Cardiff Blues player misses match as dog eats passport

Jason Tovey has been forced to miss Cardiff Blues's Heineken Cup trip to Toulon this weekend because his dog ate his passport.

The fly-half's labrador puppy Buster chewed up the travel document ahead of Saturday's match in France.

"It's a bit like the old schoolboy excuse that the dog ate my homework," Tovey told BBC.

"Buster is always chewing things but usually it's my sock and shoes.

"As soon as I saw the passport I thought I'd never get through airport security with it. I was dreading telling my team coach, I didn't think anyone would believe."

Winless Cardiff are currently bottom of Heineken Cup Pool 6, while unbeaten Toulon are top.