EBBW Vale will fight any attempt by European Rugby Cup Ltd to fine them or take disciplinary action over the farce surrounding their Parker Pen Shield quarter-final against French club Pau in January.

ERC have formally charged them with failing to fulfil the January 11 fixture on schedule by not taking adequate steps to protect their Eugene Cross Park playing surface and also by failing to have an alternative venue.

They have also charged Neath and Saracens with the same offences regarding their Heineken Cup and Parker Pen Cup matches against Beziers and Newcastle the same weekend.

Vale's game eventually went ahead at Eugene Cross Park on Monday January 13 after both their ground and Newport's Rodney Parade were declared unfit by the match referee on the Saturday and Sunday.

Because of the severe frosts, attempts to play the game at Caerphilly and Cardiff Arms Park also failed, the latter because Pau refused to play on the surface.

"There is no case to answer and the club will fight the charges," said Vale coach Mike Ruddock.

"We complied with the rules in providing a secondary venue at Newport and made every effort to play the game on the Saturday and Sunday.

"The charges are a nonsense given the extreme weather conditions."