Donal Lenihan: Rugby's January blues could extend for some time yet
The financial impact of this pandemic on professional rugby is set to last long after medical science renders the virus ineffective. A critical point has been reached.
Apart from having to deal with the daily grind of adhering to the strict protocols associated with operating in a tightly controlled covid induced training bubble, the top players must now deal with the challenge of preparing for three vastly different tournaments in quick succession.
Such is the lot of the international contingent who this month dip their toes into the United Rugby Championship and the Heineken Champions Cup along with preparation time in Irish camp for the fast-approaching Six Nations.
With severe disruptions from the ever-increasing Covid cases already having a massive impact on the European and domestic scene, the respective unions now face further financial turmoil with the Six Nations, the cash cow for all concerned, likely to be impacted in some way for the third season in a row.
The challenges on all fronts are huge.
Having a domestic league spread across South Africa, Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy was going to be problematic at the best of times.
Attempting to launch it in the face of a global pandemic has proved the stuff of nightmares.
As if things werenât challenging enough, having players from Munster, Scarlets and Cardiff locked up in quarantine in different cities, separated from their families and loved ones for long periods, proved extremely stressful.
I spoke to one of the Munster players left behind in Cape Town when their colleagues were eventually repatriated after a very difficult period in South Africa. The fact that the Munster party were ready to board the plane on the day their opening game against the Blue Bulls was cancelled, only to be told that one of their party had tested positive, potentially with the new Omicron strain of the virus, came as a major blow. Even more so when it meant the entire party had to collect their bags and head back to their hotel.
The second blow came days later when those who returned negative PCR tests were cleared to depart South Africa and isolate at home but had to leave 14 of the traveling party behind. Confined to their rooms 24 hours a day for two weeks, the only respite came from sitting out on their balcony. Exercise was confined to a stationary bike in their bedroom.
For professional athletes, the mental trauma associated with not being able to eat and train properly can have a deep impact on their mental wellbeing. To add to their pain, when they were eventually cleared to return home, a further 10-day period of quarantine was required.
Is it any wonder that, with those cancelled fixtures in South Africa likely to be rescheduled during the Six Nations window, Cardiff head coach Dai Young wants an undertaking that they will not be abandoned by the Welsh authorities in the event of further Covid related issues on their travels.
Last time out, while the Munster players cleared to travel were allowed to quarantine at home, their counterparts from Cardiff and Scarlets were not allowed to enter Wales and spent 10 days in quarantine in London and Belfast respectively. Understandably, itâs not a situation they want to find themselves in again.
As a result, the URC table after what should, by now, be 10 rounds of action, is a mess. Ospreys top the Welsh pool having played nine games, the only one of the 16 participants to reach that number.
Bottom of the list are the four South African sides with just five games played to date. Scattered in between, a plethora of clubs with either six, seven or eight games under their belts. Quite where the fledgling tournament goes from here is anyoneâs guess.
Where to start. Right now this great tournament is in crisis mode. Some games have been cancelled, with bonus-point wins attributed to teams like Montpellier who sent their seconds to Exeter in round one and returned with a hefty 42-6 defeat for their efforts.
Yet, right now with five points in the bag courtesy of their cancelled game against Leinster, they are in a good position to advance to the next stage, despite the complete lack of ambition shown in the opening round.
A number of round 2 games were postponed due to restrictions imposed by the French government on travel between the UK and France in the lead-in to Christmas. So while Castres were forced to travel to Thomond Park, which they did with a largely second-string team, all the other French clubs had their Champions Cup games cancelled. Suffice to say Castres werenât happy.
As we speak, despite the French government granting exemptions for âthe pursuit of economic activityâ which frees up professional athletes to travel, thereâs a requirement for teams to isolate for 48 hours on arrival before they can play. While they will be allowed to train during that period, it adds significant costs for clubs given that they will have to travel two days earlier than normal.
This requirement does not apply to Munster for their trip to Castres on Friday, a distinct advantage over the UK-based teams. The ramifications of Brexit extend to areas not previously anticipated. The French governmentâs travel requirements also apply to Racing 92, Toulouse and Stade Francais, requiring them to isolate for 48 hours on their return home from their games against Ospreys, Wasps and Bristol Bears this weekend.
With all British clubs facing severe financial challenges, the additional cost associated with having to spend a minimum of three days in France could not be worse timed. It will be interesting to see how many of the six Champions and Challenge Cup fixtures between British and French clubs scheduled for this weekend actually kick off.
The jewel in the crown. Less than four weeks out from one of the most eagerly anticipated championships for years, a cloud hangs over what level of audience participation will be allowed. Right now, under current government restrictions, Twickenham and Murrayfield the only stadiums cleared for full capacity.
If that proves to be the case, it offers England a distinct advantage. With France and Ireland recording great wins over New Zealand in November and England threatening a revival of fortunes after finishing fifth in last seasonâs tournament, this promises to be one of the most competitive championships in years.
Scotland are on a high after beating Australia in the autumn while reigning champions Wales always deliver in this tournament. Hence a massive level of interest from all fans, with the exception of the beleaguered Italians, for what is coming down the line.
Starting well is always key in this tournament. Therefore the prospect of Ireland playing in front of a severely limited crowd, at the very least in the opening game against Wales, will come as a blow to Andy Farrell after the emotionally charged scenes that accompanied the All Blacks outing. Heading to Paris against the rejuvenated French after a poor showing against Wales offers little margin for error.
Thatâs just one of the challenges facing Irelandâs management at present.
More worrying is the complete lack of game time for the large cohort of Leinster players certain to dominate the Irish squad. Having lost both provincial derbies against Munster and Ulster to covid over the festive period, on top of the cancellation of that Champions Cup game against Montpellier, the Leinster players havenât seen any game time since defeating Bath 45-20 on December 11.
With Montpellierâs Top 14 game against Toulouse postponed due to Covid issues last Sunday, a question mark hangs over their game against Leinster in Dublin on Sunday. While a potential five-point haul and 28-0 result beckons if Montpellier fail to travel, Iâm quite sure Leo Cullen is far more keen to see this fixture take place.
Watching from the sideline, Andy Farrell will certainly want Leinster to play Champions Cup rugby over the next two weekends in order for his Irish contingent to bag some long overdue game time. Without it, many of his key performers will placed at a serious disadvantage heading into that Welsh contest.
With three home games on the schedule this year, new IRFU CEO Kevin Potts will be anxious to launch his promotion as successor to Philip Browne with three full houses at the Aviva Stadium.
Despite welcome financial support from the government, the IRFU canât continue to absorb the massive losses that have been accumulating since the Six Nations game against Italy became our first international casualty back in March 2020.
The financial impact of this pandemic on professional rugby is set to last long after medical science renders the virus ineffective. A critical point has been reached.
