Three Pontypridd rugby players were charged by French police yesterday with damaging a bar and creating violence after the ill-tempered European Cup match in Brive on Sunday. The violence has put the return leg at Sardis Road on Saturday week in doubt.

Three Brive players were taken to hospital following clashes in a town-centre bar which were broken up by police using tear gas. The violence has prompted calls for the Welsh champions to be expelled from the competition.

Christophe Lamaison, the Brive centre whose nose was fractured, said afterwards: "If the cops hadn't arrived and thrown in the tear-gas bomb it could have been even more serious. I sincerely believe some players would have been killed."

The Brive scrum-half Philippe Carbonneau suffered a broken nose and cheek-bone and the wing David Venditti was treated for a bitten hand and sprained finger. The bar owner, a former Brive player Jean-Marie Soubira, suffered cuts in the brawl.

The three charged, the number eight Dale McIntosh, the hooker Phil John and the centre Andrew Barnard, were allowed to return home with their team-mates last night while police continue with their inquiries. Lamaison said Brive would refuse to play in Pontypridd, describing the prospect as "unthinkable, impossible." The French club's coach Laurent Seigne also expressed concern: "What worries me is that we have to go to Pontypridd for the return game in two weeks. These are not sportsmen. They are idiots and they have no place in the European Cup."

Brive may ask for Saturday's match at Bath to be postponed if, as expected, none of the three injured players recovers in time.

The violence erupted at around 10.30, shortly after a contingent of Pontypridd players and their supporters had arrived at a bar where Brive players were celebrating their 32-31 win. The match had been punctuated by violent exchanges which led to the sending off of the New Zealander McIntosh and Brive's flanker Lionel Mallier.

Witnesses said heated discussions between opposing players rapidly degenerated into a 20-minute fight. When the violence subsided the bar was cleared and temporarily closed. It was claimed Pontypridd players returned, leading to further scuffles.

"I have never seen anything so violent in all my life and I have never been as frightened," Lamaison said. "It was like in a Western. They were throwing doors, chairs, glasses, they were completely hysterical. I even saw players smashing bottles on the bar to use them as weapons."

Brive's deputy chairman JeanJacques Madrias said the club would not lodge an official complaint with the European Rugby Cup body. However the ERC is conducting an investigation which could result in Pontypridd being banned from the competition.

Roger Pickering, the tournament director, said he expected a decision this week. "I am very concerned about the details I have received to date," he said. "Once I am in possession of the full facts I will speak to my fellow European Rugby Cup directors to determine what action, if any, should be taken."

Seraphin Berthier, one of the 10 ERC directors, said any sanctions would be "very severe."

Pontypridd team manager Jones claimed the French players may have picked up the injuries during the match and that McIntosh and John insisted they were innocent.

He told BBC Radio Five Live: "They are denying the offence quite obviously. I understand that there was some sort of a fracas there which I am told was instigated by some of the French players and some of the French supporters and they were involved in that."

Guardian Service