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'Zero positives results' after IRFU test 140 Irish players and staff
By Ian Cameron
The IRFU have confirmed that there have been 'zero positive results' for COVID-19 following testing of 140 Leinster and Munster players and staff this week. It's good news for Irish rugby and a significant positive step towards a return to professional rugby in Ireland.
A statement from the union reads: "The IRFU (Irish Rugby Football Union) can confirm that the first phase of PCR testing produced zero positive results. 140 players and staff were tested on Wednesday 18th June in Leinster and Munster.
"The PCR testing was carried out by Cork based company Advanced Medical Services on behalf of the IRFU.
"The staff and players have been cleared to access their respective High Performance Centres from Monday 22nd June.
"The second phase of PCR testing will commence with players and staff from Connacht and Ulster this coming week."
During PCR Testing, a swab test removes a sample from a person’s nose or throat. This sample is examined at a molecular level using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to identify the presence of COVID19. The turnaround time is two to four days and the same process is being used by the League of Ireland, Premier League, English Football League, Bundesliga, La Liga, NZ Rugby and the NRL.
IRFU Medical Director Dr Rod McLoughlin, commented last week: "The PCR testing ahead of the return to the High Performance Centres is an important element of our Return to Training Protocols. All players, coaches and support staff will be tested before being permitted to enter their respective HPCs.
"They will also receive COVID19 education from our medical staff as well as education on the new protocols that have been put in place at each HPC to create a controlled working environment that greatly limits the risk of infection.
"The IRFU is coordinating and overseeing the implementation of the COVID19 protocols across our five designated High Performance Centres. We will be working closely with the HPC COVID Managers to support them in the roll-out of the protocols."
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The boy needs to bulk up if wants to play 10 or 11 to handle those hits, otherwise he could always make a brilliant reserve for the wings if he stays away from the stretcher.
Go to commentsIn another recent article I tried to argue for a few key concept changes for EPCR which I think could light the game up in the North.
First, I can't remember who pointed out the obvious elephant in the room (a SA'n poster?), it's a terrible time to play rugby in the NH, and especially your pinnacle tournament. It's been terrible watching with seemingly all the games I wanted to watch being in the dark, hardly able to see what was going on. The Aviva was the only stadium I saw that had lights that could handle the miserable rain. If the global appeal is there, they could do a lot better having day games.
They other primary idea I thuoght would benefit EPCR most, was more content. The Prem could do with it and the Top14 could do with something more important than their own league, so they aren't under so much pressure to sell games. The quality over quantity approach.
Trim it down to two 16 team EPCR competitions, and introduce a third for playing amongst the T2 sides, or the bottom clubs in each league should simply be working on being better during the EPCR.
Champions Cup is made up of league best 15 teams, + 1, the Challenge Cup winner. Without a reason not to, I'd distribute it evenly based on each leauge, dividing into thirds and rounded up, 6 URC 5 Top14 4 English. Each winner (all four) is #1 rank and I'd have a seeding round or two for the other 12 to determine their own brackets for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. I'd then hold a 6 game pool, home and away, with consecutive of each for those games that involve SA'n teams. Preferrably I'd have a regional thing were all SA'n teams were in the same pool but that's a bit complex for this simple idea.
That pool round further finalises the seeding for knockout round of 16. So #1 pool has essentially duked it out for finals seeding already (better venue planning), and to see who they go up against 16, 15,etc etc. Actually I think I might prefer a single pool round for seeding, and introduce the home and away for Ro16, quarters, and semis (stuffs up venue hire). General idea to produce the most competitive matches possible until the random knockout phase, and fix the random lottery of which two teams get ranked higher after pool play, and also keep the system identical for the Challenge Cup so everthing is succinct. Top T2 side promoted from last year to make 16 in Challenge Cup
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