Hearts-in-mouth time for London Welsh over Tyson Keats hearing

London Welsh could be all but relegated on Tuesday.

Their RFU panel hearing looking into allegations they fielded an ineligible player – scrum half Tyson Keats – could dock the Exiles points, sending them to the bottom of the Premiership table, and with a tough run-in of games to come.

Welsh are still 11th in the 12-team league, on 22 points. Sale have 19 points and London Irish have 24. Ninth-placed Worcester, on the back of a win this weekend, should be safe on 32.

Welsh will argue Keats, a New Zealander, is eligible to play for England on account of British grandparents, meaning his registration as an English player would not have been in error.

It means for the second time in less than a year, London Welsh’s status will be decided off the pitch.

For more information on the charge and the defence to be mounted by the club, read this overview on ESPN Scrum.

• Championship team London Scottish were docked three points this season for fielding an ineligible player in one game. Keats played in nine.
• Exeter were deducted two points for fielding too many overseas players in a game against Leeds in 2011.
• In 2007, Leicester were docked a point for having played Ian Humphreys, who was temporarily registered with another club.