France without 25 players in deal that makes Autumn Nations Cup final a farce

[Heathen]

Monday November 30 2020, 12.01am, The Times

Whatever happened to the coronavirus pandemic providing rugby with its “1995 moment”, an unexpected opportunity to align competing agendas and thrash out a bright new future for the sport?

Whatever happened to the hope that Japan’s all-action rugby, which illuminated the 2015 and 2019 World Cups — and subsequent refereeing interpretations designed to “speed up the game” — might place a premium on skill, pace, wit and creativity?

Rugby was almost bankrupted as a sport by Covid-19 and yet it is no closer to delivering on two agendas that are integral to a prosperous future, as the Autumn Nations Cup (ANC) has demonstrated.

The rugby on show has been functional. The tournament, disfigured by Fiji having to forfeit three games because of a coronavirus outbreak, has now been undermined by France, who will field a severely weakened side against England in the final on Sunday.

France’s re-emergence as a team to take seriously was the most heartening storyline of the Six Nations. This should have been a genuine grand final between the two best teams in Europe.

Instead, Fabien Galthié, the France coach, is left with second and third-string players. The French federation reached an agreement with the Top 14 clubs in October that players would feature in only three of their six autumn Tests. That deal came against the backdrop of clubs taking legal action against World Rugby for extending this year’s autumn international window from three to nine weeks.

France chose to prioritise their warm-up game against Wales and final Six Nations match at home to Ireland. They went in strong against Scotland in the ANC, having had their Fiji game cancelled, so were always resigned to fielding a weak team on finals weekend.

Whichever side of the argument you fall — whether you believe Test rugby should always take priority or you feel World Rugby is riding roughshod over the club season — this situation does not reflect well on the sport.

So much for rugby’s warring factions forging new alliances. So much for rugby embracing its “1995 moment”, a comment made by Bill Sweeney, the RFU chief executive, in reference to rugby turning professional.

“England are possibly the best team in the world because South Africa aren’t playing,” Galthié said. Nor are the true France. The team at Twickenham will be unrecognisable from the one who defeated England in the Six Nations, with at least 25 players unavailable.

There will be no Antoine Dupont, the scrum half and player of the Six Nations, in the ANC final, no Charles Ollivon, the captain. There will be no Gaël Fickou or Virimi Vakatawa, no Teddy Thomas or Vincent Rattez. Baptiste Serin took over as scrum half and captain against Italy but he too has now hit his three-game limit. France will be down to their third choice scrum half in Baptiste Couilloud, and Anthony Jelonch, the No 8, is expected to become their third captain of the tournament.

The pack that played against Italy had only 13 caps, shorn of key figures such as Ollivon, Grégory Alldritt, Bernard le Roux, Paul Willemse and Camille Chat. The 31-man squad named yesterday contains only two players with caps in double figures.

In contrast, England fielded their most experienced ever team against Wales on Saturday and their forward pack have been taking no prisoners in the ANC. No wonder Eddie Jones, the head coach, talked with such relish about England going out to “beat them up”.

However, England are aware how emotional an occasion it will be for France returning to Twickenham, scene of Christophe Dominici’s stellar performance in the 1999 World Cup semi final win against New Zealand, so soon after his death.

Romain Ntamack, the fly half who led England a merry dance in Paris in February, is out with a thigh injury but in Matthieu Jalibert and Louis Carbonel, France do have plenty of quality fly-half options. Brice Dulin had an excellent game at full back against Italy on his first Test appearance in 3½ years while Gabin Villière, the France sevens star, scored a try on debut.

Jean-Pascal Barraque showed some encouraging touches and Jonathan Danty, his centre partner, brought power, thrust and a devastating finish for a crucial try just before half-time.

Ben Youngs, the England scrum half, discovered only on Saturday that France would be grossly understrength. “Whichever French team take the field will be ferocious,” he said.

It is old news in France, though, greeted now by little more than a shrug. Such apathy should send shudders of concern around the sport.

[Neils]

Not an unknown as the French clubs laid this down before the "contest" started. This was always going to be the way. The English clubs are not in a strong enough position to do something similar. THe French clubs have fresher players for the Euro matches. We just have injured ones!

