{"id":19177,"date":"2021-01-15T11:00:53","date_gmt":"2021-01-15T15:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=19177"},"modified":"2021-01-16T11:02:16","modified_gmt":"2021-01-16T15:02:16","slug":"french-rugby-president-insists-this-years-six-nations-will-take-place","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=19177","title":{"rendered":"French Rugby President Insists This Year’s Six Nations ‘Will Take Place’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"French Rugby Federation president Bernard Laporte says this season\u2019s Guinness Six Nations Championship \u201cwill take place\u201d.<\/p>\n

And the World Rugby vice-chairman also says there will be an expanded coronavirus testing program for the tournament, while each country will have \u201ca Covid manager\u201d.<\/p>\n

France\u2019s government is demanding reassurances on safety from England and Ireland before allowing its national side to visit those countries during the Six Nations.<\/p>\n

Only the tournament\u2019s opening fixture against Italy in Rome on February 6 has been approved by Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu.<\/p>\n

The French authorities have concerns over the soaring number of coronavirus cases in the UK and Ireland, and have already barred their clubs from taking part in European competition this month.<\/p>\n

The Six Nations held talks with Paris earlier this week, and discussions will be ongoing as organizers attempt to convince the government that sufficient coronavirus protocols are in place.<\/p>\n

It is highly unlikely the tournament would go ahead without France, who play Ireland in Dublin on February 14 and England at Twickenham on March 13.<\/p>\n

But Laporte has moved to ease fears, stating in an interview with the franceinfo website: \u201cI understand some are skeptical, but it will take place.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirstly, because we had, during the autumn (Nations Cup) put in place a protocol which worked very, very well.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe proof is that as soon as in a team, in this case Fiji, were detected Covid cases, they were out of competition. It worked well.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is going to be a Six Nations protocol. Once again, all of this makes us very optimistic. We will go further, there will be even more tests.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe adapt to the conditions, but it\u2019s the same principle \u2013 a real health bubble.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of organization, a lot of foresight, with a Covid manager in each nation. I repeat, it worked well in the autumn, it will work well during this Six Nations time.\u201d<\/p>\n

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