Challenge Cup organisers defend decision to move final to venue without a crowd

Challenge Cup organisers have defended the decision to move the competition's final between Toulon and Bristol Bears to a venue that will not accommodate spectators due to local coronavirus restrictions.

The European showpiece will be played 50 kilometres from Toulon on Friday October 16, at the Stade Maurice David in Aix-en-Provence.

While European Professional Rugby said the switch meant Toulon retained home advantage, fans of the French club are unhappy with the announcement when other regions of France have been welcoming up to 5,000 supporters into stadiums.

"To play a final 50 kilometres from Toulon without fans being able to attend is truly heartbreaking," a statement from the Fils de Besagne supporters group read.

"It would have been far more judicious to play this match in a region of France where crowds of 5,000 people are allowed into stadiums."

Aix-en-Provence and Marseille are currently classed as 'maximum alert zones' by the French government as they are located in the Bouches-du-Rhone department, which has seen the highest level of coronavirus-induced hospitalisations in France outside of Paris.

Toulon, who this week announced that former New Zealand centre Ma'a Nonu would be returning to their club at the age of 38, were awarded 'home' advantage for the final as they were the highest seeds coming out of the pool stages.

EPCR decided on the venue in Aix-en-Provence after the semi-finals were completed, in a bid to "remain faithful to the principles of sporting equity... so that [the finals] are not played at the home ground of either of the participating clubs, if there is an option to do so safely".

An EPCR spokesperson told Telegraph Sport: “Given the rigid Covid-19 related protocols that are in place for teams to travel in European club rugby tournaments, the appointment of venues that limit those travels for the clubs playing the finals in their own territory and the expectation at this stage that the Challenge Cup final will be played behind closed doors, EPCR is confident that the match will go ahead as scheduled on 16 October in Aix-en-Provence.”

The tournament has already faced disruption due to the effects of the global pandemic. Earlier this month, Leicester Tigers received a bye to the semi-finals as their quarter-final opponents, Castres, were unable to travel because of several positive coronavirus cases at the club.