Premiership and TOP14 clubs may not release players for Autumn Tests - report
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World Rugby are set to publish the revised Test windows for the autumn next week with English and French clubs warning they will not release players if there is a clash with European and domestic finals scheduled to be played in October according to a report by Paul Rees in the Guardian.
The 2020 Six Nations is set to be completed in October and November with Australia tipped to host a shortened Rugby Championship Down Under leaving Argentina in limbo while there is also talk of an extended Bledisloe Cup series between Australia and New Zealand.
According to the report in the Guardian, the board of European Professional Club Rugby held a virtual meeting on Wednesday to finalise the dates for this season’s postponed knockout stages of the Champions and Challenge Cups.
During the meeting, the club delegates said they expected finals to have precedence over Tests. The quarter-finals and semi-finals will be played on the final two weekends in September with the finals on 16-17 October. It is understood the Premiership has pencilled in its final for 24 October at Twickenham, a date the Six Nations want for some of the championship’s postponed matches.
Clubs have also expressed frustration that they have not been consulted enough over the Test rescheduling and are sceptical about plans to align the global calendar.
