Bourgoin fail in bid to change final venue
Bourgoin will face Northampton on May 22nd
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Tuesday, 05, May 2009 09:27
Bourgoin have been unsuccessful in their effort to change the venue and date for the European Challenge Cup final against Northampton.
The French side were unhappy that the final will be taking place at Gloucester's Kingsholm Stadium, which they feel will be an unfair advantage to Gloucester's fellow English team Northampton.
Bourgoin also wanted the date of the final changed from the 22nd of May as they have huge fixture against Brive in their domestic league a few days earlier, which could determine if they avoid relegation.
European Rugby Cup (ERC) chairman Jean-Pierre Lux dismissed Bourgoin's claim and insisted they had plenty of chances throughout the season to raise any concerns they may have had.
"After the pool matches, that's to say the end of January, the ERC, like every year, sent a joint letter to the French league (LNR) and the French Rugby Federation (FFR) to find out if France wanted to be candidates to organise the final of the European Challenge Cup," Lux said.
"At no time in those three months did France put themselves forward to say they could be interested in (hosting) this final.
"We even waited until after the quarter-finals, at a time when the people of Bourgoin knew they could play in the final, so I thought they were going to wake up.
"But no-one woke up, nobody contacted us. We had a system in place so we had to make a decision, knowing that only England was a candidate. I only got a phone call from the FFR last Thursday but it was way too late."
Bourgoin are in danger of being relegated from the Top 14 league in France and face a difficult fortnight which will decide their season. They play Castres on Saturday and then face Brive a week later, before the clash against Northampton six days later.