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Leinster and Munster all-clear following latest round of Covid-19 tests ahead of Pro14 derby
By Ciarán Kennedy
Leinster and Munster have both produced zero positive results for Covid-19 following the latest round of PCR testing. The IRFU confirmed that a total of 153 players and staff were tested across the two provinces, with all tests coming back clear.
The results mean staff and players at both provinces have been cleared to enter the next phase of their return to rugby, which includes a graduated return to contact training.
Leinster and Munster are both set to return to competitive action with an eagerly-anticipated Guinness Pro14 derby at the Aviva Stadium on August 22.
A weekend of interprovincial derbies will continue when Connacht take on Ulster at the same venue the following day.
A week later all four teams will be back at the stadium as Ulster play Leinster and Munster play Connacht.
The IRFU said: "To date there have been 560 tests conducted across the professional player and staff group and zero positive tests reported."
IRFU Medical Director Rod McLoughlin added: "The second round of PCR testing is now complete ahead of the graduated return to contact.
"The players and staff will continue to undergo daily medical screening and assessment.
"The next phase of testing will take place ahead of the Guinness PRO14 fixtures in August."
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Latest Comments
GB is England, Scotland, Wales. They are the 3 constituent countries in Great Britain. Ergo playing only those three countries is a tour of GB. The difference between GB and the UK is Northern Ireland. It's not a huge deal to be accurate and call places by their correct name. But please refrain from your idiotic attempts to BS that GB=UK. It doesn't.
Go to commentsThe 2023 draw was only criticized when it became apparent that the top 5 sides in the world were on the same side of the draw. Nowhere did they discuss the decision to backtrack to 2019 rankings which ensured that England and Wales (ranked #12 in 2023) were ranked top4.
The parties who trashed out the schedule were England Rugby, NZ Rugby and ITV. It is bordering on corrupt that a Rugby nation has the power to schedule its opponents to play a major match the week before facing them in a QF.
You won't find commentary by members of the relevant committees because a committee did not make the scheduling decision. I have never heard members of World Rugby speak out on the draw or scheduling issues.
For example in 2015 Japan were hammered by Scotland 4 days after beating SA. The criticism only happens after a cock up.
A fair pool schedule is pretty straightforward: The lowest two tanked teams must play on last pool day but not against each other. That means that TV can focus on promoting big matches with a Tier2 involved for that Friday.
Why does NZ Always get its preferred slot playing the hardest pool match on day 1?
Why do other teams eg France, Ireland, Scotland get so often scheduled to play a hard match the week before the QFs?
If you believe the rules around scheduling are transparent then please point me in the right direction?
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