Rugby team loses record scoreline

Midlands club Alcester thought they had earned a place in rugby union's record books when they recorded a 194-3 win over Coventry Saracens last weekend.

But the scoreline - a record winning margin for an English league game - has been wiped from the records after a ruling from local officials.

Coventry Saracens were handicapped by having only eight players, and formed scrums with just three men.

However, rules insist scrums have a minimum of five players per side.

Despite the 191-point margin of victory, Alcester would have had some way to go to beat the world record for a game of union.

We have to say well done to Coventry Saracens for turning up and giving it a go MLOC chairman Paul Kaminski

This stands at 350-0 and came in 1984 when tries were worth only four points rather than five, with French club Lavardac beating their third division opponents Vergt 350-0 with 66 tries.

To be fair to Vergt, the match was actually a very Gallic form of protest with the players making no effort to defend in order to register their unhappiness at the suspension of several players.

The result of the Midlands Six West (SE) match will still stand with Alcester keeping the two league points following the ruling by the Midlands League Organising Committee (MLOC).

"We have to say well done to Coventry Saracens for turning up and giving it a go," said MLOC chairman Paul Kaminski.

606: DEBATE What is the biggest scoreline any of you have had in a game you have played in? RDW_Scotland

"Had they put five players into the scrums instead of three they would have satisfied the laws of the game.

"But they require a minimum of five forwards in scrums at all times and so we have decided to declare the score null and void and award the two points to Alcester.

"We believe this is the fairest solution for all clubs in this league."