FEATHERSTONE ROVERS’ away fixture at Toulouse Olympique is in jeopardy following Rugby Union World Cup scheduling which will see Japan use the Stade Ernest Wallon as their training base.
The West Yorkshire club’s fixture against Toulouse was scheduled for Saturday 16 September with New Zealand taking on Namibia the night before at the Stadium de Toulouse.
However, though no fixtures will actually take place at the Stade Ernest Wallon, because Japan will be using it as a training base, means that Rovers’ clash against Toulouse will not be hosted at the latter’s usual home.
Featherstone tweeted: “We’re disappointed that despite the circumstances of RWC2023 being known far in advance, that it has been left so late to communicate a change of venue for our away fixture with Toulouse.
“We will keep fans informed as soon as we understand more.”
League Express understands that there is very little chance that the game could be hosted at Featherstone’s Millennium Stadium instead.
The fixture will take place in Toulouse or the same region, but the same requirements must be met, with Rovers only becoming aware of the problem when the French club posted on social media.
There could well be a deeper issue as well because when fixtures are released to clubs in November for the following season, all clubs have two weeks to finalise the schedules.
With a Rugby World Cup taking place with six games to be held in France – with Toulouse in the thick of the action – it seems inexplicable that this was not taken into consideration.
