Ten days before the kickoff of the European Rugby Cups, the EPCR – the body that directs the competitions – takes stock Thursday, December 2, constrained by the news and the spread of the Omicron variant on the continent. Traveling in South Africa, the Welsh of Cardiff and Scarlets, the Irish of Munster and the Italians of Zebre Parma, have been affected by the variant.
Munster and Cardiff even seeing themselves forced to leave players behind, quarantined on the African continent. In addition to the players and staff members who remained there, the rest of the Irish group (tested negative) was forced to go into solitary confinement for fourteen days. They should not be able to get out until December 12. What greatly compromises the possibility of aligning a competitive team.
UPDATE | 34 #MunsterRugby players and staff have arrived home to Ireland after departing South Africa last night.
Full details ⤵️#MunsterInSA #SUAF
– Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) December 1, 2021
After consultations with the various leagues and federations, the EPCR has decided to extend the window for the first registration of players, which closed last month. In fact, the different clubs have a week (until December 8, 1 p.m.) to fill their squad with an unlimited number of players. They could, for example, register members present in the lower categories.
One way for the organizer to avoid the fiascos of last season, which had seen clubs forced to forfeit, for lack of players spared by the covid. Teams, like RC Toulon, had even been eliminated because of lost matches on the green carpet.
“Since there are no other free weekends in the 2021/2022 season calendar, the EPCR is in regular contact with leagues and clubs to ensure that all possible measures are taken. planned so that the matches are played as planned ” specifies the EPCR in a press release.
For the rest, other measures have been taken. All players, sporting staff and other essential club staff will be required to show a negative covid test result during the match week. Then only the “essential club staff” may benefit from quarantine exemptions.