Munster will host their biggest crowd since the traditional festive derby with Leinster almost two years ago when Castres visit Thomond Park on Saturday night, but it will be their biggest attendance for some while yet.
The Government's decision to limit crowds for outdoor sports events to either 5,000 or 50 per cent of capacity, and "whichever is less" according to Taoiseach Micheál Martin, means that there will be no repeat of the 27,000 capacity attendance of two years ago for the forthcoming St Stephen's Day meeting with Leinster.
Munster confirmed this was already a sell-out during the week, but the province will now have to somehow prioritise 5,000 supporters – presumably the first 5,000 of their estimated 9,000 season-tickets holders – who bought tickets for the game, while reimbursing the other 22,000.
On Friday, the province were unable to put a figure on their estimated losses from this one match alone, but it can’t be too far shy of €1 million.
Nor does it stop there, albeit Ulster will not be affected by these restrictions for their festive games against Connacht and Leinster at the 18,000-capacity Kingspan Stadium, nor indeed their Champions Cup game against Glasgow on January 22nd.
Presuming these restrictions stay in place as ordained until the end of January, for the other three provinces it is a hammer blow. In addition to the derby against Leinster – a standout entry in the diary for expats returning home for Christmas – Munster will also be confined to a maximum 5,000 for their home games in January against Ulster and Wasps.
Connacht have four home games between now and the end of January, against Munster, Stormers, Glasgow and Leicester, with the attendance now restricted to circa 3,000 at the Sportsground. Leinster will only be permitted crowds of 5,000 for their games against the Lions and Montpellier at the RDS instead of 18,000.
That presumes the third and fourth rounds of the Champions Cup goes ahead in January. Following on from the cancellation of the Montpellier-Leinster and Racing 92-Ospreys games, the competition was left in disarray on Friday after the postponement of five matches between French and UK clubs this weekend.
This was due to “exceptional circumstances”, namely the new travel measures between the UK and France which are being introduced by the French government. The Ligue National de Rugby were apparently unable to secure the previous exemptions for elite sport from the French government which had permitted EPCR games to be played during previous lockdowns.
It is believed that Castres were also pushing hard for all games to be called off this weekend, including their trip to Limerick.
Although the EPCR said they would seek to reschedule the five postponed games, along with two in the Challenge Cup, it’s difficult to see how this can be managed. The only apparent wriggle room they have is to change the proposed two-legged round of 16 on the second and third weekends in April into a straight knock-out round, as was the case last year.
However, the threat to the third and fourth round games in January – which were cancelled en bloc last season – also remains very real.
If the postponed games cannot be rescheduled, then the EPCR board will have to decide whether to declare them null and void, or award two points each.
The postponements are unlikely to have any bearing on the EPCR decision to award Montpellier a 28-0 walkover against Leinster, which was due to different circumstances and fell under existing rules.
Meanwhile, as expected, Ronan O'Gara has used his column in the Examiner to confirm that he has ruled himself out of the running to succeed the departing Johann van Graan at the end of the season, given he is in the first year of a three-year contract at La Rochelle, where he succeeded Jono Gibbes.
Less expected altogether was the IRFU’s embarrassing climbdown from their somewhat petulant and ill-advised statement last Monday in response to 62 current and former Irish women’s players penning their lack of trust in the union in a letter to the Government.
The Minister of State for Sport Jack Chambers had expressed his disappointment with the IRFU for not adopting a more "conciliatory" tone and on Friday, in an unprecedented move, the union confirmed that it will reverse stated policy by fully publishing the two independent reports currently being conducted into women's rugby.
“The IRFU wishes to assure all those devoted to rugby, including the players who issued the recent letter to Government ministers, that the situation that developed, particularly in the last week, is regrettable and we will work tirelessly to mend and build the relationship between the union and our players,” read Friday’s statement.
“We are committed to the development of the women’s game, from grassroots to elite level, to provide the opportunity for girls and women to enjoy lifelong participation in rugby.”
They also said they hoped to meet with Minister Chambers next week and will seek to meet a delegation from the women’s group early in the New Year.
That’s what they should have done on Monday.
