Aviron Bayonnais has made its decision.
As far as he is concerned, the 2020-2021 European Cup is over.
Hit hard by the British variant of the virus at the reception of Leicester on December 19, the Basque club must stop all activity for a few weeks.
And he does not hide his anger, considering himself betrayed by the organizer of the competition.
“We will hold the EPCR to account.
The health protocol put in place is flawed, thus carried off Philippe Tayeb, the president of Bayonne questioned by
Sud Radio
.
RCT and Stade Français were right to refuse to play. "
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The Basque leader has, according to information from Canal +, called on his Top 14 counterparts to show solidarity and boycott the European Cup.
Parisian manager Gonzalo Quesada, after his team's victory in front of Brive on Sunday night (51-21), took a stand: “I don't know the details but I am in solidarity with the Bayonne staff.
(...) I understand very well that with all the difficulties they have, they are not very motivated. "
A letter requesting a stricter sanitary protocol addressed to the EPCR
On the side of the presidents of Top 14, questions are becoming more and more lively on the merits of continuing at all costs the European cups.
An official letter signed by most French clubs left at the end of the week for the organizer (the EPCR) to demand a stricter and more relevant health protocol.
Request supported by the National Rugby League, whose medical commission no longer hides its concern.
But, even if there is a positive return, it looks like that may not be enough to convince French clubs to resume competition in two weeks.
On the side of Toulon, exasperated by the attitude of the DG of the EPCR, the French Vincent Gaillard, who had pushed the Var club to take all the risks to face Llanelli before sanctioning the RCT for his refusal to play, we have already give up on the 2020-2021 Champions Cup.
Other clubs are tempted to imitate Bayonne, the first to officially give up following the Challenge Cup.
This is the case of the Stade Français Paris, singularly cooled by the hard-line position of the EPCR.
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Three weeks ago, the Parisian club preferred to withdraw than to go to Cardiff as the vagueness reigned.
Officially, the Welsh club was preserved.
But the SFP had learned (thanks to the… Welsh press!) That three positive cases - two players and a leader - had been detected.
And had only obtained "evasive" responses from the EPCR, assuring him that there had been no contact with the rest of the workforce.
The governing body had, however, refused that new tests be carried out on Cardiff players.
"
By wanting to save everything, we're not going to save anything at all
"
Thomas Lombard, CEO of Stade Français
An attitude that had scalded Thomas Lombard, CEO of Stade Français Paris.
In private, he had confided his incomprehension, fed by the doctor of the club who had issued an unfavorable opinion on this trip.
The consequences for Aviron Bayonnais prove him right a posteriori.
According to our information, Thomas Lombard pleaded with the other leaders of the Top 14 for a withdrawal of French clubs.
"Wanting to save everything, we are not going to save anything at all," argued the former international player.
And then it has no more tail or head.
Clubs will be qualified or eliminated without having played, by the simple play of matches won or lost on the green carpet. "
If the challenge of the Challenge Cup is not worth the risk involved, some clubs participating in the Champions Cup are also less and less reassured.
The president of Stade Toulousain, Didier Lacroix, has thus confided his doubts to
Figaro
.
“There is cause for concern given the resurgence of the epidemic in the United Kingdom.
There are strong fears that the competition will not end, that the British territory will not be accessible in mid-January for the rest of the group stage. "
The idea that we must first save the Top 14 - and by extension the XV of France - is gaining ground.
This Tuesday will be a crisis meeting between the EPCR and the three Leagues (Top 14, English Premiership and Pro 14 Celtic).
Where the main question should be, not the continuation of the two continental competitions, but the negotiation with the TV broadcasters on the financial consequences of their cancellations.
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