Pontypridd and Brive were last night fined £30,000 by European Rugby Cup's board - £15,000 to be paid within 21 days and £15,000 suspended until the end of this season's Heineken Cup - for their on-pitch brawl in France eight days ago.
Both clubs were also warned about their future conduct. Pontypridd number eight Dale McIntosh was charged with bringing the game and the competition into disrepute, for his conduct on leaving the pitch after his sending-off.
However, ERC decided at their meeting in Dublin to take no action yet over the alleged bar brawl between the two sides because of the on-going police investigation into the incident in France.
ERC issued a statement after the meeting saying: "Having taken legal opinion the board of ERC were advised that it would be inappropriate for them to consider and adjudicate on the serious incidents it is alleged took place in a bar in Brive following the match.
"Allegations have been made that players from both clubs were involved in these incidents and the matter is now subject to ongoing investigations by the judicial authorities in France.
"Although at present ERC Ltd are unable to pursue this aspect of the matter further, the board wish to make it clear that it views this matter as one of great concern and will continue to monitor the ongoing judicial enquiries and investigations in France and once those investigations and/or any proceedings arising there from have been concluded, it will review the matter further and take such steps as are considered appropriate."
They have ordered that the return match between the two sides should take place at Pontypridd on September 27th, when ERC officials will attend.
Brive president Patrick Sebastien reacted furiously to the decisions. "It is shameful and disgusting," he stormed. "I think that it is an insult to rugby to have mixed the two things together, to have mixed us up with the behaviour of louts which had nothing to do with what went on on the pitch. We are being ruled by the equivalent of the Ceaucescu dictatorship."Our players are courageous, but if we go to Pontypridd, what's going to happen? It'll just take one idiotic supporter to start something," he said.
