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Europe\u2019s final two rounds of group matches will be cancelled with the Champions and Challenge Cups moving straight into the knockout phase, Premiership Rugby has confirmed.<\/p>\nEurope\u2019s final two rounds of group matches will be cancelled with the Champions and Challenge Cups moving straight into the knockout phase, Premiership Rugby has confirmed.<\/p>\n
The French government has blocked the Top 14 clubs from competing in cross-border competition this month due to its fears over the Kent strain of coronavirus, which has sent the number of cases in England soaring.<\/p>\n
The remaining two pool rounds were initially postponed but PRL chief executive Darren Childs says they have now been abandoned because of the lack of space in an already full schedule.<\/p>\n
Tournament organizers EPCR will decide within the fortnight what format the competitions should take, with a knockout phase launched by a round of 16 the likely option.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe decision was made very quickly by the executive at EPCR that we would not try to reschedule those games,\u201d Childs said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a tough season. There\u2019s no space at the end of the season because of the Lions and we have no spare weekends in our season once we resume.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo play European rounds when the Lions is taking place would have been very damaging to the European tournament. So it was decided very quickly by all three leagues CEOs that we would complete the tournament in the four remaining weekends.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone is managing their domestic and international calendars to the best of their ability. The exact structure has not been agreed and we\u2019ve already started those discussions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Upon learning of the French government\u2019s decision on Monday, PRL opted to implement a break rather than bring forward Gallagher Premiership fixtures to fill the empty weekends.<\/p>\n
The decision not to change the league\u2019s existing schedule was made to protect the welfare of players and staff, especially on the medical side.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had 70 players in the last three weeks who have tested positive for COVID. In that period of time we lost five games,\u201d PRL director of rugby Phil Winstanley said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt made absolutely no sense to bring games forward from later in the season to this period, when COVID is at its highest prevalence and highest risk.<\/p>\n
\u201cMoving them forward would give us the biggest chance of losing those games and determining the outcome by allocation of points. That made no sense.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom a public health perspective, you\u2019ve seen in the last 24 hours serious concerns about sport at the moment and how it\u2019s portraying itself.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy not moving games, this has presented the opportunity to give ourselves a break and support the health and welfare of some of the players.\u201d<\/p>\n