The French sports ministry has recommended that European rugby union games against British clubs be postponed amid the COVID-19 crisis in a blow to the Champions and Challenge Cups as the Six Nations competition also appeared threatened on Saturday, reports ESPN.
The Ministry of Solidarity and Health informed the French National Rugby League (LNR) and European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) on Thursday that the government wanted short-term measures introduced to stop the matches going ahead.
In a statement sent to Reuters on Saturday the sports ministry said "the French Government is moving, in the short term, towards the adoption of measures to restrict or even prohibit the participation of French team sports clubs in [rugby] matches including teams from the United Kingdom."
The ministry said it was writing this weekend to invite the LNR to postpone the next matches with British clubs "in accordance with the wishes expressed by several professional French rugby clubs over the last few days."
A source within the LNR told Reuters it would follow recommendations from the ministry but had not received them yet.