Decision follows French government travel restrictionsFive Champions Cup games off and two in Challenge CupEuropean club rugby chiefs have been left scrambling to save this season’s competitions after seven fixtures were postponed due to the French government’s decision to effectively close its borders with the
UK. Five matches in the Champions Cup and another two in the Challenge Cup were on Friday called off, plunging the tournaments into chaos.
The postponements came on the same day Premiership Rugby announced 54 positive Covid-19 cases across nine clubs – the highest total since records began – raising the prospect of further disruption to the festive fixture list. As revealed by the Guardian this week, tighter measures – including increased testing and enhanced social distancing – are being introduced at Premiership clubs in an effort to combat the spread of the Omicron variant but more upheaval is inevitable in the coming weeks.