Top 14 clubs fire warning ahead of World Rugby regulation 9 player release vote
Ligue Nationale de Rugby, the governing body of the Top 14 clubs in France, have stated that they are unhappy with the length of the Test window revealed by World Rugby on Wednesday.
World Rugby officials stated that the Test calendar in Europe would run from October 24 to December 5 to accommodate the postponed Six Nations matches at the end of October, a rest weekend on November 7 and then a programme of international matches involving the Six Nations and invited teams hosted in Europe from November 14 through to December 5.
A World Rugby vote is due to take place on July 30 regarding the temporary amendment of regulation 9 to cover the release of players for international duty during this amended temporary window.
However, the plan has drawn the ire of clubs in France who claim it is longer than what they were prepared to agree and they fear the staging of a sixth French match.
An LNR statement read: “If this extension of the international window covered by rule 9 is adopted for the fall of 2020 by the World Rugby council on July 30, it will be a unilateral and unbalanced decision, taken against the position of the professional leagues, and in particular of the LNR which expressed on several occasions its disagreement with World Rugby during the last weeks.
La Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) a pris connaissance des recommandations de World Rugby exprimées ce jour, d’étendre la période de mise à disposition des joueurs en équipe nationale de 3 à 7 semaines à l’automne 2020, du 24 octobre au 5 décembre. 📄➡️https://t.co/o4dL0nrOIf pic.twitter.com/Pz5ZddSvvO
— Ligue Nationale de Rugby (@LNRofficiel) July 22, 2020
“The LNR and TOP 14 clubs have made a very important effort showing their solidarity with the FFR and the federations in this particular context resulting from the health crisis by proposing, on an exceptional basis, that the French team can play up to five international matches (including the postponed match of the Six Nations) instead of the three provided for in the calendar and in the FFR-LNR agreement.
“The NRL notes, however, that the northern hemisphere international match schedule will be announced ‘in due course by the respective federations and the organisers of international competitions’ and that World Rugby does not impose a predefined number of matches.
“We, therefore, hope that an agreement can be reached quickly with the FFR on the programme of the France team and on the number of days of availability of players within this international window while respecting the number of matches (five) that the LNR and the TOP 14 clubs have indicated to be ready to validate despite the extremely difficult situation they are facing after a stoppage of the championship for six months.”
Could the English and French clubs be the spanner in the works?https://t.co/lWI20ZPX8j
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 22, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
The 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.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
39 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.
10 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
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
39 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
39 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
39 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
39 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
39 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
39 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments