THE POSTPONED FIXTURES in round two of this season’s Champions Cup and Challenge Cup will not be replayed, EPCR have confirmed, with the games instead being recorded as 0-0 draws.
EPCR have also stated that earlier decisions surrounding games postponed due to Covid-19 will remain in place, meaning the 28-0 bonus-point win awarded to Montpellier after their round two home game against Leinster was cancelled still stands.
It had been hoped that five Champions Cup and two Challenge Cup fixtures postponed last month due to increased travel restrictions between France and the UK would be rescheduled.
However given the limited space to work with in an already packed fixture calendar, EPCR have now decided to mark those fixtures as 0-0 draws, with each team awarded two points.
EPCR stated that a distinction should be made between those round two games and the earlier postponed fixtures, such as the Montpellier v Leinster tie, which was cancelled following Covid-19 outbreaks in both camps.
“A distinction should be drawn between the decisions in respect of the seven round two matches in question and other tournament fixtures which were previously cancelled due to Covid-19 outbreaks or forced isolations affecting player availability,” an EPCR statement read.
Those previously cancelled fixtures could not have been played as scheduled under any circumstances, whereas the clubs involved in the round two matches in question were all cleared and available to contest the matches.
“Therefore, the determined outcomes of the three previously cancelled or forfeited Heineken Champions Cup fixtures, and the one EPCR Challenge Cup fixture, will stand.”
Leinster had looked to appeal the decision to award Montpellier a 28-0 win, given the province had enough players available to fulfil the fixture. However today’s announcement appears to kill any hopes of Leinster overturning that decision, as they prepare to welcome the Top 14 side to the RDS this weekend.
In a detailed statement, EPCR outlined how they came to the conclusion to mark the affected round two games as 0-0 draws.
“Following a series of meetings of the Board of EPCR, it has been regrettably decided to cancel the postponed fixtures in round two of this season’s Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup,” the statement read.
“The Board has also authorised the EPCR Executive to determine the outcome of the fixtures as provided for in the rules of the tournaments and the EPCR Executive has decided that the appropriate solution is to record the results in each of the five Heineken Champions Cup and the two EPCR Challenge Cup fixtures in question as 0-0 draws with two match points awarded to each club.
“The Board and the Executive have been guided by input from the deliberations of the EPCR Sporting and Tournaments Committee which like the EPCR Board is made up of representatives of the URC, PRL and TOP 14 leagues.
“The Round 2 matches were initially postponed following the unforeseen introduction of new travel measures between the UK and France which resulted in EPCR being unable to obtain assurances that existing cross-border travel exemptions for players, club staff and match officials would remain in place.
The options of modifying the tournament formats and/or rescheduling the matches were deliberated in great detail by all parties, however, in an increasingly complex fixture calendar due to Covid-19, it was regrettably decided that the only choice in the circumstances was to cancel the matches.
“The Board then considered how the seven matches should be accounted for in the standings of the tournaments and it was satisfied that the correct approach was for the EPCR Executive to apply the Match Result Resolution Matrix as set out in the 2021/22 Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup Participation Agreement.
“On the basis that none of the clubs involved were in a position to play once the EPCR Board had postponed the seven matches due to the new restrictive travel measures, the only option open to the EPCR Executive under the provisions of the Match Result Resolution Matrix was to record the results as 0-0 draws and to award two match points to each club.”
As a result, the below round two fixtures have been recorded as 0-0 draws with two match points awarded to each club, while the updated Champions Cup standings can be found here.
Champions Cup
Bath Rugby v Stade Rochelais
Sale Sharks v ASM Clermont Auvergne
Scarlets v Union Bordeaux-Bègles
Stade Toulousain v Wasps
Stade Francais Paris v Bristol Bears
Challenge Cup
Worcester Warriors v Biarritz Olympique
London Irish v CA Brive
- Originally published at 6:07pm
That’s a loada b0llix. Conveniently more favourable to French and English clubs. Leinster robbed.
Competition is geared to a non urc team winning, especially an Irish one, less lucrative. No way that decision would have been dished out to Sale or any other English team. Stinks
@Noel Lynn: Leinster have the option of taking the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport which would definitely put the cat among the pigeons.
I feel they have been wronged here as Montpellier were also in trouble with Covid.
Also awarding 5 points to a team that hasn’t played is wrong imo as it not only effects the “losing” team but also all other teams in the group.
