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As the fallout continues from the now infamous hand ball that dumped the Republic of Ireland out of the football World Cup last month, Barbezieux Rugby Club in Charente has fallen victim to the still simmering Irish anger.

According to the daily newspaper Sud-Ouest, an important match planned to be staged at Berbezieux Rugby Club could be cancelled, with Irish players coming out in solidarity with their national football team.

The match between the national university teams of Ireland and France is due to take place on February 12 at Barbezieux, with 3,500 spectators expected to watch the spectacle, as part of the six nations tournament.  Some of the proceeds are planned to be donated to charities.

News of the possible cancellation came after dialogue between the French Federation of University Sports and Irish Universities, with the Irish claiming they are upset at the Henry incident and requesting that the match be played instead in Ireland.   A final decision on where and if the match will be played is expected tomorrow.

The paper illustrates the current Irish feeling towards the French, referencing the ‘hand of frog’ headline used after the Henry incident last month by the Belfast Telegraph.  The headline alluded to Maradona’s infamous ‘hand of God’, when the Argentinian cheated England out of a place in the World Cup final in 1986.

You can see the Sud-Ouest article by clicking here.

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