Will the matches be played?
Throughout the week, concern hovered over the holding of the matches of the 3rd day of the Champions Cup. The reason ? Health constraints for all movements between France and the United Kingdom. Travel to play rugby matches was certainly recognized as
a "compelling reason"
by the French authorities, but
"a 48-hour isolation compulsory when you come from England"
was imposed. Another restrictive measure, anyone who tested positive had to be isolated for ten days before leaving France. These measures had prompted the English and Welsh teams to threaten to boycott the European Cup in France.
Finally, the French government relaxed the rules for entering French territory on Thursday.
No more period of isolation imposed on arrival in France and only a negative test of less than 24 hours is now requested on departure from the United Kingdom.
The Bordeaux-Bègles-Llanelli, La Rochelle-Bath and Clermont-Sale meetings in the Champions Cup (as well as Biarritz-Newcastle in the Challenge Cup) will take place.
Several Top 14 teams have been affected this week by new cases of Covid-19, but this should not prevent the holding of meetings this weekend.
What are the forces involved?
With the new format of the European Cup introduced this season (two pools of twelve teams, eight formations from each pool qualified for the round of 16 in round trip format), there will be several high-level posters this weekend . We think in particular of the trip from Toulouse, European champion in title, to Coventry to challenge the Wasps. La Rochelle, finalist of the last edition, will challenge another Premiership team, Bath, struggling this season in the league (13th and last with only 10 points). The Stade Français will have a lot to do on the lawn of Bristol, even if the “Bears” (bears) are also in difficulty in the Premiership (11th). Racing 92, inconsistent in the Top 14 but making the European Cup a priority, will travel to Wales with the Ospreys,who play their survival in the competition (zero points in two matches).
Read alsoChampions Cup: a Machenaud-Russell hinge for Racing 92 against the Ospreys
On Sunday, Philippe Saint-André's MHR travel to Dublin to face Leinster, one of the best teams in Europe.
A major challenge for the MHR, which is on an excellent dynamic in the Top 14. However, the Héraultais have not yet played in 2022, their matches against Toulon and Toulouse having been postponed.
The UBB of Christophe Urios, semi-finalist of the last edition, receives the Scarlets of Llanelli in Chaban-Delmas.
Without room for error.
Just like Clermont, which hosts the Sale Sharks, shaken this week by the rape case of a teenager involving one of its players.
What is the accounting situation of French clubs?
On Matchday 2 of the Champions Cup, five Champions Cup matches involving French clubs (plus two Challenge Cup matches) were postponed due to travel restrictions between France and the UK. This concerned the matches of La Rochelle, Clermont and UBB, respectively in Bath, Sale and Llanelli. Just like the reception of the English from Bristol and the Wasps by the Stade Français Paris and Toulouse. This week, the EPCR, which organizes the continental competitions, decided that these meetings will not be replayed and that they end in a draw (0-0), each team being awarded two points.
For French clubs, this immediately had more or less advantageous accounting consequences.
Clermont and Bordeaux-Bègles, who had lost their first match (respectively against Ulster and Leicester), find themselves in an unfortunate position in the standings.
With only three points, ASM is 9th in pool A, UBB is 7th in pool B. As a reminder, the first eight teams in each pool will qualify for the round of 16.
Read alsoChampions Cup: Penaud in the center with Clermont against Sale
Same consequences for Stade Français (beaten at the opening by Connacht), before the draw declared against Bristol which can be seen as a good result.
Gonzalo Quesada's players are currently 10th in Pool B before heading to England.
On the other hand, the clubs of the Top 14 which had signed an entry victory find themselves in a favorable position to reach the European top 16.
After their victory over Glasgow and their draw against Bath, Stade Rochelais is 4th in pool A. Toulouse, victorious in Cardiff, is also 4th, in the other pool, after the draw imposed against Wasps.
These two teams will have to confirm in the Franco-English duels of the weekend.
Read alsoChampions Cup: the young Page-Relo behind the Stade Toulousain scrum against Wasps
Two cases remain apart: those of the teams which had a match won on the green carpet (28-0, 5 points in the standings) against teams which were affected by cases of Covid-19.
After their heavy setback at Exeter, the MHR had gleaned five points without playing against Leinster.
The return match will take place on Sunday against the Irish and the players of Saint-André, 7th in Pool A with 5 points, will have no room for error.
Before this 3rd day, the best placed French team is Racing 92. The Parisians, after their attacking recital on the lawn of the English of Northampton, had won the match on green carpet against the Ospreys.
Leading Pool A, Laurent Travers' team is the only one with 10 points.
To be confirmed this Saturday (4:15 p.m.) on the Welsh lawn.
Program of French clubs:
Saturday
Wasps - Toulouse (2 p.m.)
Ospreys - Racing 92 (4.15 p.m.)
La Rochelle - Bath (6.30 p.m.)
Bristol - Stade Français Paris (9 p.m.)
Sunday
Leinster - Montpellier (2 p.m.)
Bordeaux-Bègles - Scarlets (4.15 p.m.)
Clermont - Sale (6.30 p.m.)
)