Four European clubs fined for no show

Saracens, Toulon, Toulouse and Treviso have been fined for not sending key personnel to Heineken Cup tournament launches.

Saracens, Toulon, Toulouse and Treviso have been slapped with a €5,000 fine for failing to send key personnel to this season's Heineken Cup tournament launches in Cardiff and in Paris.

In the cases of Treviso, Toulon and Toulouse, the clubs' Directors of Rugby/Head Coaches РFranco Smith, Philippe Saint-Andr̩ and Guy Noves respectively Рdid not attend the French/Italian launch of the Heineken Cup in Paris as required by the tournament's media rules.

In the case of Saracens, the club failed to make its captain, Steve Borthwick, available to attend the UK launch of the Heineken Cup in Cardiff.

“ERC regards the various Heineken Cup launches as highly significant events which are designed to facilitate media coverage of the tournament and all participating clubs have committed to sending the relevant key personnel to such launches,” read a statement from the European Cup organisers.