[Bloke in North Dorset]

Thomas Castaignede was on the Full Contact podcast. One of the problems is that unlike the RFU the French federation doesn't own its own ground and doesn't generate the sorts of revenues the RFU gets. That puts them in a much weaker bargaining position.

[Neils]

Thomas Castaignede was on the Full Contact podcast. One of the problems is that unlike the RFU the French federation doesn't own its own ground and doesn't generate the sorts of revenues the RFU gets. That puts them in a much weaker bargaining position.

And so it should. About time our clubs told the RFU to do one.

[Lwasp]

And so it should. About time our clubs told the RFU to do one.

Those would be the clubs that would go bust if the RFU withdraws funding I assume? The Prem clubs negotiated their player release deal with the RFU in return for piles of cash. Now you can argue it should be more, but they agreed to the deal. Come renegotiation the clubs will be at liberty to tell the RFU to do one, but they'd better have alternative financing in place. I, for one, do not want to go down the French billionaires route.

[backdoc]

And so it should. About time our clubs told the RFU to do one.

Those would be the clubs that would go bust if the RFU withdraws funding I assume? The Prem clubs negotiated their player release deal with the RFU in return for piles of cash. Now you can argue it should be more, but they agreed to the deal. Come renegotiation the clubs will be at liberty to tell the RFU to do one, but they'd better have alternative financing in place. I, for one, do not want to go down the French billionaires route.

We already have to some extent - Saracens, Bath, Bristol etc

[matelot22]

I, for one, do not want to go down the French billionaires route.

Nor do I, but looking at Bobby Bridge's injury updates article, they have to start pushing for a level playing field in the form of an international window break from club rugby. We have 16 players unavailable this weekend through injury and international call ups. I know the play offs was designed to help clubs with a high number of internationals, but the sheer amount of games the players are playing is taking its toll. For example, Vellacott, needing to be brought back into the fold gently after a long injury absence, starts the season opener, while Robson plays a total of, what, 11 minutes over 2 games for England?

[Neils]

I, for one, do not want to go down the French billionaires route.

Nor do I, but looking at Bobby Bridge's injury updates article, they have to start pushing for a level playing field in the form of an international window break from club rugby. We have 16 players unavailable this weekend through injury and international call ups. I know the play offs was designed to help clubs with a high number of internationals, but the sheer amount of games the players are playing is taking its toll. For example, Vellacott, needing to be brought back into the fold gently after a long injury absence, starts the season opener, while Robson plays a total of, what, 11 minutes over 2 games for England?

Completely

[hookender]

A difficult one. On the one hand we all like see our teams’ players picked for internationals but then we want them playing for us when injuries occur.

Premiership clubs get paid for eqp’s and then have agreement that RFU only picks players from them. So if this agreement is broken by premiership, the RFU could pick players from championship etc or equally from abroad. Top players ,missing out on England payments , move abroad with provisos in contracts to be released for internationals.

Do we then moan about quality of premiership or happy that players that remain will be there week in week out.

[Neils]

A difficult one. On the one hand we all like see our teams’ players picked for internationals but then we want them playing for us when injuries occur.

Premiership clubs get paid for eqp’s and then have agreement that RFU only picks players from them. So if this agreement is broken by premiership, the RFU could pick players from championship etc or equally from abroad. Top players ,missing out on England payments , move abroad with provisos in contracts to be released for internationals.

Do we then moan about quality of premiership or happy that players that remain will be there week in week out.

No all we ask is that they (RFU/EJ) stick to the EPS squad and not pull in other players at (seemingly) random PLUS they stick to the calendar slots previously agreed and not extend them for a whim. We should have all our internationals back this week but no a meaningless competition has to go ahead. I've said it before on here - I couldn't give a stuff for England as I want Wasps players fit for Wasps.

[matelot22]

No all we ask is that they (RFU/EJ) stick to the EPS squad and not pull in other players at (seemingly) random PLUS they stick to the calendar slots previously agreed and not extend them for a whim. We should have all our internationals back this week but no a meaningless competition has to go ahead. I've said it before on here - I couldn't give a stuff for England as I want Wasps players fit for Wasps.

Yep. Although I wouldn't go so far as to say I don't give a stuff for England, my priority is certainly Wasps before England. Eddie's strange selections and boring style of play at the moment have only made my disconnect from England great still.