Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup games postponed in December have been cancelled
Seven matches across the Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup which were delayed in December due to French government travel limitations have been dropped.
They will be classed as 0-0s, with groups getting two match focuses.
Competition coordinators EPCR had would have liked to play the games sometime in the not too distant future.
In any case, it said, "in an undeniably perplexing installation schedule because of Covid-19, it was deplorably concluded the main decision was to drop the matches".
"The cycle two matches were at first deferred after the unexpected presentation of new travel measures between the UK and France which brought about EPCR being not able to get affirmations that current cross-line travel exceptions for players, club staff and match authorities would remain," added EPCR.
Games canceled in view of Covid episodes stay 28-0 losses for the side who couldn't satisfy the installation so Montpellier's success against Leinster remains, as does the triumph granted to Racing 92 over Ospreys and Bristol's success over Scarlets.
"A qualification ought to be attracted between the choices regard of the seven cycle two matches being referred to and other competition apparatuses which were already dropped because of Covid-19 episodes or constrained segregations influencing player accessibility," said the EPCR explanation.
"Those beforehand dropped apparatuses couldn't have been played as planned under any conditions, though the clubs associated with the cycle two matches being referred to were completely cleared and accessible to challenge the matches.
"Accordingly, the decided results of the three already dropped or relinquished Heineken Champions Cup apparatuses, and the one EPCR Challenge Cup installation, will stand."
Dropped matches
Champions Cup
Shower Rugby v La Rochelle
Deal Sharks v Clermont Auvergne
Scarlets v Bordeaux-Begles
Toulouse v Wasps
Stade Francais v Bristol Bears
Challenge Cup
Worcester Warriors v Biarritz
London Irish v Brive
Investigation
EPCR's unique arrangement to re-organize every one of the seven matches consistently appeared to be goal-oriented given the installation blockage and the unsafe idea of cross-line sport during the pandemic.
One choice would have been to eliminate one of the legs from the round of 16 in April to account for the games to be re-played, however this would have implied modifying the competition design for the subsequent season running, while that would likewise have relied upon adjusts three and four going without a hitch, which is no assurance.
Anyway things have improved since December, when the French government had totally closed down movement from the UK, and there remains trust quarantine rules can be deferred to guarantee UK groups can make a trip to France this end of the week to satisfy their cycle three apparatuses and keep the wobbling competitions on target.
