EXCLUSIVE: Premiership rugby in coronavirus chaos as ‘double figure number’ of positive tests at Sale means they may have to forfeit their crunch clash with Worcester as teams scramble for play-off places
- The Premiership climax has been plunged into turmoil after an outbreak at Sale
- Sale Sharks have received a ‘double figure number’ of positive coronavirus tests
- They could be forced to forfeit their crunch clash with Worcester on Sunday
- PRL are scrambling to find a solution with the league set for grandstand finish
The climax of the Premiership season has been thrown into chaos after an outbreak of COVID-19 amongst the players at Sale.
Sportsmail understands the club’s crucial final-round match with Worcester could be cancelled after a ‘double figure number’ of positive tests.
The league announced on Friday morning that team announcements have been delayed and PRL are now scrambling to find a solution.
Sale could be forced to forfeit clash with Worcester after a number of positive COVID-19 tests
The climax of the Gallagher Premiership season could be thrown into chaos after the news
The competition is set up for a grandstand finish, with Sale, Wasps, Bristol and Bath all vying for the three remaining play-off places.
But Sale could now be forced to forfeit the match, leaving Wasps and Bath with a guaranteed semi-final, and Bristol needing just one point against London Irish.
PRL refused to comment.
Sale are currently fourth in the Premiership table, level on points with Bristol, with Bath in third and Wasps in second.
Saracens coach Mark McCall said he was unsure what steps would be taken but said it was crucial to identify the positive players quickly and isolate them.
It will come as a huge blow to Sales Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond ahead of the finale
‘I’m not sure what happens next, it would depend on how many players they have available from the squad who weren’t in contact with those 16 players,’ he told Sportsmail.
‘As soon as you’ve got a positive test you’ve got to determine who else needs to be isolated right away, depending on the contact with that player who has tested positive.
‘I don’t know what happens next, it all depends on how much those 16 players have had with others.’
Meanwhile, Bath’s director of rugby Stuart Hooper said his side had been working hard to steer clear of a virus outbreak and said testing was still worth doing as the Premiership braces for disruption ahead of the final day.
Bath coach Stuart Hooper said testing was still worth doing to keep clubs as safe as possible
‘Testing has been part of what we’ve done coming back since lockdown. At the time it was deemed the safest way to operate. We will continue to test. It’s a cost, but if it’s necessary to allow the game to continue and allow us to be safe then if we’re advised to do that that’s what we’ll do.
‘Within the clubs work is done to keep people safe as possible. Right now it’s speculated. We do everything we can to make sure the guys are clear. We’ll continue to do that.
‘You have to be diligent in any walk of life and that is the case across the land. The pandemic is still going on and what we see with Sale is just speculation at the moment.’