TWO Gwent rugby clubs say they are "disgusted" with the Welsh Rugby Union after they were punished following a row over tickets for Wales rugby internationals.
Trinant RFC and Fleur de Lys RFC were both reprimanded by the WRU after tickets they were allocated for Wales' autumn international games appeared on internet auction site eBay. Eight of Fleu de Llys' allocation and one ticket originating from Trinant were for sale on eBay.
Fleur de Lys received the harshest punishment of any of the 26 clubs and organisations investigated. The club has had eight tickets revoked for every forthcoming Six Nations game. They are normally allocated around 120 tickets for each game.
Fleur de Lys club secretary Allan Evans said: "We are devastated and disgusted that the club is in this situation.
"We are very disappointed the club's name has been dragged through the mud in public before we have had any chance to appeal." The club has consulted solicitors and now plan to appeal and clear its name.
The stray tickets are thought to have found their way onto eBay after being given to a sponsor but the club says it have no control over this.
Trinant will be banned from applying for extra tickets for the games. But staff at the club told the Argus they have not even been told by the WRU how one of their tickets was sold despite numerous attempts to contact the Union.
Club secretary Paul Tovey said: "We have not been offered a shred of evidence as to how this ticket was sold illegally and yet we have been asked to defend ourselves against this allegation. We were not told where and when the WRU panel would be meeting and are disgusted with the way we have been treated."
A WRU spokeswoman said: "We have been transparent throughout on this practice. Having this information in the public domain has helped in our efforts to crack down on this practice.
"We are very grateful to all the clubs who have cooperated. All clubs have the right to appeal."
Three other Gwent clubs, Blaenavon, Caldicot and Pontllanfraith, escaped punishment after co-operating with the WRU and taking internal action against offending members.
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