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EPCR statement: Covid-19 protocols review

(Photo by INPHO via EPCR)

The EPCR have held a meeting to discuss their Covid-19 protocols, hot on the heels of rumblings from France suggesting a number of Top 14 clubs are not entirely satisfied with the status quo in relation to controlling the virus.

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Bayonne effectively withdrew from any further involvement in the Challenge Cup after they blamed their match with Leicester Tigers for an outbreak of Covid-19 in their squad.

The French club have released a statement outlining that some of their players have tested positive for the new strain of the virus, and that cases in the squad rose following their home match against Leicester on December 19.

Now the EPCR say they reviewing their existing measures. The statement reads: “The EPCR Medical Advisory Group, comprising medical leads of its shareholder leagues and unions, met by video conference today (Monday, 4 January) as part of an ongoing review of the COVID-19 protocols for the Heineken Champions Cup and European Rugby Challenge Cup tournaments.

“Key topics discussed included testing schedules, contact tracing and case management, matchday risk assessment, cross-border travel and protocol compliance, and the Medical Advisory Group also received independent input from leading Swiss-based physician and virologist, Dr Daniel Koch, during what was a productive meeting.

“Outcomes of the meeting will be communicated as soon as is practicable, and EPCR will be making no further comment until that time.

“In addition, it can be confirmed that no club participating in the Heineken Champions Cup or Challenge Cup has officially informed EPCR of any intention not to fulfil their remaining fixtures in the 2020/21 season.”

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PT 51 minutes ago
Ireland survive wild match in Rome to bag bonus point win over Italy

🙏We are gathered here today to mourn Irish rugby. After many many years of being mediocre, they incredibly got themselves to a No 1 world ranking, which they miraculously held on to for around 14 months. However, despite reaching this incredible feat, they've always underperformed at World Cups, never ever making it past the quarter finals. This form, which could only be described as ‘choking’, also carried through to the 6 nations. Last year they were tipped to win a grand slam, but were beaten by England, so although they won last years 6 nations, they effectively choked again by not winning the grand slam. This year they were tipped by many, along with their mostly delusional media & some fans, to again grand slam the 6 nations, & in the process win a 3rd previously never done before consecutive 6 nations as well. However, they choked once again & not only did they not win the 6 nations or indeed the grand slam, they ended up 3rd on the 6 nations table. It is also a mystery how they got away with nefarious tactics, among other things, such as illegal & dangerous tactics at rucks for years, & also using multiple lazy runners etc, both of which incredibly hardly ever got pinged by referees? Irish rugby will most likely never again reach the highs it has over the last several years. It's over! 🙏


“Ashes to ashes

Dust to dust

Irish rugby is done

Everyone has you sussed”.

1 Go to comments
R
RedWarriors 3 hours ago
France deny England and clinch Six Nations title in Paris

I think we need to call out the red card non-decision here and acknowledge the damage that France, through Galthie, have done to confidence in the officaiting and citing process.

It started when Garry Ringrose had club matches included in his ban following similar precedents for (Atonio, Haouas, Danty) who were all carded/cited in match just before fallow week and club matches counted. Ntamacks citing was in week 1 and harder to demonstrate availability for club match with another International match between. Preceednt ~(O’Mahony 2021) was followed. Reading the written decision for Ntamack shows that Galthie understood this perfectly. Yet after the Ringrose ban included club matches, Galthie publicly goes berserk screaming ‘Injustice (against France”. Again, he knows the precedents for Ringrose are all French and indeed the only person preceding Ntamack to have club matches count in that situation was France’s Willemse.

The media swallowed this up wholesale and the story started circulating and being added to without a single journalist/pundit (except rush Mirror) actually reading the Ntamack decision. Sneaky Ireland had better briefs than honest naive France was one random addition by a pundit which becamse accpeted fact without checking etc and added to the circulation.

Angered by losing his star player Galthie again lashes out. He knows know he can de facto attack individual players, the media won’t intervene and as long as he doesnt directly attack an individual official he will stay out of trouble.

So he attacks players who then het threatened by some lunatic French supporters online. Ireland are ‘Butchers’ apparently. The passive head contact earning Nash a yellow now becomes a double head hit on Barrassi, requiring a double red.

France who have more dangerous tackle citings under Galthie than all other six nations combined. They get more favourable outcomes than all other teams. poor France are now the victims of great injustice. It is farce.

But it paid off.

Mauvaka struck the Scottish Scrum half with a diving head butt in Sundays match. Its a clear red. Scotlands back line attack looked superiors to France’s and Scotland were there or there abouts.

What I can only assume is the chilling affect on Galthie’s public attacks Carley send it to the bunker. A deliberate head butt is a clear red on more than one count. There is no doubt, bo grey area.

If thats a red card do France win the match? I would say that Scotland are likely winners, which would have meant England winning the title.

Spilled milk now, but World Rugby, the citing commisioners and officials cannot allow big Unions to publicly intimidate the officiating process and attack individual players from other teams.

21 Go to comments
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