Top 14 Drilldown: 'I am not convinced Mr Poite will be named this season’s leading referee'

Perpigan fume over ref's '672 errors', Saint-Andre's Montpellier resurgence and Gourdon's sad La Rochelle farewell

DELIGHT: Castres's players react at the end of their win at Perpignan.

JUST three of the Top 14’s Christmas matches went ahead as scheduled, with Toulouse-Stade Francais, Brive-Clermont, Toulon-Bordeaux and Racing 92-Pau all falling to outbreaks of Covid-19.

Before French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced the reimposition of crowd limits for at least three weeks from January 3 and a stricter vaccine pass requirement for anyone playing or watching rugby from January 15, LNR president Rene Bouscatel had struck a positive note on the health situation compared to last year - reminding Midi Olympique that 98 percent of players and staff at France’s Top 14 clubs have received at least two doses of vaccine.