Paris (AFP)

After the joy of qualifying for the European Rugby Cup final, Racing 92 is overtaken by the Covid-19.

Tests revealed nine cases of infection in the group of the French club Thursday, 16 days before the duel against the English of Exeter.

The Racingmen had barely five days to savor their feat achieved Saturday in the semi-final of the European Cup against the English club Saracens (19-15), winner of three of the last four editions of the competition.

The club reported nine positive cases for the new coronavirus "among the staff and players of the professional group" after tests carried out on Wednesday.

The National Rugby League has for its part decided to postpone "to a later date" the meeting La Rochelle - Racing 92, scheduled for Saturday on the occasion of the 3rd day of the French Championship, because of these contaminations.

"I don't know how we will be able to play next week (against Toulouse) in any case without training, then the European Cup (October 17 in Bristol, England). It's a blow, but we will do with ", explained the president of the club Jacky Lorenzetti, interviewed by RMC Sport.

Racing 92 has also announced that it has applied health measures "from this (Thursday) morning".

Thus the training center, based in Plessis-Robinson (Hauts-de-Seine), will be closed for "a minimum of 5 days (...) with complete decontamination of the site".

All the members of the professional group were also placed in isolation.

"New tests will be carried out next week according to the guidelines of the experts and will determine the organization of individual and then collective training in preparation for the match against Stade Toulouse on Saturday 10 October and the Champions Cup final on 17 October in Bristol" , in England against English club Exeter, added Racing 92.

The coronavirus has therefore showered the joy of Ciel et Blanc, who had won at the Paris La Défense Arena a fourth victory in as many matches, in all competitions since the resumption of French rugby in early September.

The stunning success against the "Sarries" had propelled them to the final of the European Cup, their third since 2016.

But while the Racingmen were preparing to return to the Top 14, Saturday with a trip to La Rochelle, the health crisis upsets their plans.

Since the resumption in early September, the 2016 French champion had been relatively spared so far by the virus and had only had one case to deplore before the first day.

This did not prevent him from playing in Lyon and starting his series of successes in the Rhône (27-23).

- Complicated European preparation -

Current leaders of the Top 14 (9 points), with a head start over their first pursuer, Pau, the Racingmen have been marching on the water since the start of the season thanks to a united squad, who know each other well, and the achievements individuals such as France international Virimi Vakatawa and Scottish quarterback Finn Russell, behind the try to win against the Sarries.

This wave of contamination necessarily complicates the preparation of the European shock against the Exeter players who are on their side in Olympic form.

"(The coach) Laurent (Travers) and his staff are going to have to do wonders so that our players do not lose their physical condition," Lorenzetti told RMC Sport.

The Chiefs, who outclassed Toulouse (28-18), 2019 French champion, in the semi-final of the European Cup on Saturday, are also guaranteed to finish in first place in the regular season of the English Championship, a day before the end.

The European Cup final, however, "it's in two and a half weeks," Lorenzetti told RMC Sport.

By then "everyone will be out of this confinement and everyone will be fit except of course (if there is) new contagion at the club," he added.

© 2020 AFP