COVID: Another Euro game bites the dust

NEWS: Europe’s Champions Cup competition was dealt another hammer blow, with a game called off as a result of COVID.

European Professional Club Rugby released that Northampton Saints recorded a “number of positive test results” for COVID-19 among their tournament squad and as a consequence, the club is not in a position to fulfil its Champions Cup, Round Four match against Racing 92.

Sunday’s match in Paris has become the third of the 12 European Cup matches this weekend to get cancelled.

“The Pool A fixture at Paris La Défense Arena is therefore regrettably cancelled, with Racing 92 awarded the match on a 28-0, five match points basis, in accordance with the Tournament Rules,” an EPRC statement said.

“EPCR would like to acknowledge the efforts of both clubs to fulfil the fixture, and would also like to reiterate that awarding the match to Racing 92 is a tournament management measure with the objective of ensuring that all fixtures in the 2021/22 Heineken Champions Cup are accounted for, and not a sanction.”

Our Champions Cup fixture against Racing 92 in Paris, scheduled for Sunday 23 January, has been cancelled ❌

— Northampton Saints 😇 (@SaintsRugby) January 22, 2022

Merci, @racing92 🙏

Best wishes for the rest of your season. https://t.co/tIfXhzEWJb

— Northampton Saints 😇 (@SaintsRugby) January 22, 2022