@Noel Lynn: Leinster have been unlucky here. No more. It’s the Scarlets that should be up in arms over it. Leinsters game would have been cancelled regardless of the travel restrictions. Scarlets was cancelled purely because of travel restrictions.
@Noel Lynn: The ERC needs the English and French clubs to make a viable competition. The Irish provinces need the ERC
@John Molloy: they both have a right to feel aggrieved, rules being made up on the fly. Why would Leinsters have been cancelled regardless? No evidence offered on the findings of the EPRC medical team! But I do agree Scarlets can feel even more aggrieved and I’m sure it’s been talked about in Welsh media.
@TL55: if you want to talk about wrong, Leonster were approved for travel by Public Health Ireland. Who are they? Not a HSE or state body. A private company with very little information available about them. Why are they approving people and groups for travel???
Leinster completely and utterly shafted here. This decision Stinks.
@Carmine Lorenzo: it’s really Scarlets that have been shafted.
@Ro Molloy: they’ve been handed a draw against Bordeaux that they probably would have struggled to get otherwise, not sure they have been shafted, unless I’m missing something, which I very possibly could be.
@Patrick Breen: they had to concede their game against Bristol because travel restrictions prevented them from fulfilling the fixture. That was the week before a load of teams who were due to travel to France got a draw because they couldn’t fulfil their fixture due to travel restrictions.
@John Molloy: I see, yep remember now the whole thing where they were stranded in Belfast, there’s so much disruption that parts of it are becoming a blur.
@Ro Molloy: don’t forget Connacht, this pushes them down the table too.
Imperfect solution for an imperfect situation but it’s done now so onto the games this weekend and hopefully there’s no more disruption to the competition.
@Jim Demps: leinster will still qualify for the knockout stages dome other team will not becuase on this. The english and french its just not in their nature to do anything fairly.
@Jim Demps: You call yourself an Irish rugby fan, not sure about that. Seems to me you are resentful towards some IRISH teams success and bias in your opinions. Just my humble opinion.
@Jim Demps: Sadly if it was Toulouse, La Roch, Clermont or any of the other top French or English teams there is not a hope they would have made that call…whole thing stinks and has completely devalued the competition even more so now!
@Ottomaaan: and Jim doesn’t care because it doesn’t affect Munster.
@Tony Connolly: where are you and the others with this “you call yourself an irish rugby fan” and such, when munster prayers or munster are getting bashed on here?
@Tony Connolly: the amount of crying and moaning done by leinster fans on here is unreal. Leinster had to call off their game the next wkd too so it was the correct decision. It wasnt handled perfectly but it is what it is. Leinster benefitted at toulons expense for the same reason last year.
@Tony Connolly: and the “you call yourself an irish rugby fan”. I will assume that he is from munster. Munster are leinsters rival. If it happened to munster id be laughing.
@Damian Baker: what has the next week got to do with anything. Unless they had a crystal ball they basically gave a French team a by into the knockout stages. If you dont see how the french and English sides are making it up as they go well to red tint must really blind you.
@Damian Baker: munster fan here, I agree leinster were treated unfairly, they should appeal and then go on and win the case, keep the decision not to take the points and go on and win the competition. Just to highlight how mad the call was.
@Tony Connolly: there wasn’t much moaning in Leinster when Toulon were forced to concede the game in Dublin last year
@Jim Demps: still can’t see why Leinster are being singled out here / it’s factually incorrect for European Rugby to say that teams couldn’t be fielded due to C19 when Leinster clearly had a team to field and approval to travel / really bizarre
@Damian Baker: they had a team to field and approval to travel – think it’s perfectly reasonable to question the decision
@Simon Reardon: Yes there was Simon, it left us woefully undercooked. I dread to think how undercooked we are now frankly, thanks to this mess.
I bet Montpellier will be passed to play on Sunday even though they have covid cases in their camp. Leinster weren’t afforded the same luxury on the return fixture, even with a full match day squad available covid free to play
Motivational team talk just got easier
Absolutely ludicrous stuff, look at Bristol they are now ahead of us, without having played a game, and the carry on with the Leinster and Ospreys in particular is scandalous. Ospreys lose 28-0 in a game that wouldn’t have been played regardless of them having Covid, but they still lose. Like others have said it’s totally devalued an already devalued tournament, and because of the daft format they’ve gone with it worsens the impact. I’m not sure why the EPCR bend the knee to those who least value their competition, oh no wait money is more important than integrity.
