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Final rounds of Champions Cup pool games to be postponed

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

The French sports ministry has recommended that the Top 14 clubs postpone games against British and Irish teams in the Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup amid the Covid-19 crisis, it said in a statement to Reuters on Saturday.

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“The Sports Ministry is writing this weekend to the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) to invite it to postpone the next matches including French clubs (against British and Irish clubs) in accordance with the wishes expressed by several professional French rugby clubs over the last few days,” the ministry wrote.

A source within the LNR told Reuters that it would follow recommendations from the ministry. This follows reports earlier this week that Bayonne would be pulling out of their remaining European matches while Top 14 presidents voiced a French show of support to tackle how Toulon were treated by EPCR, the governing body of the European tournaments, after their Champions Cup farce in Wales.

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Montpellier owner Mohed Altrad also called for a boycott. EPCR moved to assure the safety of all players and staff, issuing a medical advisory group statement and then proceeding with the announcement of all the referees for the upcoming round three and four games.

However, their intention to proceed as planned has now reportedly been taken from them due to the French government taking action against cross-border travel. A meeting was held on Thursday between the Ministry of Sports, Health and representatives of French professional clubs on the European Cup.

It’s believed there was much anger that eight Bayonne players tested positive following the pre-Christmas game against Leicester. EPCR reacted by stating their updated protocols would now more closely follow the measures which the LNR uses, but that has not been enough to convince officials in France that the games over the coming two weekends can proceed as planned.

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J
JW 1 hour ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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