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Premiership Rugby issues statement on Scotland player release versus France

(Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)

Talks are still ongoing between Premiership Rugby and the Six Nations regarding the release of English-based Scotland players for the rearranged March 26 match between France and the Scots at the Stade de France.

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The round three Guinness Six Nations match was originally set to go ahead in Paris on February 28 but it was postponed due to a virus outbreak in the French camp that affected a dozen players and four members of management, including head coach Fabien Galthie.

Six Nations officials finally confirmed on Thursday of this week that the France versus Scotland re-fixture would definitely be going ahead eight days later, but there was no update on the status of whether the English and French-based players in Gregor Townsend’s squad would be released for this game as it falls outside the current Test window.

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Seven of the players involved in the Scotland 23 for this Saturday’s game against Italy are based in England and all would miss out on next Friday’s re-fixture unless permission is received from Premiership Rugby.

Seven days out from the game, there was still no certainty what might yet transpire after Premiership Rugby issued a statement on Friday evening that confirmed a change in the kick-off for a live TV English league game next weekend but offered no confirmation regarding the player release situation.

“Premiership Rugby can confirm that it is changing the kick-off time for next weekend’s big West Country derby between Gloucester and Exeter, which is live on BT Sport,” read the statement.

“The match was due to kick off at 7.45pm on Friday, March 26, but after the Six Nations committee last night announced the rearranged date and time for France vs Scotland, we have no alternative but to stage Gloucester vs Exeter earlier at 5.30pm to avoid a clash of televised rugby.

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“Collaborative talks are ongoing between ourselves, the Scottish Rugby Union and the Six Nations committee regarding the release of players who are committed to their clubs during a weekend which was not designated for international rugby.”

A Premiership Rugby spokesperson added: “We do understand that we are in unprecedented times as sport faces its biggest crisis from the Covid-19 pandemic. In the spirit of collaboration, we continue to negotiate around the release of players, with appropriate compensation for the disruption to the clubs and the competition still to be agreed.

“We have a consistent and long-held policy only to release non-England players for matches that fall under World Rugby’s regulation nine which governs player release for international rugby.

“This rearranged fixture is not covered by regulation nine but our clubs are considering making an exception to this policy, with reasonable reimbursement, as we are in unprecedented times.

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“We have important Premiership games scheduled for next weekend and the withdrawal of players at short notice creates many issues for us, including commitments to our partners, broadcasters and supporters. We have already accommodated a kick-off change and want to find a way forward on the player issue.

“We will continue to collaborate with the Scottish Rugby Union and the Six Nations committee over the rearranged match and we hope to resolve the issue.”

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J
JW 30 minutes ago
Let's be real about these All Blacks

I didn't really get the should tone from it, but maybe because I was just reading it as my own thoughts.


What I read it as was examples of how they played well enough in every game to be able to win it.


Yeah I dunno if Ben wouldn't see it that way (someone else would for sure need to point it out to him though), I'm more in the Ben not appreciating that those close losses werent one off scenarios camp. Sure you can look at dubious decisions causing them to have to play with 14 or 13 men at the death as viable reasons but even in the games they won without such difficulties they made a real struggle of it (compared to how good some of their first half play was). This kind of article where you trying to point out the 3 losses really would most likely have been wins only really makes sense/works when your other performances make those 3 games (or endings) stand out.


There might have been a sentence here and there to ensure some good comment numbers but when he's signing off the article by saying things like ..

Whilst these All Blacks aren’t blowing teams off the park like during the 2010s, they are nuggety and resourceful and don’t wilt. They are prepared to win the hard way, accumulating points by any means necessary.

and..

The other top sides in the world struggled to put them away. France and South Africa both could have well been defeated on home soil.

I don't really see it. Always making sure people are upto date with the SH standing/perspective! NZ went through some tough times with so many different perspectives and reasons why, but then it was.. amusing how.. behind everyone was once they turned a corner. More of these 'unfortunate' results returned against SA and France at the start of the RWC which made it extra tasty to catch other teams out when they did bring it. So that created some 'conscious' perspective that I just kept going and sharing re thoughts on similar predicaments of other teams, I had been really confident that Wallabies displays vs NZ were real, that the Argentines can backup their thing against Aus and SA (and so obviously the rest), and current one is that England are actually consistent and improving with their attack (which everyone should get onboard with), and I'm expecting a more dominant display against Japan (even though they should have more of their experienced internationals for this one) that highlights further growth from July. 👍

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