France's Top 14 will be cancelled for the remainder of the 2019/20 season after an agreement was reached between clubs and league organisers LNR.
The country's premier rugby competition has followed the direction of Prime Minister Edouard Philippe who announced on Tuesday that no sporting events, including those behind closed doors, can take place before September.
An LNR statement read: “After consultation with the presidents of Top 14 and PRO D2 clubs, the Board will propose to the LNR Management Committee not to follow up on having playoffs at the end of August to close the 2019-2020 season, to pronounce the end of this 2019-2020 season and to focus on the organisation of the launch of the 2020-2021 editions of the two championships starting in September 2020.”
Bordeaux-Begles leading the standings, after 17 matches, eight points clear of Lyon, but it's unclear if they'll be crowned champions with a meeting scheduled over the coming days to determine this plus European qualification and relegation.
Paris Saint-Germain have been crowned Ligue 1 champions, after domestic football was also cancelled, so the expectation is the LNR will follow suit.
From Bristol Bears perspective, it raises serious doubt over whether the European Champions Cup and European Challenge Cup can be completed.
The Bears are scheduled to face Dragons in the quarter-final but with three French teams still in the competition - plus three in the Champions Cup - and both finals due to be held in Marseille, finishing the knockout phase in its current form appears unlikely.
Should the Bears beat Dragons then they would face the winners of the Bordeaux-Begles/Edinburgh match.
But in response to the French government's announcement on Tuesday, the EPCR issued a statement insisting every effort is being made to complete the competition.
“Having noted the directive regarding the staging of sporting events in France, EPCR remains committed to making every effort to conclude the knockout stages of the 2019/20 Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup season subject to official advice and with the health and welfare of players, club staff, match officials, supporters and the wider rugby community in mind.
“EPCR will now consider this latest development with its league and union shareholders before deciding if further comment is required at this time.”
Meanwhile in the Gallagher Premiership, teams remain committed to finishing the domestic season, even if that means playing matches into November and then starting next season in January 2021.
According to a report in the Telegraph, the Premiership have begun trialling a number of broadcast inovations, such as remote cameras, in preparation for games to be played behind closed doors.
