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Defending champions Exeter react to drastic call from France to cancel this season's Champions Cup
Exeter boss Rob Baxter has admitted he is in the dark about calls from France to cancel the remainder of the 2020/21 Heineken Champions Cup tournament following the recent escalation in the spread of the pandemic. Montpellier owner Mohed Altrad wants the plug pulled on the 24-team tournament that has two rounds of pool matches due to be played this month.
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There is also growing support among club presidents in the Top 14 to take a stand against EPCR on behalf the likes of Toulon who had a 28-0 defeat applied against them after they failed to fulfil their game at Scarlets due to concerns over the virus.
EPCR reviewed their Covid-19 protocols on Monday, claiming they had not directly heard from any French clubs looking to pull out of their remaining Champions or Challenge Cup games. They have also now released the referee details for all their fixtures which further suggests it is full steam ahead on the weekend of January 15.
It was why news of Altrad’s insistence that the Champions Cup should be scrapped to allow teams to concentrate on their domestic tournaments took Exeter boss Baxter by surprise. Exeter are minding their own business as regards the pandemic, admitting to some positive tests this week ahead of their league game with Bristol this weekend.
They will do a second round of testing to ensure there is no lingering issue in their camp ahead of next week’s Champions Cup visit by Toulouse to Sandy Park, a match Exeter must win having forfeited the December match due to their Covid situation that particular week.
Montpellier owner calls for European Cup to be ditched this season amid coronavirus crisis | @Nik_Simon88 https://t.co/MFYW2tDugg
— Mail Sport (@MailSport) January 5, 2021
“To be honest I hadn’t seen that,” said Baxter when asked for his reaction to the latest claims coming out of France. “I saw there was one French club (Bayonne) talking about potentially pulling out but then I also saw the statement from EPCR that said they hadn’t had any communications about clubs contacting them. At his stage that is very much how I am reading it. So there are more clubs talking about it?
“You can’t really talk for anybody else,” he continued after he was told who had been saying what in the past day in France. “For ourselves, we feel we are dealing with the scenario pretty well. We are very keen to play, that is why we are here.
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“Do I understand why people have their concerns and their worries and their doubts about it? 100 per cent because the reason we are in the scenario we are in, that should give a concern. Everyone should be entitled to their opinion about it.
“Do I understand an opinion that said is it difficult to complete the competition? 100 per cent I do. But these are decisions beyond what I can make. These are decisions for EPCR and the stakeholders in the game for make. For us, we have to get on.
“We’re being cleared as a professional sport to carry on in the current situation and that is what we have to do. We have to take responsibility for our own actions and how we behave in the things that we do and work from there really. At the moment that is all we can do.
“There can be a lot of comment around what you want to do week by week, game by game, month by month, we are in such a climate of change at the moment and the most important thing is to focus on yourself and what you are doing.
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“Every rugby club needs to almost get itself through things a little bit because the only thing you are in control of around Covid is practices you have in place. It’s an impossible scenario to try and do it for anybody else. That is really the only comment I can make.
“I am sorry, I don’t really have a comment on whether the games should go ahead. At the moment we feel it would be safe for Toulouse to come here and play next week because of the practices that are here and in place. At the same time if’s not for me to ell Toulouse they should feel comfortable, is it? That has got to be their decision.”
Bayonne say the number of positive tests in the club has jumped since their game against the Tigers last month.https://t.co/LilDs5IByp
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 4, 2021
Focusing on the current situation at Exeter ahead of Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash with Bristol, Baxter added: “We have had some positive tests but that is as far as I can say on that. It has had a light impact on the availability of players but not huge and we have selected a team that looks very good.
“We are probably one of the teams when we do have anything in the camp Covid-wise we always try and organise a second round of testing, so we will do that either tomorrow [Thursday] or Friday. That will then ensure that anything is lingering or hasn’t been picked up won’t wait until next Monday.
“We are one of these clubs that do feel a responsibility to try and get on top of anything very quickly and certainly not risk players going onto the field against opposition if there is any doubt about where they might be.
“We are certainly going to have another round of testing later this week just to ensure nobody has slipped through the net and no one has become viral later in the week. That way we will ensure when we take the field we will do that with 100 per cent confidence that we are not risking transmitting anything to Bristol.”
Esportif’s salary report for the 2020/21 season in England has claimed that No10 is the best-paid player by position in the Premiership and openside the worst#GallagherPrem https://t.co/WsGWFRtSc6
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 2, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
A Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
2 Go to commentsMark Telea is a lot of things, but a defensive juggernaut has never been one of them. There will be far bigger tests in that regard for the youngster.
10 Go to commentsLove and respect to Fiji but not a chance outside of 7s
4 Go to commentsGood summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
2 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
2 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
1 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
5 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
45 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
45 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
5 Go to comments