Paris (AFP)
The Council of State rejected Friday the request for interim measures of the National Rugby League (LNR), which challenged the decision of the Federation (FFR) to organize six matches in the fall for the XV of France.
The Top 14 clubs, employers of French internationals, had said they were ready to go up to five meetings for the selection, which usually plays three tests in November.
World Rugby exceptionally extended the international autumn window at the end of July in order to catch up with matches canceled or postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
As wanted by the newly re-elected FFR president Bernard Laporte and coach Fabien Galthié, the Blues should therefore be able to face Wales in a friendly (October 24), a preparation match for the postponed "final" of the Six Nations Tournament against to Ireland (October 31), before embarking on the Autumn Nations Cup, a competition created for the occasion with Fiji (November 15), Scotland (22) and Italy (28) in menu, before a final classification match (December 5).
The FFR was quick to react, welcoming a decision "in the interest of French rugby".
"This decision will allow the management of the XV de France Masculin to benefit international players in accordance with the international period from October 19 to December 5, as defined by rule 9 of World Rugby", writes the Federation in a statement.
The LNR, which asked the judge of summary proceedings to rule against the extension of the period of provision of the players and the modification of the calendar of the France team, decided "unilaterally", was not however disowned as to the mandatory nature of a renegotiation of the agreement, dating from 2018, on the provision of players.
"A modification of the relevant provisions of the convention (...) is, contrary to what the Federation maintains in the last state of its writings, necessary", writes the judge.
"Only a modification of the relevant provisions of the convention would make it possible to achieve this result", namely the extension of the window from three to seven weeks, estimates the Council of State.
© 2020 AFP