Crazy decision. We all knew that there was a possibility to call off game again this year but there seems to favouritism been shown here, there either both 28-0 wins to the home side or both 0-0 draws. Leinster have to take this to courts for the potential loss of earnings at least.
Crazy stuff
Great result for Montpellier. They should get covid before every game.
This competition is in serious trouble and not just because of these rubbish decisions. Now the English clubs are looking to boycott the competition as the 48 hour isolation rule still applies to teams from outside the EU traveling to France. Newcastle and Sale are leading the call for a boycott if this French government rule is not withdrawn. The problem is this new rule was a compromise from a much stricter rule brought in before Christmas. So will the French give in to the English, again? We will find out soon enough as Newcastle are due to play in Biarritz on Friday so would have to travel tomorrow.
It is tough on Leinster, but its the correct if unpopular decision. There is legislation for covid cancelled games and since the Leinster squad had new positive cases on the Wednesday and Montpellier didn’t,the ERC medical board advised it not to go ahead, ERC took their medical board advice and since there were no new cases with Montpellier they were awarded the points, same as with cancelled games the previous round. The games put as draws were cancelled due to travel restrictions, which there was no legislation for and hence the draw was never an option for Leinster. The only question Leinster can ask is why the medical board allowed the Wasps game? They weren’t going to overrule the medical board and they weren’t going to apply different legislation than they used for everyone else.
@Kingshu: “Leinster had new positive cases on the Wednesday”, true but they weren’t part of the match day 23 as reported several times. Also URC games do see postponement regularly during the season, so Leinster could rightly postpone without any impact. This is not the case with EPRC games. I think Leinster need to take it to court.
@Kingshu: But they have applied different rules. It’s the lack of consistency that is the problem. Leinster weren’t allowed to play when they had full matchday squad and staff covid free and public health clearance to travel yet Wasps were allowed to play when they had 4 or 5 positive cases in their 23 on the day of the match and had to make late changes to their team. Scarlets are given a 28-0 loss to Bristol due to travel restrictions and now these matches are postponed because of French travel restrictions and yet the French teams don’t get handed walkover losses. One rule for the French and English teams and another for the URC teams.
@Con Cussed: Doesnt matter if they weren’t in some named 23, they were positive cases in the Leinster squad. The ERC medical board advised the game not to go ahead, do you really think the ERC will overrule its own medical board on a medical matter? URC games are postponed but this isnt URC this is HCup and they have different legislation and they have applied the same legislation to other teams, (its not a great rule, I’d agree) but Leinster are not exempt from the legislation.
@Kingshu: it’s not the correct decision – leinster had a Covid free match day 23 and had approval to travel !! Game wasn’t cancelled cause of Covid at Leinster
@The Logic: The clearance from the institute of public health counts for very little as its an All-Ireland body and subsidiary to the Department of Health Ireland and has no real power, the clearance didnt come from the dept of Health but that doesn’t even matter as HCup has its own medical board which is the one they would take advice from. The Wasps one I mentioned, its strange the medical board allowed it to go ahead, I can only guess their critea changed between rounds one and two. Scarlets were not given a loss due to travel restrictions, Scarlets forfeited the game as they felt they could not put out a team. These were all covered by existing legislation and it was applied. The games cancelled due to UK-France travel restrictions have no legislation as such they awarded them draws.
@Kingshu: You’re completely ignoring significant facts – Leinster had a full 23 squad plus staff, all negative with several tests that week, and in a bubble apart from the rest of the squad. And with approval to travel as The Logic has clearly outlined. The fact there were other cases positive late in the week is irrelevant really. And particularly in the context of the decisions re the other games. Leinster have been quite badly shafted and it seems English & French teams have been favoured.
@BMJF: Toulon had a covid free 23, who had approval and already travelled, and all tested negative when in Ireland, yet the game was cancelled. Its not a fair system but Leinster are not a special case, the same rules that have been applied to others have been applied to them. Personally I would rather see the game played, and Leinster win it, but I don’t think Leinster have been treated any differently to others, its just a crap outcome not a biased one.
@Kingshu: As you have already agreed, Leinster have been treated differently to Wasps. Why do you then keep saying they haven’t been treated differently to others? They clearly have in this instance.
