Fingerpointing in France after Six Nations clash called off

Feb 12, 2012, 12:33 GMT

Paris - The last-minute postponement of a Six Nations rugby game between France and Ireland, after 79,000 fans had taken their seats in a freezing Paris stadium on Saturday evening, triggered a flurry of fingerpointing Sunday.

Disappointed fans, many of whom had travelled from the home of French rugby in the south-west of the country and from Ireland, booed as a Six Nations official informed them the referee had called off the match.

English referee Dave Pearson told the teams the pitch was frozen in several places, making it too dangerous to play on.

The temperature in the stadium was around -4 degrees Celsius at the time. The pitch had been uncovered for two hours, after having being covered and heated for a week.

As they left the stadium, many fans expressed anger at what they saw as bad planning on the part of French rugby authorities. They questioned why the game was scheduled at such a late hour when the country was in the grip of a freezing weather snap.

Jacky Laurens, vice-president of the French rugby federation and a member of the Six Nations committee, was quoted by Le Parisien newspaper as saying the weather forecast had been 'favourable'.

Pierre Camou, president of the French rugby federation, blamed the referee. Rugby games had been held in other French cities on Saturday but 'each time, it was a Frenchman who was refereeing.'

Ireland coach Declan Kidney told BBC Sport he thought the referee had made the right decision.

The Six Nations tournament is played annually between England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.

Never in the tournament's history has a game been called off at the last minute.

A new date for the game is to be set on Monday.