Northampton Saints match called off

The European Rugby Challenge Cup Pool 1, Round 4 match between Timisoara Saracens and Northampton Saints has been canceled owing to an unfit playing surface.

Heavy snow had rendered the pitch at the Dan Paltinisanu Stadium unplayable, leaving Match Referee Joy Neville with no option but to cancel the fixture. With snow continuing to fall in Romania, no alternative options were available to play the match.

The Northampton Saints squad and management team are returning to England.

The fixture will be the subject of a review which will take place shortly, and EPCR will be making no further comment until a decision is announced.

“While we’re disappointed of course that we’ve made the journey and not been able to play in Romania, our thanks go to the Saints supporters who have travelled here in outstanding numbers,” said Northampton Saints chief executive Mark Darbon.

“We are very grateful to them as ever for their dedication. Unfortunately the weather won out today.”

The current daytime temperature in Timisoara is zero centigrade making the possibility of a thaw impossible.