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Premiership revises mid-May fixture list to welcome back fans to stadiums
By Sam Smith
Premiership Rugby have confirmed the rescheduling of some mid-May matches in order to welcome back fans to stadiums in England. Round 19 games at Kingston Park and Ashton Gate have already been moved to Monday, May 17, in the hope of ensuring a limited number of supporters may be able to attend and other fixtures are set to follow.
Fans were last allowed into some stadiums in December but a statement from the Premiership Rugby director Phil Winstanley has now read: “As part of their spring roadmap, the Government has indicated that supporters may be allowed to attend sporting fixtures from May 17.
"By moving matches into midweek we are ready to welcome fans back if it is decided that it is safe to do so. We would like to thank BT Sport and the clubs involved for their co-operation in making these changes which we hope will lead to thousands of our supporters seeing Premiership Rugby live in May."
A further announcement will be made about London Irish vs Exeter Chiefs, while the fixtures at both The Recreation Ground and Mattoli Woods Welford Road will be confirmed once Bath and Leicester have played in the European Challenge Cup semi-finals.
Matches involving any sides in the European Challenge Cup final will not be moved into the midweek to ensure sufficient time for rest and recovery.
GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP ROUND 19
Saturday, May 15
Wasps v Worcester Warriors – 3pm
Monday, May 17
Newcastle Falcons v Northampton Saints - 7.30pm
Bristol Bears v Gloucester - 7.45pm
To be confirmed
London Irish v Exeter Chiefs
Bath Rugby v Sale Sharks
Leicester Tigers v Harlequins
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Latest Comments
Steve Borthwick appointment was misguided based on two flawed premises.
1. An overblown sense of the quality of the premiership rugby. The gap between the Premiership and Test rugby is enormous
2. England needed an English coach who understood English Rugby and it's traditional strengths.
SB won the premiership and was an England forward and did a great job with the Japanese forwards but neither of those qualify you as a tier 1 test manager.
Maybe Felix Jones and Aled Walter's departures are down to the fact that SB is a details man, which work at club level but at test level you need the manager to manage and let the coaches get on and do what they are employed for.
SB criticism of players is straight out of Eddie Jones playbook but his loyalty to keeping out of form players borne out of his perceived sense of betrayal as a player.
In all it doesn't stack up as the qualities needed to be a modern Test coach /Manager
Go to commentsBut still Australians. Only Australia can help itself seems to be the key message.
Blaming Kiwis is deflecting from the actual problem.
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