Hendon RFC face a ban from next season's Middlesex Cup after conceding a walk-over to Ruislip, their scheduled opponents in a third round match on Sunday.
Hendon had gained exemption to the third round after reaching the fourth round of the National Junior Vase.
Club president David Gershlick said: "Several key players were not available on Sunday. Andrew Brown, Steve Armstrong and Alec Singleton were training with the Middlesex U20 squad, and our Fijian half-backs Joe Masivesi and Joe Maduka don't play on Sundays for religious reasons.
"Ruislip are five grades above us in the London League Division Three (North-West) and would probably have hammered our weakened side by 100 points. We asked them to switch the game to the Saturday, but they refused, saying that two key players were going to watch the Australians in Wales. "We'll just have to take our punishment."
Hendon, third in the Herts/Middlesex League Division Three, are away to Watford on Saturday.
November 28, 2001 19:58
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