Exceptional circumstances, exceptional decision: the EPCR, which had promised to try to play at all costs, decided to postpone seven of the matches between French teams and British teams on the 2nd day of the European Cup and the European Challenge.
“This is a consequence of the new travel restrictions between the United Kingdom and France which have been put in place by the French government,” explained the governing body.
Concretely, the matches of La Rochelle in Bath, Clermont in Sale or Bordeaux-Bègles against the Scarlets (Llanelli) will therefore be played at “a later date”. Just like the reception of the English from Bristol and the Wasps by the Stade Français and Toulouse respectively.
In Challenge, Worcester-Biarritz and London Irish-Brive are also concerned.
A decision that did not delight everyone. “It is not logical in terms of sport and health. For the competition, its organization, its media coverage, what does this day mean, several matches of which have already been won on the green carpet, several have been postponed? (…) The postponement of the whole day would have been more logical, understandable and clear ”, has also railed Pierre-Yves Revol, president of Castres, the only club engaged this weekend in the Champions Cup.
An already overloaded schedule
Except that the world rugby calendar is already overloaded: thus, between the European cups, the championship, the tournament and the tours, if he is neither injured nor suspended, a player who would play all the matches of his team and would go after all the competitions, such Antoine Dupont, has no free weekend before … the end of the Japanese tour of the XV of France in July.
“We don’t really know where we are going. From the first days, there are complications due to the health context. It is not obvious, “lamented the scrum half of Toulouse before the announcement of the postponements.
“We don’t really know where we’re going, we don’t know how the variant will develop in the different countries concerned. In all cases, the actors, whether it is the teams or the EPCR bodies, everyone will want to go to the end: we will find solutions for. Afterwards, will they be fair and acceptable? “, he added.
Eighths in a match?
Last season, the EPCR had already decided to drop the last two days of the group stage due to the pandemic.
A year later, rebelote. Unless you imagine the improbable and unfair duplicates of the European Cups / Six Nations Tournament, which would be added to the already unnecessary Top 14 / XV duplication of France, the organization should again review its formula.
On paper, a solution is needed: to skip the round of 16 in two-way matches (April 8-10 and April 15-17) to return to a more classic formula, in a dry match.
But for that, it is still necessary that the next two days of continental competitions, scheduled from January 14 to 16 then from January 21 to 23, take place as planned …
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