Tigers v Bayonne - European games suspended

[loretta]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/55587044

French government now involved

[Old Hob]

Just when we were doing well, too. Ho hum. It may still go ahead but I doubt it.

[Noggs]

It can continue without French clubs

[Big Dai]

Don't know if this is old hat or not. I'm often behind the times, but it all looks off as far as the French are concerned with cross border sport being banned. 6N in trouble too.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union ... x-nations/

[Crofty]

Don't know if this is old hat or. I'm often behind the times but it looks off as far as the French are concerned with cross border sport being banned. 6N in trouble too.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union ... x-nations/

6N doesn't have to be in trouble, just replace France with Georgia, that way we'll also be able to see the relative merits of Italy and Georgia too...

[Scott1]

Don't know if this is old hat or. I'm often behind the times but it looks off as far as the French are concerned with cross border sport being banned. 6N in trouble too.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union ... x-nations/

6N doesn't have to be in trouble, just replace France with Georgia, that way we'll also be able to see the relative merits of Italy and Georgia too...

Good shout

[Big Dai]

The "trouble" was proposed by the article, rather than yours truly.

On the upside would a two week hiatus actually benefit the premiership? We'd effectively be taking a firebreak?

I'll get me coat.

[SthrnTiger]

Looks like European games are off. Hope they fill the gap with premiership games otherwise that would be 1 game for tigers in 5 weeks when supposed to have 5.

[Redstripeman]

Don't know if this is old hat or. I'm often behind the times but it looks off as far as the French are concerned with cross border sport being banned. 6N in trouble too.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union ... x-nations/

6N doesn't have to be in trouble, just replace France with Georgia, that way we'll also be able to see the relative merits of Italy and Georgia too...

Good shout

...I would suggest in this instance France is making the right call!!!
We seem to take moving from Country to Country as a normal thing to do, even in the face of a pandemic.
The absolute lack of scrutiny when someone arrives back into the country compared to the stringent test they have to go through abroad makes this Government a laughing stock.
It doesn't matter how many times we are put in Lockdown it is undermined by people waltzing in to the Country unchecked and unsupervised.

[Tiglon]

If France are out, let's have Fiji in please

[Old Hob]

New club anti-covid protocols may help re-assure the French and domestic audiences.

[Cardiff Tig]

I'd be surprised if the six nations was cancelled. International Rugby can be treated differently with fully biosecure bubbles etc if necessary, which club sports just can't do over a season.

[loretta]

Still nothing definitive on this. Watching Rugby Tonight, it would seem the clubs, French league and government keep batting this around. Testing has been altered to suit their demands, but there still seems to be a problem for the clubs. It seems to me they can't afford to just make the decision on their own, or EPRC can hit them with a heavy fine. So, they're looking for a higher authority to make the decision for them and take the responsibility away. The government have only issued advice, and passed it back. The clubs then have asked for clarification. If the higher ups say it’s not safe to travel across borders and clubs can't play, that then also applies to the 6 nations, and it looks like they're unwilling to do that.

So, buck passing stalemate, it's going to come down the clubs to just decide what they're willing to do. If they do turn up, I really doubt it'll be a first team!

[Noggs]

We need a decision today.

If Frances decision is negative I would support bringing Premiership fixtures forward by two week to free up a couple of weeks for Europe later in the season but such a change will have to happen quickly with agreement from all the clubs involved, a big ask.

[chipnchase]

Surprised that it hasnt been officially pulled already.

Would make sense to pull some rounds forward as Pat Lamb suggested at the weekend or simply carry on the tournament without the French clubs.