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2 more Premiership players test positive for coronavirus
By Online Editors
Premiership Rugby have recorded their healthiest week yet ahead of next month's Gallagher Premiership restart, just two players testing positive for coronavirus in the latest round of tests. It brings the number of people who have tested positive for the virus in the three weeks of testing to 21 - 15 players and six non-playing members of staff.
A statement from the English league's governing body read: "Premiership Rugby can confirm that on Monday, July 20, 896 players and club staff were tested as part of the PCR COVID-19 screening programme. Of these, two people have tested positive. Of those two, who are from different clubs, both are players.
"The players who have tested positive and their close contacts will now isolate and be assessed in line with the PHE-agreed guidelines.
"Premiership Rugby and the RFU are providing this aggregated information for competition integrity and transparency. No specific details as to clubs or individuals will be provided. The number of positive results will be made public after each round of testing.
"The rise in those tested since week one (from 804) reflects several factors, including the integration of more academy players – as we expected - into senior stage two training at our clubs."
Premiership officials had to confirm last Friday that its coronavirus testing programme would continue as normal despite UK government calls for care homes and the general public to stop using tests made by the same company that English rugby were using.
Health secretary Matt Hancock told MPs that swabs provided by Randox Health were “not up to the usual high standard”, with the government halting the use of the company’s Covid-19 testing kits.
However, Premiership bosses revealed their testing kits contained different swabs from government stock, leaving the top-tier clubs free to continue with the current programme.
PREMIERSHIP RUGBY CORONAVIRUS TEST RESULTS
Week One (July 6) - 804 players and club staff were tested. Of these, ten people tested positive. Of those ten, six were players and four non-playing staff.
Week Two (July 13) - 856 players and club staff were tested. Of these, nine people tested positive. Of those nine, seven were players and two non-playing staff.
Week Three (July 20) – 896 players and club staff were tested. Of these, two players have tested positive.
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Look there are a few unarguable facts here that are very clear. SARU was close to bankruptcy with SR, bailed out by the Lions and they need the URC and EPCR. Inclusion of SA teams in URC has been a great for for ALL concerned, from a rugby perspective and financially, moreover there is massive growth yet to come. The GP is in financial trouble and this will be the catalyst for EPCR change to further cement the Boks.
If this all plays out with even greater rewards for the urc AND the Top14 & GP via EPCR, the 6N will become 7N. Nz and Aus NEED to get their version firing with Japan & the PI’s, otherwise they will find themselves increasingly regressing…
Go to commentsPerofeta came back and was available for the eoyt right? Or was that why Love was in the squad (but got injured in the last week)?
It was such a frustrating year. Perofeta looked a service stop gap until Jordan was fit, but then got injured. Plummer was selected because of Pero's injury and dmac shat the bed in the second half in Australia but Clarke (?) got himself binned at the 65 min mark so Plummer couldn't come on (at least with the risk adverse Razors thinking) when he was planned to.
So many other exciting opportunities that could have happened without injuries, but then theyre probably balanced by knowing Sititi probably wouldn't have been given a chance without multiple injuries happened.
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