Will the European Rugby Cups come to an end this season? It is less and less certain. The clubs of the Top 14, in any case, are not at all certain to contest the next posters on the program. With many trips across the Channel in January. In question? The much more contagious variant of Covid-19, which is currently rife in Great Britain.
Bayonnais Rowing has already announced its withdrawal from the rest of the European Challenge, after two of its players were infected during the match against Leicester on December 19. Other clubs could make the same decision.
The Top 14 teams are carefully monitoring the situation and do not rule out a possible boycott. Toulon has recovered from their canceled match against the Scarlets last month in the Champions Cup. The RCT, which is due to travel to Sale’s pitch on January 22, is seriously considering leaving the European Cup. In the meantime, French clubs and the National Rugby League are pushing behind the scenes for the EPCR to review its health protocol. And the layer on that of the French championship. With, according to our information, tests for the players three days before a match (instead of six days in the European Cup).
“Testing six days before a game is absolutely impossible”
“Since September, we have not at all agreed with the protocol launched by the EPCR, explained Bernard Dusfour, chairman of the medical commission of the LNR, this Sunday on RMC. What is fundamental, these are the tests six days before the match. That is absolutely impossible. We saw it with Exeter. They were tested on Monday to play against Glasgow on Sunday. And the day after the match, they were seventeen. positive cases. If they had tested three days before the match like us, it is almost certain that they would have detected positive players. This is what we are fighting on. The solution proposed by the English is not The good one. We have a protocol that holds up in France. Overall, we were able to work in serenity regarding the health context. In three positive cases, we are not playing. Our British friends will have to comply with that , although it is very difficult with them in the meetings. In September, they did not have us listened to, they brushed aside our proposals. Now it’s them who are in shambles. “
The French clubs and the LNR have asked the EPCR to modify the health protocol of the European Cups so that it resembles that in force in the Top 14. With tests carried out three days before the match. If no change, several clubs would withdraw @RMCsport
– JF Paturaud (@JFPaturaud) January 3, 2021
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A “mess” which will be on the menu of the working meeting scheduled for Monday between the EPCR and the Leagues concerned. Top 14 presidents are also expected to meet urgently.
“We have no sight, lamented Ugo Mola, the manager from Stade Toulousain, still on RMC. The sanitary conditions are a bit beyond us all. If we put things on the table and discuss, there will be formulas. I understand the concern of the doctors of the Top 14 clubs. When we took over the championship and the European Cup, we were demonized a little with the protocol of the NRL, which does not seem that bad in the end. These tests, carried out three days before the match, take away a lot of our worries. We have a rather conclusive protocol. Our British friends taught us a lesson. And it turns out that sometimes the lesson can backfire on those who take it. What will have to be taken into consideration are the basic health rules of the country and of course the protection of our players. “
For its part, the LNR is firm: “We deplore this situation which is unacceptable. The EPCR health protocol must evolve to provide security guarantees to the teams competing in the European Cups. The LNR has made several requests. in this sense with the EPCR. ” The next few days will be intense.
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