Northampton have made it clear that the focus of every single player at the club is on Friday night's European Challenge Cup Final alone.
Saints face French Top 14 side Bourgoin at The Twickenham Stoop looking for their first piece of top-flight silverware since their Heineken Cup triumph in the same city nine years ago.
With their European showdown on the horizon, Northampton decided against releasing Scotland prop Euan Murray for the British & Irish Lions' first squad gathering on Monday ahead of their forthcoming tour of South Africa.
The Lions had wanted to gather their entire playing squad and management together for logistical reasons but Murray was not present at Pennyhill Park in Surrey.
"Clearly there has been a misunderstanding regarding Euan's availability prior to the tour because at no point did we get a request to this effect from the British & Irish Lions committee," said Saints chief executive Allan Robson in response to suggestions from Lions tour manager Gerald Davies that the Unions had been made aware of the plans back in the autumn.
"Saints have come a long way this season as a club and are now only four days away from a must-win game which would qualify us for the Heineken Cup. Just 12 months ago we were in National League One and to join Europe's elite after such a short time would be a superb achievement.
"Understandably, the coaches' priority is therefore to concentrate their efforts on winning this game on Friday.
"There is, of course, no obligation under IRB regulations for clubs to release players for the get together. Of course Euan has been made available to join up with the Lions squad immediately after our cup final and we hope that he plays a major part on tour and that the Lions are successful."
