
13/16 12. Gael Fickou (France)
The centre led France’s defensive line speed and looks to have been trusted by Shaun Edwards to be his unit captain, a decision that paid off at the first attempt given how France were able to shut down English possession.
AFP via Getty Images
14/16 13. Nick Tompkins (Wales)
The only replacement to make it onto the list but what a debut it was from the current Saracens centre. A move to Wales looks to be in the pipeline as Sarries head for the Championship, and the regions will be licking their lips at the thought of signing such a talented player. His early pass for Adams’ first try was inch-perfect, and he did enough in his second stint on the pitch to ensure he should be in the starting line-up next weekend.
EPA
15/16 14. Jonny May (England)
The only positive on a day of negatives for England. May provided an emphatic reminder of his world class ability by producing two stunning finishes from out of nothing, the first a neat chip and chase that required the wing to hack the ball forward before touching down, before his second score six minutes later that scythed open the French defence out wide in beating four defenders with barely a hand laid on him.
Getty Images
16/16 15. Anthony Bouthier (France)
Caught the eye with a booming 90m clearing kick off his own line, but it was his all-round performance that impressed so much. Bouthier was comfortable in defence beyond May’s moment of magic, and looked assured under the high ball – the same of which could not be said of the opposition in extremely difficult conditions.
AP
1/16 Six Nations: Team of round one
Our rugby correspondent Jack de Menezes selects his Six Nations team of the round.
Getty Images
2/16 1. Rory Sutherland (Scotland)
A strong display despite defeat as he took the fight to the Irish front row in the scrum, while also contributing well both in attack and defence with both his carries and tackles completed in double figures.
Getty Images
3/16 2. Rob Herring (Ireland)
Life after Rory Best looked promising on Herring’s first Six Nations start, with the Irish lineout functioning without cause for concern and the hooker getting through good yards with the ball in hand.
Getty Images
4/16 3. Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)
Not a great weekend for tightheads all things considered as many showed signs of rustiness. It’s for that reason that Furlong takes the shirt thanks to his supreme defensive work in completing 15 tackles for Ireland, and he also offered glimpses of his gifted handling when given the chance.
Getty Images
5/16 4. Bernard Le Roux (France)
A defensive colossus in stopping England from getting over the gainline this weekend as the flanker-cum-lock hit everything that moved in white. His thundering tackle on Sam Underhill stood out as one of the moments of ‘Le Crunch’, but he set the tone for Les Bleus’ unyielding defence.
AFP via Getty Images
6/16 5. James Ryan (Ireland)
Ireland’s great locks have always led by example and Ryan is proving no different. The Leinsterman was a prominent figure in getting what little go-forward they were able to produce, with his head cropping up time and time again in the middle of mauls and coming round the corner to carry through the Scottish defence.
PA
7/16 6. CJ Stander (Ireland)
His best performance in the Emerald jersey for a long, long time, although we didn’t get to see an awful lot of him back in the No 6 shirt as he was needed at No 8 following Doris’s early departure. Stander was Ireland’s most prominent carrier and proved the difference between victory and defeat.
AFP via Getty Images
8/16 7. Charles Ollivon (France)
A debut as captain to remember, Ollivon scored the two tries that took the game away from England, but his performance offered far more than just points. The flanker was part of a French back-row unit that gave England a nightmare afternoon at the breakdown, and he is setting the tone for the French renaissance that we’re currently witnessing.
AP
9/16 8. Gregory Alldritt (France)
Sublime without the ball on Sunday as he disrupted English possession to leave Owen Farrell’s side with no answer in how to combat his breakdown dominance. Alldritt also go through a boatload of work defensively, and deservedly claimed the man of the match award inside the Stade de France.
AFP via Getty Images
10/16 9. Antoine Dupont (France)
A magician with the ball in hand who could prove to be the face of French rugby in the coming years. Dupont played a crucial role in all three of his side’s tries, releasing Teddy Thomas in the lead up to the first, providing the box-kick that proved the catalyst for the second and making the dazzling break to send Ollivon over for the third. Just don’t mention him kicking the ball dead with a minute left on the clock...
AFP via Getty Images
11/16 10. Dan Biggar (Wales)
Pushed hard this week by Johnny Sexton’s 19-point haul and Romain Ntamack’s composure for France, but Biggar produced one of the moments of the championship with a pass between his legs to send Josh Adams over. It was a highlight in a standout performance.
EPA
12/16 11. Josh Adams (Wales)
Another three tries to his tally has Adams as one of the most dangerous finishers currently playing the game. Adams is able to link well across the pitch with his fellow back three, but he also showed the value of staying out in space on Saturday by taking his chances when presented.
REUTERS
13/16 12. Gael Fickou (France)
The centre led France’s defensive line speed and looks to have been trusted by Shaun Edwards to be his unit captain, a decision that paid off at the first attempt given how France were able to shut down English possession.
AFP via Getty Images
14/16 13. Nick Tompkins (Wales)
The only replacement to make it onto the list but what a debut it was from the current Saracens centre. A move to Wales looks to be in the pipeline as Sarries head for the Championship, and the regions will be licking their lips at the thought of signing such a talented player. His early pass for Adams’ first try was inch-perfect, and he did enough in his second stint on the pitch to ensure he should be in the starting line-up next weekend.
EPA
15/16 14. Jonny May (England)
The only positive on a day of negatives for England. May provided an emphatic reminder of his world class ability by producing two stunning finishes from out of nothing, the first a neat chip and chase that required the wing to hack the ball forward before touching down, before his second score six minutes later that scythed open the French defence out wide in beating four defenders with barely a hand laid on him.
Getty Images
16/16 15. Anthony Bouthier (France)
Caught the eye with a booming 90m clearing kick off his own line, but it was his all-round performance that impressed so much. Bouthier was comfortable in defence beyond May’s moment of magic, and looked assured under the high ball – the same of which could not be said of the opposition in extremely difficult conditions.
AP
"EPCR was informed by Saracens earlier this week that their player, Titi Lamositele, who was named in the match day squad for the fixture at Allianz Park and who came on to the field of play as a replacement in the 60th minute, may have been ineligible due an inadvertent administrative error on behalf of the club.
"Lamositele was eligible at the time the Saracens match day squad was announced, however, the club has indicated to EPCR that the player’s work permit expired on Saturday, 18 January, the day before the fixture against Racing 92, and this may have constituted a breach of the Disciplinary Rules of the 2019/20 EPCR Participation Agreement.
"An independent Disciplinary Committee consisting of Roger Morris (Wales), Chair, Pamela Woodman (Scotland) and Jean-Noel Couraud (France) has been appointed to hear the misconduct complaint in London this evening (Friday, 7 February) at 18.00 local time."
EPCR have issued various sanctions for fielding ineligible players, ranging from a suspended 10,000 euros fine to Scarlets in 2016 due to unused replacement Jacob Cowley, to overturning Grenoble’s 20-9 victory over London Welsh in 2012 to a 28-0 defeat due to Lotu Taukeiaho’s ineligibility.
But on those previous occasions, EPCR have taken action due to players being ineligible through registration matters alone, whereas this applies to Lamositele’s eligibility to live and work in the UK, which could prove a much more complicated process than simply Saracens’ fate in Europe.