The last two rounds of the Champions Cup pool stages look set to be postponed due to a French Government ban on international sport.
The final two rounds of the pool phase had been set to take place over the next two weekends but it's reported that they will be postponed as rising Covid-19 cases in the UK and Ireland wreak havoc on the rugby calendar.
In December, French side Toulon pulled out of a Champions Cup match against Scarlets amid safety concerns over a Scarlets player testing positive for the virus, while several other matches in the last round of fixtures were called off due to the pandemic.
The French Government's decision could also affect the Six Nations, which is slated to get underway on February 6.
Champions Cup and Challenge Cup tournament organisers EPCR met earlier this week with the French Government amid concerns over the new Covid strain which emerged in the UK.
Reuters now reports that the French sports ministry has recommended that European rugby union games against British clubs be postponed.
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".
Leinster and Munster made bright starts to their Champions Cup campaigns with two wins from two each, while Ulster and Connacht both suffered two defeats from their two games so far.
