The postponement of the summer tours, which took place on Friday, was expected, but the president of the French Rugby Federation (FFR), Bernard Laporte, is not optimistic for the test matches of the fall: "It seems compromised ", He told AFP . The XV of France was to go to Argentina, to challenge the Pumas on July 4 in Salta and the 11 in La Plata but World Rugby announced this Friday morning the postponement of all summer tours, due to the restrictions put in place at around the world to fight the coronavirus pandemic. “We have been expecting this for some time. At the end of April, Argentina closed its borders until September. We knew it was going to be canceled ... ", explained Laporte to AFP .
“It's boring, but our big question mark is October-November. Will the Northern Hemisphere be able to go to the Southern Hemisphere and vice versa? We will really know in mid-June or late June. But it seems compromised, "he added. The Blues of Fabien Galthié, who also have a match of the Tournament of the six nations against Ireland to be disputed, must face Georgia on November 7, Australia on 14 and South Africa on 21.
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The former coach of the Blues, recently elected vice-president of World Rugby, militates for a lengthening of the international window of the fall: "We want to go to the southern hemisphere in October and that they come to the North in November, to replace July with October. It seems compromised too. "
But the boss of the FFR assures him: no question of abandoning the nations of the South, to the chagrin of European clubs. The EPCR, the organizer of the European Cups, has thus assured that it wants to finish the 2019-2020 season in October. “The intention to reschedule the three final weekends remains absolutely intact. We are working on scenarios that would consist of reprogramming them between mid-September and mid-October, with the two Champions Cup and Challenge finals on October 16 and 17 in Marseille, "recently assured Vincent Gaillard, general manager of the 'EPCR, to AFP . "I understand that everyone is trying to impose their own thing. But we cannot let Federations die. We are not going to say to the southern hemisphere "No, no, we are not coming" because we have club competitions. It is not possible, ”replied Laporte.
“When we see the financial difficulty in which these federations are, we must help them. Afterwards, if the conditions prevent us from going there, it is something else. And I understand the clubs that need to compete but we will have to find common ground. We will make decisions at the end of June ”, he also assured.
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