Paris (AFP)
The National Rugby League has seized the Council of State in the dispute between it and the French Rugby Federation concerning the provision of internationals in the fall, the NRL announced Thursday.
"The final attempt at conciliation triggered by the LNR and which took place this Monday, September 21 between the League and the Federation on the international calendar of autumn 2020 did not make it possible to find an agreement (...) The LNR therefore filed a summary appeal with the administrative judge ", explains in a press release the body which manages professional rugby in France.
The leaders of the Top 14 and the FFR disagree on the duration of the provision of the XV of France to internationals for the international autumn window scheduled from October 24 to December 6.
The FFR requires the benefit of internationals for six matches, the LNR and the clubs only agree to five matches, even though the championship will continue to take place in parallel.
A final conciliation took place on Monday and, according to a document that AFP was able to consult, the FFR notably proposed to "cap, in agreement with the coach, the selection of French internationals to five match sheets".
"The FFR has decided to schedule six matches of the XV of France, without any agreement related to the adaptation of the FFR-LNR convention, and without this corresponding to an obligation arising from the extension of the international window voted last July 30 by World Rugby ", retorts the League, which therefore went on the attack.
The XV of France must play six matches, the first against Wales (October 24) in preparation for the shock against Ireland the following week, to complete the 2020 Six Nations Tournament, interrupted by the pandemic.
The Blues will then take part in four matches counting for the Autumn Nations Cup, a new competition launched this season with eight teams, those of the Tournament plus Fiji and Georgia.
© 2020 AFP