Edinburgh have now encountered European rugby red tape after a bizarre ruling by ERC bosses yesterday left them to face Northampton tonight without any genuine cover at hooker and mired in the possibility of raising legal action.The Scotsman's David Ferguson reports.
"Edinburgh coach Rob Moffat had left the replacement position vacant when he named his side on Wednesday for the Heineken Cup match, but insisted that that was purely until receiving full confirmation from ERC that Crombie would be eligible to play which had still not come through from ERC.
"Crombie was released by Edinburgh in the summer as the club strove to work within the SRU's budget freeze but, with promising young players Fraser Brown and Alun Walker undergoing operations - from which they are still to return - Crombie agreed to provide cover. He played for Boroughmuir and, when Newcastle invited him for a loan spell at Kingston Park to provide cover there, he agreed on the proviso that he would still be available to Edinburgh if they required him.
"He played for Newcastle in the LV= Cup, but did not feature in any Amlin Challenge Cup squad, for which Newcastle would have had to register him. He remained on Edinburgh's Heineken Cup list throughout and this week, when Andy Kelly fell victim to an eye injury, Moffat called him into the squad.
"However, ERC told Edinburgh yesterday that they did not consider him eligible because he had played for another club this season, even though it did not involve European competition and there is nothing in the rules and regulations that debars this."
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