EPCR boss pens open letter to fans

Vincent Gaillard has penned an open letter to fans after European rugby officials bowed to the inevitable and postponed the scheduled semi-final and Marseille final dates for this season’s Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup tournaments.

EPCR had initially taken the decision on March 16 to postponed the quarter-finals series scheduled for April 3/5, which had Champions Cup matches set to take place in Dublin, Exeter, Clermont and Toulouse, as well as Challenge Cup games in Toulon, Bordeaux, Leicester and Bristol.

Now they have followed suit regarding the dates for the semi-finals and final, a conference call on Monday by the EPCR board resulting in the postponement of the matches due to be played on the weekends of 1/2/3 May and 22/23 May respectively.

It’s not yet all over for the 2019/20 tournaments as EPCR insisted they were still determined to finish out the campaign and host a finals weekend in Marseille. But CEO Gaillard has outlined plans to refund ticket holders due to the complex situation caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

“We are all currently facing an unprecedented situation with the threat to public health and safety posed by the Covid-19,” he wrote in his letter to supporters. 

“European club rugby tournaments have been suspended since March 16 and with the health of all stakeholders of primary importance, the decision has been taken to postpone the semi-finals and finals weekend of the 2019/20 season in addition to the quarter-finals originally scheduled for April 3-5.

"EPCR is working with league and union stakeholders on several scenarios for the rescheduling of both the Heineken Champions Cup and European Rugby Challenge Cup at such time as it is safe to do so. We will, of course, keep you informed of developments.

“Given the current situation, the ticket office is currently operating far below full capacity. If ticket holders are unable to attend finals weekend when it is rescheduled and a new date is announced, then refunds will be made from that point and information communicated to fans via official tournament channels as to how to obtain those.

“In the meantime, we would like to extend our full support to you, the fans, in these difficult times. We will endeavour to keep you up to date on tournament developments through epcrugby.com at every opportunity.”

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