European Cup: Montpellier - Leinster threatened by the Covid-19

Attention week at risk. The Covid-19 was invited back in the middle of the European Cup. Montpellier Hérault Rugby announced on Tuesday that a fifth member of the group was positive for Covid-19, threatening the match against the Irish of Leinster, Friday (9 p.m.), during the second day of the European Cup. “Following the series of tests carried out on Monday, December 13, Montpellier Hérault Rugby formalizes a new positive case for Covid-19 within the group. This is the fifth case of contamination detected over a period of 7 days in the Hérault workforce, which has a considerable impact on the preparation for the match against Leinster ”, specifies the MHR in a press release.

On the sidelines of the 1st day, and the trip to Exeter (England), two players and two members of the management had tested positive for Covid-19 and placed in isolation. Faced with the new wave of the epidemic, Montpellier has adapted its training, with separate groups, and will carry out new tests on Wednesday. This season, the EPCR has not communicated a limit of positive cases not to be exceeded to avoid a forfeit. You just have to be able to present a team and that the players are tested up to 24 hours before the meeting.

The Leinster, titled four times, had deplored four positive cases of the coronavirus in its ranks last week, including three players and a member of the management. The Irish formation had however started this new continental campaign with a clear victory in front of the English of Bath (45-20), in Dublin on Saturday.

If one of the teams cannot be able to play this match, counting for the second day of the European Cup, it will be forfeited according to the regulations of the organizer of the European Cup. This was particularly the case for the Welsh Scarlets, given a 28-0 green carpet loser against Bristol, during the first day. The competition formula, set up last season to reduce the number of matches (2 pools of 12 in which each club faces two others back and forth during this 1st phase; round of 16 back and forth then , then the quarters, semi-finals and finals on a dry match), was renewed, the EPCR meaning that no postponement was possible due to the overloaded schedule. If the packages multiply, this European Cup may no longer have much meaning.