Rugby:The IRFU has "expressed its disappointment" with the news the Ireland game against France has been rescheduled for 3pm on Sunday, March 4th, having argued the case for the match to go ahead the day beforehand.
The French Rugby Federation was under pressure from the domestic league to push the game back until the start of next season and, though it was unlikely to happen, the full schedule of Top 14 fixtures on Saturday March 3rd meant the following day would always be preferred by the hosts.
The outcome means Ireland have six-day turnaround before Scotland visit Dublin on March 10th, a situation they were keen to avoid. France will enjoy a week’s break before their game against England in Paris on March 11th.
In a statement released this afternoon, the IRFU said: “While understanding the difficulties that a postponed game brings to the international and club rugby schedule, the IRFU had proposed to the Six Nations that the preferred alternate date for the game would be Saturday, March 3rd, with an afternoon kick-off.
“This was based on providing the Ireland team, who will be travelling for a second time to Paris, with a seven day turnaround between its remaining four fixtures in the tournament as well as providing any supporters wishing to attend the rescheduled game with an appropriate window of travel.
“Both proposed dates were discussed by the Six Nations council, but the decision was taken by the majority of the Council to proceed with the date of March 4th.”
Freezing temperatures forced the original match on Saturday to be called off just a few minutes before kick-off. The controversy surrounding the postponement of the game took a bizarre twist yesterday when French league authorities requested that the rearranged fixture should not be played until after the Top 14 season is over.
Speaking this morning at the announcement of the French squad for their match against Scotland at Murrayfield on February 26th, FFR president Pierre Camou said the federation supported the league's call, but acknowledged the decision rested with the Six Nations committee.
"We're in a very unusual year that has already seen a long series of fixture clashes because of the World Cup. France would like the match to be played next season… though I doubt we will be listened to."
The FFR also confirmed that ticket holders for the original match would be reimbursed if they decided not to use their tickets for the new fixture. "I feel for those who paid for transport, food and hotels. We're not going to make them pay the price of their ticket as well," Mr Camou said.
The IRFU acknowledged the gesture in their statement this afternoon and said: “Details on the process for refunds of match tickets will be made available as soon as possible."
Six Nations Rugby Ltd chief executive John Feehan said today that supporters will be informed of the refund mechanism tomorrow.
“First and foremost we’d like to express our regret at what happened on Saturday. It’s deeply disturbing,” Feehan said. “It’s terrible that it happened. It’s very frustrating for the fans and we very much feel for everyone who was affected, Irish and French.
He said a "refund scheme will be put in place for anybody who obviously can’t attend the game. Obviously tickets can be used again, but a scheme will also be put in place.”
Feehan admitted the Six Nations would re-examine its procedures for postponing a game in light of the farcical events.
“I think we are going to have to revisit our procedures,” he said. “The way the Six Nations has been organised to date is that each union, once it knows the time, place and venue for the game, is effectively responsible for staging that game.
“We are going to have to look at the procedures we have for calling it off. Under the rules as they exist now, the Six Nations office itself can’t call
off a game. It can only be called off by the whole council.
“It can be postponed by two other means. It can be postponed by the host union or it can be postponed on match day by the referee, which in this instance it was. As of now there is no procedure in place to change the game other than the host union or the referee.”
French coach Philippe Saint-Andre, meanwhile, is already focussing on the meeting with Scotland on Saturday week.
Saint-Andre has named a 23-man panel for the match at Murrayfield – the Edinburgh venue has undersoil heating so the weather, whatever it brings, is unlikely to be an issue – deploying much the same personnel that would have faced Ireland at the Stade de France.
Scrumhalf Dimitri Yachvili, who would have missed Saturday’s clash with a back problem, returns to the panel with Julien Dupuy dropping out of the squad.
France squad:David Attoub, Vincent Debaty, Nicolas Mas, Jean-Baptiste Poux, William Servat, Dimitri Szarzewski, Pascal Pape, Yoann Maestri, Lionel Nallet, Julien Bonnaire, Thierry Dusautoir (captain), Louis Picamoles, Imanol Harinordoquy.Backs: Morgan Parra, Dimitri Yachvili, Francois Trinh-Duc, Lionel Beauxis, Aurelien Rougerie, Maxime Mermoz, Wesley Fofana, Vincent Clerc, Julien Malzieu, Maxime Medard.
