Borthwick has made 11 appearances for Saracens this season

European Rugby Cup have fined Premiership club Saracens £4,240 for the non-attendance of captain Steve Borthwick to a media event.

Borthwick, 31, failed to represent Saracens at a Heineken Cup launch in Cardiff in September.

The lock was instead on a team-building trip and Saracens apologised for his absence at the time.

Benetton Treviso, Toulon and Toulouse have also been fined the same amount for similar offences.

Treviso are the only club to have lodged an appeal so far.

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"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," said a statement.

All clubs taking part in the Heineken Cup are instructed to make their head coach and captain available for the tournament's launch.

Saracens were the only side out of the 12 English, Welsh and Scottish clubs attending the event at the Millennium Stadium to have a missing representative.

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