Paris (AFP)

The postponement of the summer tours, recorded on Friday, was expected, but the president of the French Rugby Federation (FFR), Bernard Laporte, is not optimistic for the test-matches in the fall: "It seems compromised" , he told AFP.

The XV of France was to go to Argentina, to challenge the Pumas on July 4 in Salta and the 11 in La Plata but World Rugby announced Friday morning the postponement of all summer tours, due to the restrictions put in place through the world to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

"We had been expecting it for a while. At the end of April, Argentina closed its borders until September. We knew it was going to be canceled ...", Laporte told AFP.

"It's boring but our big question mark is October-November. Will the Northern Hemisphere be able to go to the Southern Hemisphere and vice versa? We will really know it in mid-June or at the end June. But it seems compromised, "he added.

The Blues of Fabien Galthié, who also have a match of the Tournament of the six nations against Ireland to be disputed, must face Georgia on November 7, Australia on 14 and South Africa on 21.

The former coach of the Blues, recently elected vice-president of World Rugby, militates for a lengthening of the international window of the fall: "We want to go to the southern hemisphere in October and that they come to the North in November, to replace July with October. It seems compromised too. "

- "Find common ground" -

But the boss of the FFR assures him: no question of abandoning the nations of the South, to the chagrin of European clubs.

The EPCR, the organizer of the European Cups, has thus assured that it wants to finish the 2019-2020 season in October.

"The intention to reschedule the three finals weekends remains absolutely intact. We are working on scenarios that would consist in rescheduling them between mid-September and mid-October, with the two Champions Cup and Challenge finals October 16 and 17 in Marseille ", recently assured Vincent Gaillard, director general of the EPCR, to AFP.

"I understand that everyone is trying to impose their own thing. But we cannot let Federations die. We are not going to say to the southern hemisphere + No, no, we are not coming + because we have club competitions It is not possible, "replied Laporte.

"When we see the financial difficulty in which these federations are, we have to help them. After that, if the conditions prevent us from going, it is something else. And I understand the clubs which need to make their competitions but it We will have to find common ground. We will make decisions at the end of June ", he also assured.

© 2020 AFP