 Sale were unhappy with the decision to postpone the game
Sale Sharks will not appeal against Premier Rugby disciplinary panel's ruling that the referee was at fault for postponing their match with Wasps. The 27 November league match was called off after Wasps insisted the pitch was dangerous, despite Sale disagreeing. Referee David Rose has now been blamed for failing to apply the right rules, while Wasps have been cleared of breaching regulations. Sale are unhappy with the verdict but have drawn a line under the matter. "The whole episode was both regrettable and avoidable," said Sale chief executive officer James Jennings. "But in the interest of not causing further damage to the game or rugby we will now concentrate our efforts on re-arranging the game and making it up to the thousands of rugby fans that have been disappointed."  | 606: DEBATE |
The Premiership match was postponed 10 minutes before its scheduled kick-off time, with some 8,000 fans inside the ground. The decision angered Sale, who felt the pitch was playable despite claims from Wasps that surface water down one channel made it dangerous. "It came as no surprise to Sale that the panel concluded that the pitch was fit to play the fixture," said a Sale statement. "The panel pointed out that claims of London Wasps in relation to player safety were exaggerated." Premier Rugby disciplinary panel dismissed the charges against Wasps, insisting they had not been proven. Now it appears Rose applied the wrong regulations and could have insisted the match at Edgeley Park take place. "We have studied the decision in detail and concluded that taking any action in relation to this decision will not necessarily be in the best interest of our fans, the club or the Guinness Premiership," added the statement. "But we are bitterly disappointed with this decision and cannot help but feel that the decision is wholly unfair."
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