Ospreys could lose Magners League points over Ulster postponement

The Ospreys face the threat of disciplinary action for the third time this year, over last month's postponed Magners League match against Ulster at Ravenhill. The Ospreys did not play the match, which was scheduled for 19 March, because of a lack of front-row players. Celtic Rugby will meet in Scotland on Monday to consider whether to take action. Potential punishments range from a fine to the deduction of league points. The Ospreys were twice investigated by European Rugby Cup, the organisers of the Heineken Cup, earlier this year. They were fined for having 16 players on the pitch during their final group match, against Leicester, and cleared after a complaint that their South Africa scrum-half, Ricky Januarie, was not eligible for the competition because his loan deal from the Stormers Super 14 side covered less than the stipulated three months. The Ospreys said they would not be commenting before the latest hearing. Last month they said they had not agreed to play Ulster on 19 March, after the match had been postponed in January, because they had given the players and management leave that week and had offered Ulster three alternative dates. The Ospreys would have been without five front-row players on 19 March – three were involved in Wales' Six Nations match against Italy the following day and two were injured. The Ospreys said they were not prepared to use semi-professional players from Premiership clubs. The game has been rearranged for next Tuesday, the day after the hearing. The Ospreys are fifth in the Magners League, with a game in hand on three of the teams above them, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Munster. The top four qualify for the play-offs. Leinster are clear at the top. The Scarlets are the last-placed Welsh side in the Magners League and are in danger of missing out on next season's Heineken Cup. Their Wales fly-half, Stephen Jones, has been linked with a move to Leicester. The Scarlets have denied that the Lion will move to England. "I am trying to sort out my future with the Scarlets, things are going well and hopefully we can come to an agreement," said Jones, who has a year left on his current contract. "We have a good young side and it is a case of tying things up for the future. The talks are going well and I am optimistic."