"A blow of the club.
As its president Jacky Lorenzetti told us over the phone on Thursday afternoon, Racing 92 didn't really need that.
In a statement released in the morning, the club revealed to be faced with nine positive cases of Covid-19 within it, which concern members of its workforce, players and staff included.
The movement of the leader of the Top 14 in La Rochelle scheduled for Saturday for the third day was postponed "to a later date".
The concern is especially strong in the ranks of Ile-de-France with a little more than fifteen days of its final of the Champions Cup against the English of Exeter, on October 17 in Bristol in England.
What is the exact situation?
At the beginning of September, a few days before the resumption of the championship, Racing had already been struck by the Covid-19, but this only concerned a member of his team.
This time, "the tests carried out on the whole group on Wednesday morning", as indicated in the club's statement, revealed nine cases.
"Four-five players are affected," said Jacky Lorenzetti, tested negative, as his coach Laurent Travers.
“They are not necessarily key players, he assured without betraying medical confidentiality.
They are distributed over all lines.
There is a holder of the last game.
"In this case the semi-final of the European Cup against the Saracens on Saturday at Paris La Défense Arena (19-15).
“We are very surprised, we did not expect it because for months we have followed to the letter and with precaution all the health rules developed.
We thought we were a good student, and it fell on us like lightning.
This is proof that it can happen to anyone.
"
😥Unusual images for a Thursday at the training center.
Following the discovery of 9 positive PCR cases among the staff and players of the professional group, health measures were put in place this morning.
pic.twitter.com/SP9ePiF5Ty
- Racing 92 (@ racing92) October 1, 2020
What consequences for the future?
The protocol of the LNR (National Rugby League) provides for the postponement of a meeting from three positive players over seven rolling days.
A device a little too strict in the eyes of the leader.
"We're not going to argue, but since we have 50 players, we have 45 left. Why not isolate the positives and continue to play with the rest?"
Jacky Lorenzetti asks.
In the meantime, “everyone is in isolation at home”.
The Plessis-Robinson training center was closed for a minimum of five days for complete decontamination.
New tests will be carried out on Monday.
The results will depend on the holding of the Toulouse reception on Saturday 10 October.
League protocol also stipulates that positive players must be placed in solitary confinement for seven days and cannot resume individual training until the 8th day and under certain conditions (at 80% of their maximum power and after an analysis cardiac).
The resumption of group sessions is only possible on the 15th day.
For them, it will therefore be the day before the European final.
If new cases are detected on Monday, they will not be able to play the meeting.
“What will be hard is to organize the training, recognizes their president.
It bothers us for the final while the English have been playing for several months.
"
Is the European Cup final threatened?
"We're not the whiny type," continues Jacky Lorenzetti.
We do not lower our heads.
We take that as an additional challenge.
We are going to put everything in place so that it does not impact us for this final that we have been waiting for for many months.
He said he was "optimistic" despite the Castres case law, victim of the drastic rules put in place by the British authorities and the EPCR, the organizer of the European Cups.
The French club had been withdrawn and beaten on the green carpet by Leicester in the quarter-final of the European Challenge, scheduled for September 20, after three players and a member of the management tested positive before leaving for England.
Knowing that Racing will in turn have to cross the Channel to reach Bristol.
" A package ?
We are not there yet, cuts the president of Ciel et Blanc.
We don't want to think about it.
"