After recommending this weekend that the European Rugby Cups be postponed due to the worsening health crisis in the United Kingdom, the Sports Department officially sent a letter to the National Rugby League on Monday for officially ask French clubs not to take part in the next two days of the Champions Cup and European Challenge.
"I can confirm that the French government is asking French professional clubs to postpone their participation in European Cup matches, at least until early February 2021, both for matches organized in France and those held on the ground British and Irish ”, states this letter which
L'Equipe
and
AFP
have obtained
.
"The government wants to fight as a priority against all the risks of the introduction of the variant VOC 202012/01 (the British strain of Covid-19) and its circulation on national territory", continues the Ministry of Sports.
An official decision that was expected and which led the EPCR, organizer of the continental games, to temporarily suspend the competition.
"Following a directive from the French government according to which the participation of the Top 14 clubs in the Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup would presently represent too great a health risk, the EPCR has no other choice than to announce today (this Monday) a temporary suspension of the tournaments 2020-2021 ”, indicates the European body in a press release.
And to add: "In the context of the recent detection of a new variant of the Coronavirus, the French government has asked French clubs to postpone their participation in EPCR tournaments during the month of January, both for matches organized in France and those to be held in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
According to this directive, the EPCR had no choice but to temporarily suspend the group stage of the Champions Cup and the preliminary stage of the Challenge Cup.
While respecting all other guidelines from governments and relevant local authorities, and prioritizing the health and well-being of players and club staff, the EPCR, in collaboration with its shareholder leagues and federations , remains determined to find a solution allowing her to resume and finish her tournaments as soon as possible. "
Postponed matches and a Top 14 day to fill two weekends
How, then, to save the European Rugby Cups, whose format had been changed this season?
Invited this Sunday from
RMC
, Yann Roubert, president of Lyon and member of the EPCR steering committee, discussed the possible scenarios.
The preferred track for the French clubs would be to keep the four remaining weekends by modifying (again) the format.
“We would not qualify eight teams in the quarterfinals, but sixteen for the round of 16.
We would use the four remaining dates to make the eighths, the quarters, the semi-finals and the final, ”detailed Yann Roubert.
The Rhone leader also mentioned a second scenario: replacing the two weekends allocated to the quarter-finals by days 3 and 4 canceled, then going directly to the semi-finals.
On the other hand, due to a lack of available dates in an already overloaded calendar, the two suspended days will not be replaced.
Another scenario, but impracticable: to postpone the European Cup in July, because of the summer tours of the national teams and that of the British and Irish Lions planned in South Africa.
Decision Tuesday for the Tournament
The LNR is now considering how to occupy the next two weekends, now free.
They should be used to reschedule late Top 14 matches. According to information from
South West
, during next weekend (January 16 and 17), four postponed Top 14 matches could take place.
Under these conditions, Toulon could move to Racing 92, Bordeaux-Bègles could receive Clermont, Montpellier would challenge Castres and Bayonne would face Pau.
The following weekend (January 23 and 24), the 19th day of the Top 14 should be brought forward.
It is normally scheduled for the weekend of March 20, at the same time as France-Wales in the Six Nations Tournament.
Which would make one less duplicate.
Last question: what about the next Six Nations Tournament?
A meeting of public authorities concerning the Tournament will be held this Tuesday morning.
The century-old competition, supposed to begin in February with a trip from the XV of France to Italy, should not be held in its current form.
The establishment of a “sanitary bubble” - as was done in particular in the NBA and for the final phase of the last Champions League in football - seems to be the only way for Fabien Galthié and his players to compete in the Tournament.
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