FRANCE WON’T TAKE A CHANCE
Sports Minister Maracineanu tells Irish and English unions to up game ahead of Six Nations
THE French government is demanding further assurances from Ireland and England over Covid- 19 regulations before it is willing to green light the 2021 Six Nations.
Following talks with the French Rugby Federation yesterday and a review of their 2020 procedures, French Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu confirmed that Les Bleus would be permitted to fulfil the championship opener against It aly i n Rome on Saturday, February 6. Beyond that, the French authorities are looking for “guarant ees” f rom t he IRFU and RFU that all necessary precautions will be in place for its national side.
Ireland are due to host France i n t he second round at Aviva S t a di um o n S unday, February 14.
“The f irst game will be played against It aly,” Maracineanu told RMC Sport. “On the other hand, for the games against Ireland and England, we really need to obtain the necessary guarantees from these countries to show us that their protocols are as demanding and serious as the ones we have in France.
“When there are international meetings we endanger, in a way, the health of these athletes.
“So we have to have guarantees about what we are committing to as a means to preserve the health of athletes. This must be the same in all countries.”
T h e Fr e n c h g o v e r n me n t ’s directive this week to Top 14 clubs not to play English or Irish opposition during January led the EPCR to pull the plug on the final two pool rounds of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.
Reacting to that development, PRO14 b o ss e s c onf i r med t h e p o s t p o n e d i n t e r pr o b e tw e e n Munster and Leinster will go ahead at Thomond Park on Saturday, September 23.
However, Irel and boss Andy Farrell will be disappointed that his Six Nations players from Ulster and Connacht won’t play again before the championship kicks off.
A number of Test frontliners, i ncludin g Ul st er s ki pp er I ai n Henderson and Connacht centre Bundee Aki, did not feature over the festive season due to knee injuries.
Farrell planned to bring his panel together after the Champions Cup fixtures the weekend after next and that is expected to remain the case.