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'I'll choose my words carefully': EPCR boss hits out at French government's Champions Cup call-off
Heineken Champions Cup rugby boss Simon Halliday has criticised the French government for its decision which resulted in the cancellation of the remaining two pool stage rounds of the tournament this month, plunging the showpiece event into chaos.
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The pandemic pressures on the rugby calendar in the 2020/21 season had already resulted in the European tournaments losing one of its traditional annual nine weekends to stage matches.
That led to a revamped format where 24 clubs were drawn into two pools of twelve teams with each team having just four pool stage rounds.
However, that plan was decimated by this month’s cancellation of rounds three and four due to government concerns in France about its teams travelling abroad and overseas teams visiting France.
It has left officials, including EPCR chairman Halliday, with a headache on how to now finish the Champions Cup tournament over the four weekends they have left available to them following the completion of the Guinness Six Nations. One solution is a round of 16 of straight knockout matches.
"We've had an independent review. They have come up with a load of recommendations"
– EPCR boss Simon Halliday has spoken on @TheRugbyPod about the powerhouse South African franchises playing European Champions Cup #HeinekenChampionsCup #GuinnessPRO16https://t.co/js28hzDcjn
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 19, 2021
Asked about the political interference which scuppered rounds three and four, ex-England winger Halliday told The Rugby Pod: “I will choose my words carefully. We have put up with and survived and dealt with the British government’s multiple decision making and of course, everyone has the right to change their minds and we have seen plenty of that as well.
“You’re never going to make a call on people’s health but I turn the question to another question which is what are the safest environments that have been created during this pandemic?
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“I pay great credit to the sports authorities, sports grounds, the stadia, certainly in the UK and everywhere, they have created incredibly safe environments for those players to go and play so we’re not talking about crowds. We’re talking about players.
“The French government decision was extremely disappointing because ultimately all the leagues and EPCR, yes there have been one or two cry-offs and one or two numbers of infections but as a percentage, I pay credit to what sports stadia have done to create secure environments and that should have been the key issue.
“Flying players to and from a secure environment, I’m not sure they looked at that in enough depth and certainly the presentation the LNR and EPCR made was very strong, that the protocols were absolutely best in practice. So it’s disappointing.
“The bottom line is the timing was unfortunate because it was right at the stage where there were nasty scenes of some very, very serious inflows of sick patients to hospitals, particularly in the south of England with this new strain and everyone was looking at that.
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“I mean, Ireland has got the highest infection rate anywhere right now. It’s incredibly difficult to call and we’re sportspeople and all the rest, but sport has really shown the way forward and this [French government decision] was a knockback for that which was unnecessary.”
Catch the latest episode over on our YouTube channel as well!
Ealing’s win over Sarries, Eddie’s England squad and a juicy rumour mill to feast your eyes on ?
?: https://t.co/wdn44tEHfA pic.twitter.com/18wZgry7Dv
— The Rugby Pod (@TheRugbyPod) January 19, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
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