COVID kills off seven more Euro games

BREAKING NEWS: This weekend’s European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup matches between teams from the United Kingdom and France have been postponed due to strict COVID travel rules.

Seven games – five in the Champions Cup and two Challenge Cup encounters – have been called off.

The decision was “due to the new travel measures between the UK and France which are being introduced by the French government” the European Professional Club Rugby said.

“The Board received briefings from the three professional leagues – which included updated information from the respective governments,” a statement read.

“However, there were insufficient assurances that these matches would not be at risk.”

Three other matches were called off before Friday’s big announcement.

Ospreys recorded a number of positive tests for COVID-19 among their playing squad.

“As a consequence, the club is not in a position to safely fulfil its Champions Cup, Round Two fixture against Racing 92 – scheduled for Saturday, December 18,” an EPCR statement read.

The Pool A fixture at Paris La Défense Arena is therefore cancelled with Racing 92 awarded the match on a 28-0, five match-points basis, in accordance with the “tournament rules.”

This follows after former European champions Leinster released a statement expressing their “disappointment” with the decision on Friday to award all five match points to the Top 14 side Montpellier – despite having been given the green light to travel by Public Health Ireland.

Leinster’s trip to Montpellier on Friday was the first match to fall to COVID-19, after the Irish province produced a number of new cases.

The cancellation resulted in a 28-0 victory being awarded to Montpellier.

The Challenge Cup match between Pau and English Premiership side Saracens has also been cancelled, with the French sides awarded a 28-0 win.