Premiership statement: Gloucester-Worcester cancellation verdict

Gloucester have had their Gallagher Premiership playoff qualification hopes boosted by the outcome of the investigation into the late cancellation of their home match last month versus Worcester. It was confirmed just five hours prior to the scheduled March 25 kickoff that the Warriors were unable to field the required six front row players in their matchday squad of 23. 

It resulted in the cancellation of the fixture, a development that angered Gloucester as they were set to host an attendance in excess of 10,000 for the Friday night live TV match. Amid the fallout, they sought the award of all five match points to boost their challenge to make the semi-finals. 

With the hearing into the match cancellation beginning on Tuesday in London, Worcester boss Steve Diamond predicted on Wednesday afternoon that the points decision would see Gloucester get four and the Warriors two. However, the incoming director of rugby at Sixways was proven wrong at 4:28pm on Thursday when Premiership Rugby published the outcome of the hearing conducted by an independent panel. 

It decided that Gloucester should be awarded a 20-0 win and five match points, a decision that has lifted George Skivington's team from seventh to fifth place on the table and positioned them just two points behind fourth place Exeter with a game in hand. 

A Premiership Rugby statement read: "Premiership Rugby can confirm that the independent panel has made its adjudication on the cancelled Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Gloucester and Worcester. In accordance with the Premiership Rugby regulations, Sport Resolutions was asked to form an independent panel to decide the result of the match, chaired by Gary Hickinbottom, and he was joined on the panel by Carol Couse and Jonathan Rennie.

"Worcester were unable to field the required six front row players for the Premiership Rugby match due to be played against Gloucester on Friday, March 25, resulting in the cancellation of the fixture. The independent Sport Resolutions panel has decided as follows: Under regulation 4.4(j)(iii), the match result shall be 20-0 in favour of Gloucester; and that, in respect of the match, Gloucester shall be awarded five league points.

"Regulation 4.4(j)(iii) states: Where the unfulfillment of a Premiership league match is due to the unavailability of players due to injury or unavailability (which is not related to Covid-19), the match result shall be 20-0 and five league points shall be awarded to the opposition club who could play the match. 

"A reasoned decision will follow as soon as possible, and hopefully within the next week. That reasoned decision will incorporate this decision; and, for the avoidance of doubt, time for appealing under regulation 14.2 will start to run from the date of that reasoned decision. Premiership Rugby will publish the full judgement when completed by the panel."

• Click here to read the full initial verdict