Munster's Champions Cup tie with Stade Francais next Sunday has been postponed on the advice of local police.
All sporting events in France were called off last weekend following the atrocities in Paris and following on from discussions with the two clubs and the EPCR (European Professional Club Rugby) surrounding the security arrangements for the game it was decided to postpone the game.
A statement on Stade Francais’ club website said they reached the decision to call off the game in order not to complicate the work of the government and security forces. “In light of recent and tragic events, Stade Francais does not wish to overburden or complicate the work of the government and security forces by organising a sporting event to bring together 15,000 people in Jean Bouin Stadium.
"The club has therefore decided to postpone the meeting of Stade Francais-Munster initially scheduled to take place this Sunday, November 22nd, 2015 at 16:15.
“In consultation with the authorities, the EPCR and LNR, a postponement date will be announced shortly,” said the club statement
Earlier today, Munster insisted that they were ready to travel to Paris to complete the fixture and coach Anthony Foley said he had no concerns about playing a game in Paris just over a week after the terrorist attack on the city.
“Everybody’s fully aware of what went on, everybody was watching the news and it’s hard to fathom,” said Foley. “First and foremost it’s hard to put your head in it and then you have a lot of sympathy and respect for the people of Paris in terms of what they were put through.
“The game is only a small thing in the greater scheme of things but as a group we’ve talked about it to the leadership group and from a sportsman’s point of view I think it’s important that we’re all united in it.”
A spokesperson for the EPCR said it was on the advice of the French police that the game was postponed and that the game will now take place on the same weekend as all of the games that were cancelled last weekend.
