Montpellier (AFP)
Montpellier boss Mohed Altrad has expressed "reservations" on the mail from the National Rugby League to the French federation about the dispute between LNR and FFR over the release of internationals, he explained on Monday.
"We hope that an amicable outcome will allow the release of French international players", it is written in a statement published by the only club president of Top 14 not to have signed the letter transmitted Sunday to the president of the FFR, Bernard Laporte.
In this letter, the presidents of the Top 14 reacted to threats of sanctions from the FFR towards their club and their players in the event of non-release of the internationals for the autumn tour.
Federation and League oppose the provision of internationals, as part of the international autumn window exceptionally widened by World Rugby in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The FFR requires six dates, while the LNR only wants to release its players for five Blues matches.
"The current battle does not seem to us so easy to apprehend and it is only this which led us not to sign the mentioned letter", explains Altrad.
The leader of the MHR wants "to analyze all the consequences of these acts out of respect for the players concerned, which does not mean that we are not united on the merits".
Mohed Altrad is the jersey sponsor of the France team, the first in its history, and his club is also one of the main suppliers.
Indeed, five players, Anthony Bouthier, Arthur Vincent, Mohamed Haouas, Paul Willemse and Vincent Rattez, have been selected from a list of 31 players, communicated last week, for the tour.
Finally, Mohed Altrad and Bernard Laporte were placed in police custody a few days before the re-election of the second at the head of the FFR, for suspicion of influence in favor of the owner of the MHR.
The France team are due to face Wales on October 24, a week before the last match of the Six Nations Tournament against Ireland, postponed due to the health crisis.
© 2020 AFP