Forfeit Games on cards

[NellyWellyWaspy]

The Irish Examiner confirming that Munster cannot field the required 19 player minimum matchday squad (they have only 18 players available), and they have only 3 front row players.

It also reports that requests by them and Cardiff to change the rules have been turned down.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/arid-40756425.html

An excerpt from the report:

There are just 18 fit Munster players - one less than the competition rules permit for a matchday squad - including eight internationals and seven academy players ...

Aside from being unable to field the minimum 19 players in a matchday squad, Munster have just three front-rowers at home - hooker Declan Moore, first-year academy tighthead prop Mark Donnelly, and Ireland loosehead Dave Kilcoyne - when the European competition rules state there must be six front-row players included in each matchday squad.

Yet competition organisers EPCR are understood to be unwilling to allow special dispensation to Munster and Cardiff ... to make changes to their registered squads.

[Neils]

We could do with a rest before Toulouse!

They will find players from somewhere I bet.

[Neils]

https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2021/11/30/munster-travel-update/

[NellyWellyWaspy]

So, they will all go to their respective homes and not a hotel. Probably best for player welfare to see their families. It says 4 more tested positive? Their 10 days will be Thursday 2nd to Saturday 11th inclusive, which means they miss the game with us by one day. One has to suspect more will test positive after arriving back.

An article in the Welsh press has said the the EPCR have already refused the teams returning from SA any dispensation from the regulations on player registration, six front row players, and the minimum matchday squad of 19. The way it was written, it is for the team unable to comply to concede their game.

[DGP Wasp]

Picking up a win whilst not having to play would obviously be a good thing from the point of view of the well being of the playing squad, but what would be the financial impact for Wasps?  Or have recent attendances reached a point where match days barely break even?

[Bloke in North Dorset]

Picking up a win whilst not having to play would obviously be a good thing from the point of view of the well being of the playing squad, but what would be the financial impact for Wasps?  Or have recent attendances reached a point where match days barely break even?

On the financials, it does give us a better chance of qualifying for the more lucrative knockout rounds.

[MunsterBlood]

📢 UPDATE | 34
MunsterRugby players and staff have arrived home to Ireland after departing South Africa last night.

So don't count your chickens before they hatch...
Mixture of Internationals and academy, possibly sub academy? And a strong bench.

Or my bet, just throw the lads in to fill the squad and hope all this crap has bonded the team even more, so to go out and do the job!

Game on!!

To The Brave & Faitfull
Nothing Is Impossible

[NellyWellyWaspy]

📢 UPDATE | 34
MunsterRugby players and staff have arrived home to Ireland after departing South Africa last night.

So don't count your chickens before they hatch...
Mixture of Internationals and academy, possibly sub academy? And a strong bench.

Or my bet, just throw the lads in to fill the squad and hope all this crap has bonded the team even more, so to go out and do the job!

Game on!!

To The Brave & Faitfull
Nothing Is Impossible

The only problem is that quarantine rules start counting the days from midnight to midnight. So, day #1 is today. Day #10 is Saturday 11th. Free to exit quarantine (assuming they do not in the meantime test positive whilst in quarantine) on Sunday 12th. EPCR rules say no travel to games on the actual game day. One day late starting quarantine. So close.

Then there are the academy players. Only players registered in the EPCR squad for Munster can play. EPCR have already confirmed they will not make any changes in the rules. The matchday squad must have 6 front row players in it, 3 to start and 3 on the bench (one of each flavour). The matchday squad must have at least 19 players in it. Munster have confirmed that, of the available players not in quarantine, only 18 are EPCR registered, and only 3 of those are front row (one of each).

[MunsterBlood]

Cian Tracy of the Irish Independent
(Who's normally spot on)
Reckons we'll go with the lads that Ian Costello is currently training. And that they'll be able to add a hand full of the lads that came back from SA throughout the squad and bench.

Maybe there's an elite sport exemption?
I think there's people on both sides pulling the strings to make this game happen. If it was a dead duck they'd be talk already of the game being cancelled. But I just hear it's going ahead regardless..

Here's the article;

https://m.independent.ie/sport/rugby/pro14/testing-times-for-munster-as-champions-cup-chaos-looms-41109863.html

[Lwasp]

Why is it 19 players needed? I understand 18, 15 starters plus a full front row replacement, but why do you need 1 extra to cover everyone else?

[DGP Wasp]

I admire your optimism MunsterBlood, and despite the obvious benefits to Wasps of Munster forfeiting the game, I would prefer to see it go ahead and the result be determined by a game of rugby rather than a arbitrary committee decision.  However, EPRC have not shown themselves to be especially flexible on matters of player registration, squad criteria and the like in the past and I see little chance of that changing.  I understood that the 18 players Munster had available were not all necessarily registered, and that it would require an EPRC exemption in order for some of those to play anyway.  There's also the very likely prospect that there are more positive tests to come among the group that have just returned.  I genuinely hope to welcome Munster in 10 days' time, but I am not particularly optimistic.

[welsh wasp]

Several comments have suggested that it is for the European governing body to decide on changes to current rules. But what about the view of the UK government? The Health Secretary made it very clear last week that he was going to give no help to the Cardiff & Scarlets squads to get back to the UK. He will still be concerned about the Munster players returning from a red list country so might put his foot down - if he can.
The rugby governing body will also have to decide what its decision is for Cardiff forfeiting their match, which seems inevitable. Which means they will have to take a tough decision for Munster to forfeit their match to avoid any kind of appeal.

[Neils]

Scarlets putting pressure on EPCR -

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/59491716

[Heathen]

Scarlets putting pressure on EPCR -

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/59491716

They know the rules and chose to play in a competition that obliges them to play south of the Equator. You take the risk (no doubt for £££££) and you reap the consequences.

There are no free weeks in the calendar. What about the matches that have had to be cancelled in the UPC?

[Bloke in North Dorset]

 :-[I saw something on Twatter about URC considering playing during 6N window. It wasn’t clear if they were only talking about SA teams playing each other or accepting lowering of standards with internationals missing.