Jamie Roberts has reportedly tested positive for coronavirus days before PRO14 season restart

Jamie Roberts has reportedly tested positive for coronavirus, ruling him out of making his debut for Dragons in this weekend’s resumption of the Guinness PRO14.

Having flown home to Wales last March after his stint at the Super Rugby Stormers was ended prematurely by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Roberts hooked up with the Dean Ryan-led region at the start of this month with a view to resuming his playing career in his native country.

However, hopes that the veteran will feature for Dragons when they visit Ospreys next Sunday have now been dashed, according to reports coming out of Wales.  

Former Scotland international and recent cross-channel charity swimmer Alex Grove guests on The Lockdown, the RugbyPass pandemic interview series

Former Scotland international and recent cross-channel charity swimmer Alex Grove guests on The Lockdown, the RugbyPass pandemic interview series

It was Tuesday evening when it emerged that an unnamed Dragons player tested positive for coronavirus. A statement from the club read: “Dragons Rugby has returned a positive case for Covid-19 in Welsh Rugby’s testing programme in the round of tests taken week commencing Monday, August 11.

“All subsequent Public Health Wales and Government guidelines are being followed and the individual – who is symptom-free and in good health – is currently isolating.

OFFICIAL STATEMENT | News update ??https://t.co/16AmFrYNUG pic.twitter.com/WgMPagvJZe

— Dragons RFC (@dragonsrugby) August 18, 2020

“Dragons Rugby is part of the wider Welsh Rugby Union screening programme which has conducted over 1,100 tests to date as part of the return to training/playing process. This is a confidential and private health matter and we will make no further comment.”

Roberts was soon reported by media as the player who had contracted the virus, putting a stop to the 94-cap, 33-year-old’s planned Dragons debut and leaving the club fearing other possible positive tests for coronavirus which would surely lead to the cancellation of their season restart match at Ospreys. 

After returning from South Africa, Roberts – a qualified doctor – had been helping the NHS in Cardiff before it emerged last month that he was being courted by the Dragons for the resumption of the 2019/20 campaign which has two rounds of derby games scheduled to be played before the end of August.

"I'm not the first person to say it – and I'm a hooker"

– Steve Diamond is the latest to voice concerns about time-consuming scrums https://t.co/AclMS1wnyh

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 18, 2020