The competitions have not yet started as uncertainty reigns. The European Rugby Cups (Champions Cup and Challenge Cup), which start on the weekend of December 10 to 12, must face the fallout from the contagious variant Omicron, discovered last week in South Africa. Because it is in South Africa that the four European teams (Munster, Scarlets, Cardiff, and Zebre) were still located until Sunday, which were to play United Rugby Championship (URC) matches there, against the teams. South African.
All the staff found themselves stranded in the country and took several days before being able to organize repatriation. The Welsh Scarlets and Italians Zebra were able to leave the country on Sunday 28 November. The former must observe a period of quarantine until December 10, the day before their Champions Cup match against the Bristol Bears. The Zebre players are also in isolation, in Parma, where they are to host Biarritz, Saturday, December 11, in the Challenge Cup.
STATEMENT | Scarlets coaches, players and staff are to remain in quarantine in Belfasthttps: //t.co/T1ebpYPHWm
– Scarlets Rugby (@scarlets_rugby) November 30, 2021
The situation is even more complex for Cardiff and Munster, which have not yet returned to Europe in full. The two clubs had to leave behind the elements that tested positive for the virus.
On the Cardiff side, two members of the team therefore remained in quarantine in Cape Town, the club announced. For others, departure is scheduled for Thursday, December 2 in the morning. On their return to Europe, they will be placed in solitary confinement for ten days, in a hotel in England. The Welsh government has refused to allow quarantine to take place in the country, while the club is due to host Stade Toulouse on its lawn on Saturday 11 December.
The Munster team left Cape Town on the evening of Tuesday November 30 without fourteen of their own, who remained in quarantine in South Africa. The group of 34 remaining players and staff must isolate themselves for ten days upon arrival in Ireland, which casts doubt on the scheduled game against the Wasps in Coventry on Sunday 12 December.
A group of 34 #MunsterRugby players & staff departed Cape Town tonight having received negative results after completing a 4th round of PCR testing in six days.
Read a full travel update ⤵️https: //t.co/skwVyujmGW#URC #SUAF pic.twitter.com/Ovc2KysKZW
– Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) November 30, 2021
For the four teams, the physical and tactical preparation for European matches is seriously disrupted. The workforce has not played in competition since the end of October, before the international window. In isolation, the players will not be able to work together and their physical activity will be dependent on their quarantine conditions.
Without forgetting the fear of contamination with the virus. The Munster club said those who were able to return to Europe tested negative four times in six days. But the lack of knowledge of the more contagious Omicron variant could be a game-changer.
The EPCR, which manages the European Cups, told franceinfo: sport that the matches are for the moment being maintained as planned. The clubs assured the body that they had enough players available to start the matches.