A friendly of the XV of France against Wales with players from Pro D2?

Bernard Laporte, February 2, 2020 at the Stade de France.

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• The LNR and the FFR are at war to organize the international fall beach.

• The game against Wales on October 24 is at the heart of the problem.

He had announced that he wanted to be the president of all the clubs at the time of his re-election, a fortnight ago.

For the moment, it is missed for those of the Top 14. The war between the French Rugby Federation (FFR) led by Bernard Laporte and the professional clubs under the aegis of the National League (LNR) drowns every day a little. plus French rugby in an ocean of ridicule and divisions.

At the heart of the problem, the international range to come this fall and the number of matches that the XV of France will be able to play.

Let's try to synthesize and popularize as much as possible: generally made up of three games, this international range will be widened due to the missed appointments at the end of last season linked to the Covid-19 epidemic.

On the program, France-Ireland not played from the last VI Nations Tournament and the four matches of the Autumn Nations Cup, a sort of mini VI Nations version of falling leaves.

To these five matches, the Federation wants to add a friendly against Wales on October 24.

A match presented as "preparatory" to Ireland, a week before, but also very useful to turn the printing press - the Team evokes in its edition of the day a package to 7 million euros for the TV rights of six games.

The clubs, worried by the frantic pace of the competitions and the uncertain schedule offered to their players, categorically refuse to release them for this additional match.

"The problem is not the number of matches, it is the number of weeks of unavailability of international players," describes Toulouse president Didier Lacroix in L'Equipe.

If the selection plays six games, OK, maybe some Stade Toulousain players will only play five.

Except that their unavailability for us will be six or seven games because the players can never take their week off during an international period.

They will therefore have to take it for a week of the club match.

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The Council of State does not decide

The FFR does not budge and looks big while ensuring that it is "she who decides".

Not really convinced, the LNR appealed to the Council of State, which refers everyone to the agreement signed in 2018 between the two bodies and specifying that the players can be released in the fall for three games.

And that nothing can force the clubs to release the players for more matches if a new agreement is not signed with the current constraints.

And we come back to the starting point: the FFR wants it at 6 games, the LNR at 5. And everyone stands in their positions at each new meeting, until the one which should be decisive on Wednesday.

Serge Simon, Bernard Laporte's right-hand man, has already announced the color in an interview with AFP on Monday, the FFR will not flinch.

“The calendar is fixed: there are six matches for the France team.

We are approaching things fairly calmly: 31 players were called up on Wednesday and, at the moment, it is believed that they will be present from Sunday evening to prepare the first match against Wales.

Without common ground on Wednesday, that won't be the case.

The clubs, outside of Montpellier whose owner Mohed Altrad is also the jersey sponsor of the XV of France, do not seem very inclined to give what they want to the FFR either.

Didier Lacroix sums up this war of ego: “Everyone has such firm positions that there is too much bitterness to go back.

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So what about this match against Wales?

Engaged, the French Federation can no longer retreat.

“If we do not play Wales, it would be a forfeit and undoubtedly a unique precedent in the history of the XV of France.

Whatever happens, we have to honor five dates, plus the postponement match of the 2020 Six Nations Tournament. There will be a France team on the pitch against Wales.

The problem is how to play and with whom.

Without an agreement on Wednesday, it is impossible to imagine the clubs letting the 31 summoned to leave for Marcoussis on Sunday evening to prepare for the match.

Even more unthinkable to see his last forcing the hand of their employer to put on the blue tunic.

Faced with the impasse, the Federation would think about incredible solutions, according to information from

.

Between selecting players from Montpellier, going to tap into Pro D2 or promoting young people from the XV of France under 20 years old.

While waiting for Bernard Laporte to propose to redo a little freelance in the fray?

Sport

Friendly: France - Wales match threatened by open war between the league and the Federation

• Bernard Laporte

• Top 14

• XV of France

• Sport

• Rugby