Suspension of European club competitions creates space for 1872 Cup

The suspension of rugby’s two European club tournaments has finally been confirmed.

This season’s Champions Cup and Challenge Cup competitions have been temporarily suspended.

It means there will be no Heineken Champions Cup or Challenge Cup matches played this weekend or next.

The decision comes after the French government expressed concerns over the more transmissible strain of coronavirus prevalent in the UK.

They were unhappy about clubs from France coming into contact with British teams. Eight of this weekend’s 12 scheduled Champions Cup third-round ties were due to involve clubs from France.

Glasgow Warriors were due to play Lyon away on Saturday, while Edinburgh were scheduled to host Sale.

The capital side were then meant to travel to France to face La Rochelle on January 23 while Glasgow were supposed to host Exeter Chiefs the following day.

The suspension of the European matches creates two free weekends for the Scottish pro sides who are now expected to rearrange their Guinness Pro14/1872 Cup match.

Glasgow were due to host Edinburgh at Scotstoun last Friday but the match was postponed due to a frozen pitch.

A statement from European Professional Club Rugby, the body which organises the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, said: “Following a directive from the French authorities that the participation of TOP 14 clubs in the Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup at the current time constitutes too great a public health risk, EPCR has no choice but to announce today (Monday, 11 January) that the 2020/21 tournaments are temporarily suspended.

“EPCR and the Ligue Nationale de Rugby took part in a meeting by audio conference last week with representatives of the French ministries of the Interior, Health and Sport, as well as of the President’s office.

“Notable updates to EPCR’s COVID-19 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.”

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