Heineken Champions Cup: Toulouse Cardiff called off after French side record positive Covid cases
- Published
Covid and quarantine meant Cardiff had to field a shadow team against Toulouse in December
Cardiff's Heineken Champions Cup tie against Toulouse has been cancelled because of "significant" positive Covid cases in the French club's squad.
The Welsh region were due to face Toulouse at Stade Ernest Wallon on Saturday.
Cardiff have been awarded a 28-0 win and five match points, taking them to eighth in Pool A below Toulouse.
The result improves Cardiff's hopes of reaching the Champions Cup last 16 despite not winning a match.
The Cardiff squad and management had not left Wales, with their scheduled charter flight being cancelled on Friday morning
Tournament organisers European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) confirmed the decision.
An EPCR statement read: "Following a meeting of an independent match risk assessment committee, EPCR has been advised the Heineken Champions Cup, Round 4 fixture between Stade Toulousain and Cardiff scheduled for Saturday, 22 January at Stade Ernest Wallon cannot go ahead.
"Discussions with Stade Toulousain and the Ligue Nationale de Rugby took place before the match risk assessment committee, made up of medical doctors from EPCR's medical advisory group as well as independent medical specialists, advised EPCR of its concerns as Stade Toulousain had recorded a significant number of positive Covid-19 test results from within its tournament squad, and with the risk of further infection deemed to be too great, regrettably the decision was made to cancel the fixture.
"Cardiff have been awarded the match on a 28-0, five match points basis, in accordance with the tournament rules.
"EPCR would like to acknowledge the efforts by both clubs to fulfil the fixture, and would also like to emphasise awarding the match to Cardiff Rugby is a tournament management measure with the objective of ensuring all fixtures in the 2021-22 Heineken Champions Cup are accounted for, and not a sanction."
French anger
Toulouse wanted the game to go ahead because the defending champions have not yet guaranteed their passage to the knockout stages.
The French side even held a press conference and named a team on Friday morning with internationals Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack, Cyril Baille, Peato Mauvaka and Anthony Jelonch missing.
Toulouse president Didier Lacroix said the decision was "disrespectful" and the club were considering legal action, while Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR), who run the Top 14 and are an EPCR stakeholder, have also criticised the announcement.
The LNR said it was a "scandalous decision and totally unfounded' while president René Bouscatel branded it "irresponsible".
An LNR statement read: "Toulouse has put together a group of players to field a team capable of playing this match, and this in full respect of the EPCR health regulations and the protocol French health.
"The EPCR Covid19 protocol provides that the EPCR applies and complies with defers to the protocol established by the league to which each club belongs, and sticks to the position of the medical authority of that league regarding the ability of a club to play the match when positive cases are reported.
"In the case of Stade Toulousain, the LNR's Covid-19 expert commission communicated its position on January 20 in the evening at the EPCR, this position being that the club could dispute the meeting against Cardiff.
"The decision of the EPCR is therefore taken in violation of its own regulations. It is incomprehensible and seriously damages the club and the fairness of the competition."
LNR president Bouscatel added: "The Champions Cup is a prestigious competition, its organiser cannot allow arbitrary decisions to be made that are contrary to its own rules.
"This decision is irresponsible. I have decided to convene a steering committee in urgency to discuss the follow-up, including legal action, to be given to this decision."
European hopes
The top eight in each pool qualify for the Champions Cup last 16 in April with the teams that finish in the ninth to 11th positions dropping down to the second-tier Challenge Cup.
Wasps could knock Cardiff out of the top eight if they get a match point against Munster on Sunday and their points difference remains superior.
After Castres lost against Harlequins, Scarlets and Stade Francais are also in the equation for qualification. Scarlets host Bristol on Saturday and Stade Francais are at home to Connacht on Sunday.
If Dai Young's side were to reach the Champions Cup knockout stages, they would have achieved this without winning a game following three defeats.
When Cardiff hosted Toulouse in the reverse fixture in December, the Welsh side were without 32 players who had been forced to quarantine upon their return from South Africa, as well as a further 10 because of injury and suspension.
Cardiff's makeshift team of academy players, semi-professionals and a handful of Wales internationals performed admirably but lost 39-7 to the reigning champions. A pair of losses against Harlequins followed for Cardiff.