Exeter outbreak has now had game-cancelling consequences for the PRO14

The fallout from the Covid outbreak at Gallagher Premiership champions Exeter has now affected the Guinness PRO14 as the December 27 Glasgow versus Edinburgh derby has been postponed. 

Glasgow were beaten last Sunday in the Champions Cup at Exeter and the results of this week’s testing programme overseen by Premiership Rugby revealed 18 confirmed cases across two English clubs, a total made up of 16 players and two members of staff. 

Exeter declined to reveal how many of the positive tests have come from them but the outbreak resulted in a number of Glasgow players also returning positive tests and other in their squad have been put in self-isolation.

That led to EPCR, the organisers of the Champions Cup, cancelling this weekend's round two European fixtures between Exeter at Toulouse and Glasgow at home to Lyon, but the story hadn't ended there, unfortunately. 

Ahead of the festive period resumption of the PRO14, league administrators have made an early call to postpone the planned all-Scottish derby at Scotstoun.

A PROP14 statement read: "The round nine Guinness PRO14 fixture between Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh has been postponed. The game was due to take place on Sunday, December 27, in Glasgow. However, following their European fixture with Exeter Chiefs, a small number of Glasgow Warriors players have returned positive cases of Covid-19 and others identified as close contacts are also isolating. 

"Having considered all available evidence, the PRO14 Rugby medical advisory group has deemed that this fixture cannot go ahead as scheduled. PRO14 Rugby will examine potential dates in early 2021 to reschedule the game."

The situation whereby PRO14 officials will seek to reschedule the Scottish derby game is in stark contrast, though, to what will happen with the cancelled European fixtures. Rather than find an alternative date, any match that is cancelled won't be rescheduled and the result will be determined by an EPCR committee.