Saracens are so sorry over Steve Borthwick no-show

Absent: Steve Borthwick was told by Saracens to skip the event in order to participate in a team-bonding session at a beer festival
10 April 2012

Saracens apologised today for allowing Steve Borthwick to miss the Heineken Cup launch to attend a team bonding session at the Munich Beer Festival.

Chief executive Edward Griffiths insisted that the club had not snubbed the tournament by allowing their skipper to miss yesterday's event at the Millennium Stadium.

Sarries could be fined £9,000 but Griffiths said: "The decision that Steve Borthwick should attend a pre-arranged squad function was entirely the club's and nothing to do with Steve. Nobody can doubt the professionalism and commitment of perhaps the most committed player in the country.

"The clash of dates was unfortunate but, at the 11th hour, we rationally decided it was more important for our captain to take part in a long-arranged and highly significant squad event than to attend a press conference where he was not nominated to be formally interviewed and from which his non-attendance became the main story.

"Our total commitment to this year's Heineken Cup competition is writ large across every billboard in London promoting our match against Leinster at Wembley on 16 October.

"It's unlikely any club has ever embarked on such a marketing campaign for a group fixture.

"We look forward to resolving this matter and playing our full part in a successful competition."

Saracens were also embroiled in a dispute with the Rugby Football Union last season that resulted in director of rugby Brendan Venter being banned from the Premiership final.

Saracens and Borthwick are home to Leicester on Sunday and critics will be waiting to discover if preparing to face the team that defeated the north London outfit in the Twickenham final by visiting a beer festival was a good idea.

Meanwhile, Wasps today unveiled Wycombe Air Park at Booker, which is just outside High Wycombe, as their preferred site for a new 17,500-20,000 stadium. The club hope to develop a sports village at the site in conjunction with npower League Two team Wycombe.

Steve Hayes, owner of Wasps and Wycombe, said: "We want to move forwards. Investing in a new community stadium and sports village means that the clubs can develop their playing and non-playing sides as well as deliver a sports hub and community facility which will significantly improve what's available locally.

"This is about building something in Wycombe that we can be proud of, that will deliver a major boost to the community and which will create a positive and lasting legacy.

"My invitation to everyone today is visit our website, read more about our vision and, if you want to be involved, sign up and play a part.

"You can make a difference to what happens and we would very much value your involvement.

"We launched a vision in March for how we want to develop new facilities that would be really exciting and would help us build a successful and sustainable future."

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