Also Scarlets couldn’t field a team because of travel restrictions. They had to forfeit because postponing the game wasn’t an option. They are handed a 28-0 loss. Then in the next round when the French impose travel restrictions, games are postponed and later deemed a draw. There are clear inconsistencies in the decision making.
@Kingshu: it’s all very well to quote the rules but they’ve shown the rules are being dealt out like the cards of a dealer at the casino. I’m a Leinster fan but actually it’s the teams lower in the standings I feel for. Its not just about Leinster but other teams are being pushed south on the table because of all this.
@Kingshu: “I can only guess their criteria changed between rounds one and two”
You are just making up stuff to suit your argument. There is a clear comparison here to say Leinster have been unfairly treated, that is the fact of the matter. The ERC Medical board are not some infallible god like body whose decisions cannot be scrutinised/challeneged.
@Kingshu: the problem with the 28-0 decisions following the 0-0 decision now is that the EPCR stated at the time that the 28-0 was not a sanction on the clubs involved but that there was no other weekends free to play games. This of course was nonsense as we found out when the ‘postponed’ games were to be played at a later date and then they were awarded a 0-0. EPCR have a whole heap of questions to answer fir their ‘decision’ making around this.
I am not crying about the Leinster call, there were others as well but the overall management of this competition has been a feckin disaster. We were promised more competitive matches, more sponsorship and a higher profile than the old HC. In reality what we have been given is a total joke of a competition, mismanaged by a bunch of amateurs.
@The Logic: Wasps were different it is the outliner to the rest. But Leinster was consistent with Toulon and other games from round 1 and last season. I don’t think it was Leinster and all the others were unlucky, but rather that somehow Wasps got lucky. As such it isnt Leinster and the others that should be feeling hard done by, but Munster should feel hard done by, by not being awarded a walk over.
@SPQH: I’d agree to an extent, I’m not a big fan of how the ERC is run, prize money shared etc. I don’t like the walkovers either, or even the format it has taken. Im not out to wind up Leinster fans I just don’t see this as a stick to beat the ERC with, I think Munster not being awarded a walkover is a stronger case.
@Kingshu: good point on Munster. At least they got to expose some new players and got game time, but yes it could’ve gone all wrong and where would they be left! Good point. I’m sick of the EPRC walking over the URC/Pro12/14/16 in favour of the other 2 leagues, we’ve been here before a decade ago. I think URC teams will have to take it but we should push back at being pushed around. Not sure what leverage we have but I’m sure there are decent viewing figures in Ireland at least.
@SPQH: Yeah if Munster had lost it would have been a big issue of why the game even went ahead. As for EPRC the divison of money is the big issue for me the URC unions did well to have the clause they were guarenteed to get at least what they got from Prev HCup, as I think it generated less money than previous years. The big issue for the URC unions trying to negotiate a better deal is the Welsh turned on them last time and accepted their own deal, anytime the English make eyes at them they turn, hopefully with SA we have a more reliable partner. However the changes in terms of Qualification being league rather than Union based should have been something the unions did themselves to make the league better rather than being forced.
@Kingshu: As I said in my first post, it is the inconsistency that’s the problem. It is also not just about Leinster, this all impacts teams throughout the standings. Decisions have been made that favour the English and French over the URC teams. I already mentioned Scarlets and the Wasps v Munster game as other examples. It doesn’t matter whether it is the ERC or their medical board that made those decisions, the outcomes when presented with similar circumstances have not been consistent. Arguing over whether it is Leinster that were unlucky or Wasps that were lucky is ridiculous. At worst the decision should have been the same but there was more a legitimate reason to award a walkover against Wasps than there was against Leinster and the opposite happened.
@Kingshu: you are right, in that there was a stronger case for a walkover to be awarded in the Wasps v Munster game than there was in Montpellier v Leinster. The opposite happened and the Irish team got shafted in both instances. Not sure why you are trying to turn it into a Leinster v Munster argument.
It’s a farce
After looking at the table there is a certain sketchy feel to all this
@mike ryan: allow me to fill in some details. English and French controlled EPCR favours English and French clubs in arbitrary ruling to solve fixture congestion. The warnings were there in 2014 when ERC was sacrificed in favour of EPCR to stop the Eng and Fra private owners from taking their ball and going home. This is just the most recent manifestation of those chickens coming home to roost.
Politics have taken over. More games will be called off. This once great compitition is becoming a right farce. 5 points here 5 points there. Just cancel the whole thing.