Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread XII (The Byrne Supremacy)

Poorside

From Murray Kinsella

All testing data from both clubs was submitted to EPCR’s Match Risk Assessment Committee – which is made up of doctors from EPCR’s Medical Advisory Group and an independent specialist with experience in virology.

That committee’s role is to decide if the game in question should go ahead. They look at the facts from a medical point of view, assessing whether it is safe for the game to proceed.

They returned a verdict that it was not safe for the Montpellier v Leinster game to go ahead. That decision was communicated to the rugby branch of EPCR, whose job was then to decide where the match points should be awarded.

This was naturally a very difficult case given that both clubs had recorded positive Covid cases over the past week but EPCR’s decision fell in Montpellier’s favour.

It’s understood that the fact that Montpellier have not reported a positive case since their testing on Monday was a crucial factor.

UAEguy2020

I still dont get the logic of this, the squad never left Dublin and anyone who tested positive can be removed from the squad.

UAEguy2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118333555#Comment_118333555

It isnt riddled though based on the team selection...

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118333576#Comment_118333576

Sorry now, but if the travelling squad, as named, are all negative, that is a bullshyt decision. What other metric can any team playing in the competition this weekend be asked to be judged on except 23 negative players on the day and have been all week.

UAEguy2020

I mean not to be cynical but the only way Montpellier were getting anything out of this match is with a forfeit so it makes sense for them to hold out for the ERC decision...

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118333732#Comment_118333732

Montpellier have no blame here. Like Leinster, they had a team ready to go.

This is down to the EPCR, acting on false information, if we are to accept what Murray Kinsella et al are saying in reportage.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118333772#Comment_118333772

 the EPCR, acting on false information,

What false information?!

LostArt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118333669#Comment_118333669

I think Montpellier had what 4 cases Monday, an additional one on Tuesday and none since, while we've apparently had additional cases every day. Now those players named to play today might be currently be covid free, but with players training on Tuesday now testing positive you would have to assume we'll have more cases in the coming days

The decision is 100% made now, let’s accept it and move on. As I just read on Twitter “I can’t wait to see Leinster play angry”.

The story is slowly coming out, poor decision allowing them out to socialise recently.

I do not agree with the decision, I think a draw or simply allowing the game happen was a better choice. Wasps changed 6 players before the game. Teams have had players withdrawn within 24hrs. We have a serious issue within the squad, but similarly every team that has passed PCRs lies in a similar position with “not detected” results, it does not mean that players don’t have CV19.

Rounds 3&4 are going to be decimated, all the round 2 games between French and English clubs are in doubt now.

We only know part of the story, tomorrow we will know significantly more. Don’t be ridiculous suggesting we go legal 🤦🏻‍♂️, we have 20+ cases, by far the worst I have heard in any rugby team in the last 2 years. We hardly have a strong position.

UAEguy2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118333861#Comment_118333861

Except they aren't testing positive, the 23 named were negative and raring to go.

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118333857#Comment_118333857

Read the quote from John O'Sullivan's piece earlier.

The EPCR medical assessment committee judged that the game wouldn't be safe to proceed, due to new cases in the matchday squad.

According to all the correspondents this evening, there are no such cases in the 23 that were due to travel.

Ergo, false information.

In any case, I refer back to Wasps being permitted to make changes due to new positive cases on the morning of.

Either way, this decision is amateur hour. Either that, or its corrupt.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118332968#Comment_118332968

“Your assuming the ERC are told”

Which was an entirely reasonably assumption and borne out by this from Murray Kinsella:

”All testing data from both clubs was submitted to EPCR’s Match Risk Assessment Committee – which is made up of doctors from EPCR’s Medical Advisory Group and an independent specialist with experience in virology.”

Poorside

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118333991#Comment_118333991

That committee’s role is to decide if the game in question should go ahead. They look at the facts from a medical point of view, assessing whether it is safe for the game to proceed.

They returned a verdict that it was not safe for the Montpellier v Leinster game to go ahead. That decision was communicated to the rugby branch of EPCR, whose job was then to decide where the match points should be awarded.

Where does it say anything about cancelling it because of cases in the 23?

Hardly corrupt, if anything they are being over cautious, hardly the worst stance to take at the minute.

Exclamation Marc

If there are two squads of 23 that are testing negative (and assuming they tested negative again tomorrow with a pcr), there is absolutely no reason why the game should not go ahead unless something external is the cause.

And if its external, its a draw or a reschedule.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118334005#Comment_118334005

Was still as assumption though, one that has bourne out but people are working on assumptions for a lot of other factors.

I would like to hear more about the socializing that is rumored to have happened in the squad recently, because if it was excessive and a factor in the cases its going to be very hard for anyone to have sympathy for the situation.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118333991#Comment_118333991

Incorrect; the EPCR statement never mentions ‘matchday squad’ or ‘23’. John O’Sullivan is reading that into their statement, which uses the phrase ‘playing squad’ which is, at best, ambiguous.

clsmooth

So by the same token were the EPCR incompetent by allowing the Wasps game to be played last Saturday?

Surely the only requirement is to name a 23 who test negative to play. What would happen if hypothetically some of the Montpellier 23 subsequently test positive tomorrow and Leinster get a clean bill?

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118334037#Comment_118334037

IF being the operative word.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118334038#Comment_118334038

Except not all assumptions are created equal. That the EPCR were receiving testing data was pretty much a mortgage job.

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118334127#Comment_118334127

Perhaps the EPCR need to not be ambigious, when it comes to the biggest and most lucrative Club competition in the World.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118333991#Comment_118333991

No, I'm sorry, you are the one giving out false information.

The EPCR statement does NOT state there were new cases in the matchday squad. It says there were new cases in the playing squad. I've yet to see anyone from Leinster deny that.

So you are the one making allegations of corruption on incorrect information. Calm down.

Henry Ford III

EPCR presumably acted in accordance with the rules and the teams in accordance with the participation agreement which they both signed.

If anyone didn't we'll be hearing a lot more on this I suspect.

It's such a pity that cold and arbitary decisions like these can have such a big effect.

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118334142#Comment_118334142

You're absolutely correct.

However, having got the decision, I'm sure you won't hear so much as a breath out of Montpellier, until after the weekend.

aloooof

An informative run down of events from Murray Kinsella:

https://www.the42.ie/leinster-montpellier-saga-5632850-Dec2021/

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118334187#Comment_118334187

Either they didn't last week, or they didn't this week.

One way or the other, they are demonstrating unacceptable incompetence.

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118333718#Comment_118333718

Which is an if, there have certainly been new cases within the training squad in the last two days. Which makes the entire traveling squad close contacts.

Poorside

Seems 1 team were pushing for a 0-0 up to today, as they feared a positive case would mean they would be stuck in France over Christmas, don't think Montpellier would be too worried about that.

That could have played into the decision

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118334176#Comment_118334176

Perhaps they should. But the larger point is that they absolutely did not say there were cases in the match day 23, which is what you claimed.

Former Former Former

The Covid situation in one squad appears to be under control.

The Covid situation in the other squad is absolutely not under control.

If this was an English team and a Scottish team, we'd be all be nodding and saying EPCR did the right thing.

UAEguy2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118334296#Comment_118334296

No we would be highlighting that the 23 picked are negative and fit to play.