'Bit of a shambles': Amsterdam Challenge Cup match called off an hour before kick-off

Ulster’s European Challenge Cup match against the Cheetahs was called off less than an hour before kick-off due to an unplayable pitch in the Netherlands.

The match had already been moved from the NRCA Stadium in Amsterdam to the Duke Rugby Club in s-Hertogenbosch and brought forward to an earlier kick-off time due to concerns over the weather, but the pitch was deemed unplayable following overnight snow and freezing temperatures.

Former Ulster fly-half Ian Humphreys, who was due to commentate on the game, told Radio Ulster he had spoken to players who had been left frustrated by events.

“It’s frustrating for them and you can sense that off the messages from them,” he said. “It feels like a bit of a shambles…

“It’s one of those ones where they moved it and brought it forward to try and prevent any problems but unfortunately it’s one of those things. It’s out of everyone’s control so as frustrating as it is, there’s not much they can do.”

Governing body European Professional Club Rugby will convene its board crisis management group to decide on the next steps.

Meanwhile, Samuele Locatelli’s late try denied Ospreys a third successive European Challenge Cup victory as the Welsh club secured a place in the knockout phase despite a 23-19 defeat at Zebre.

The losing bonus point with which Mark Jones’ men returned from the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi was enough to extend their participation in the competition on a day when they came within seven minutes of maintaining their unblemished record.

Ospreys found themselves up against it before the break and trailed 13-0 courtesy of scrum-half Alessandro Fusco’s 21st-minute try and a conversion and two penalties from the boot of fly-half Giacomo Da Re.

But they dragged themselves back into it within four minutes of the restart when number eight Morgan Morse touched down and Dan Edwards converted, and they were in front when centre Keiran Williams repeated the dose and Edwards made it 13-14.

Da Re’s penalty restored the home side’s advantage, before Edwards’ 68th-minute try put the visitors 19-16 ahead.

However, Zebre were not to be denied and replacement Locatelli scored late on, with Da Re taking his individual tally to 13 points with the conversion to edge his side into third place in the table on nine points, two behind the Welsh team.