EPCR suspend rugby’s European competitions
Chiefs director of rugby calls for the Premiership schedule to be brought forward
AS expected, the European Professional Club Rugby have suspended all fixtures in this season’s Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup following talks with French rugby’s governing body, the Ligue Nationale de Rugby.
A directive from French authorities recommended that French clubs did not travel for the forthcoming fixtures, which included Exeter Chiefs’ home clash with Toulouse this weekend, and after a fresh round of talks held yesterday, the decision was taken to suspend all European competition for the foreseaable future.
A statement from the ECPR read: “Notable updates to EPCR’s COVID19 protocols were presented to the French authorities, including the addition of PCR tests no earlier than three days before matches in the tournaments, conforming to French government guidelines and supplementing the existing, meticulous contact tracing measures put in place with a view to limiting the risk of transmission.
“Against the backdrop of the recent detection of a new strain of coronavirus, the French government has directed that French clubs postpone their participation in EPCR’s tournaments for the month of January, both for matches scheduled in France and for those due to be played in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
“On the basis of this directive, EPCR had no choice but to temporarily suspend the pool stage of the Heineken Champions Cup and the preliminary stage of the Challenge Cup.
“While respecting all further directives by governments and local authorities, and prioritising the health and welfare of players and club staff, EPCR, in conjunction with its shareholder leagues and unions, remains committed to trying to find a solution which will enable it to resume and complete the tournaments as soon as practicable.
“EPCR will be making no further comment at the present time.”
Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter feared that would be the case when speaking to the media after Saturday’s loss to Bristol Bears and has called on the Gallagher Premiership to revisit their fixture schedule.
He would like to see games rearranged and brought forward to allow a gap later in the season where European competitions could be finished.
“I would like to think they will move positively and quickly and bring Premiership games forward,” Baxter said.
“If we are going to play European games, we’ve got to create space somewhere. The only way to do that is to shift Premiership games.”
Baxter’s sentiments were echoed by Bristol counterpart Pat Lam, who said: “What we would be very keen to say is that it is a massive opportunity for the Premiership as a competition to bring everything forward.
“We are all prepared to play. If they are going to postpone it, they are going to have to find two weekends.
“What we have learnt from last season is it is a massive toll to get the players to play midweek games, and we don’t want to go down there again.
“If we play now and bring it forward, it is going to open up those weeks (later in the season). It is a massive opportunity for the Premiership to say ‘let’s go’.
“Play Europe, but if it is postponed, bring everything forward and let’s get going.”
Baxter will no doubt be keen to get back on the field of play having suffered a second successive defeat at the weekend. He questioned whether his players had suffered an ‘emotional wobble’ after their incredible feats of last season, where they won a domestic and European double.
“All I’ve said to our boys is that, whatever happens, get yourself ready to work very hard on Monday,” he said after the game.
“Whatever happens we are going to come in and work hard. Nothing cleanses the soul better than some good hard honest graft.”