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The European Challenge Cup Quarter Final between Leicester Tigers and Castres Olympique scheduled for Sunday, September 20, has been called off. European Rugby opted to cancel the game completely after three members of the Castres club tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week.
Due to play in the match were five Americas players. Leicester had named Pumas star Tomás Lavanini at lock with uncapped Argentine prop Facundo Gigena on the bench. Castres named Canadian pair Matt Tierney and Tyler Ardron in the pack with another Puma in Benjamín Urdapilleta starting at flyhalf.
It’s another blow to the integrity of competitions carried over from last season. While others opted to cancel the remainder of their season to focus on a clean restart, the Premiership, Pro 14, and European Cup competitions have instead carried on.
The official statement from European Rugby (EPCR) reads as follows:
“EPCR has decided to cancel the Challenge Cup quarter-final match between Leicester Tigers and Castres Olympique which was scheduled to be played tomorrow at Welford Road.
“The decision followed a meeting of a Medical Committee, comprising medical leads from the unions, league bodies and both clubs, and subsequent independent medical advice.
“The Committee, chaired by Rod McKenzie (Scotland), met by video conference last night following confirmation by Castres that three members of their playing group, as well as one staff member, had tested positive for COVID-19 in advance of the club’s planned departure to England.
“It was decided on medical advice that the quarter-final could not go ahead safely in the circumstances and as a consequence, Castres have to forfeit the match and Leicester will qualify for the Challenge Cup semi-finals.”
Castres have issued a statement voicing their disappointment with the decision.
“Castres Olympique is surprised at the EPCR’s decision to cancel the Quarter-Final against Leicester, scheduled for Sunday, September 20 and to declare CO forfeit.
“Though the tests carried out on Wednesday on 55 players of the club had revealed 3 positive cases, the results of the entire workforce planned for the trip to Leicester had all been negative.
“The three positive players having been immediately isolated, Castres Olympique waited before leaving for England for the results of tests carried out urgently at the request of the EPCR in order not to take any risk with the health of the players.
“No precise rule, including on a maximum number of cases, appears in the EPCR regulations, which seems to be an amateurism unworthy of a European competition. The exclusion of the CO, even before the results of the new tests are known, leaves players, staffs, and the public in the misunderstanding and frustrated not being able to defend their chances in this long-awaited quarter-final.”
Leicester also issued a statement on their website.
“Leicester Tigers have taken the position throughout the COVID pandemic that safety must come first as the Club has a responsibility to its players and staff, to our city and county, and to our whole community.
“While the return of professional sport is welcomed as we approach the climax of our domestic and cross-border tournaments, there is also a responsibility to the game of rugby and to the protection of colleagues within Premiership Rugby and European competition with more rounds of fixtures still to be played.
“It is disappointing to reach this position after all of the hard work put into restarting fixtures in the professional game across Europe, but safety and wellbeing must come first.
“We wish a full and speedy recovery to anyone affected at Castres Olympique and send them our best wishes for the rest of the season.”
