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Saracens forced to cancel match with Doncaster as 34 players unavailable

PA

Saracens’ match against Doncaster Knights in the Trailfinders Challenge Cup has been cancelled.

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Saracens fell to Ealing last weekend and will now take two points from the abandoned fixture.

Following its weekly PCR Covid-19 testing programme, two Academy players have returned positive results with a further 16 members of the squad having to isolate due to contact tracing.

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It means Sarries are without 34 players for the match at Castle Park on Saturday because of injury, suspension and isolation and are therefore unable to field a side. The club did everything it could in its attempts to name a 23, but two additional players today being contacted to isolate meant this was not possible.

Those players and staff who have tested positive, or who are traced as contacts of those testing positive, will isolate for a minimum of 10 days with the wellbeing of club staff, players and their families paramount.

As a result of the cancellation, Doncaster will be awarded four points while Saracens will receive two.

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Bull Shark 25 minutes ago
Why the All Blacks overlooking Joe Schmidt could yet hurt them in the Bledisloe battle

Every year we read about the Wallabies chances in the Bledisloe cup.


And every year the same result.


This time around the chances are even more slim. 1. This is the worst Australian side for some time. With or without Schmidt. He’s no miracle worker. 2. This is still a very good NZ team. Despite the absolute mess they’ve made around running the team. If Argentina can put 40 on Australia - NZ can put 40 on them. No problem.


It’s going to be a 20+ ball game in NZs favour. Minimum. And then NZ will be back in their public’s good books.


If they pump Australia again, they’ll be the next World Cup winners with Ireland. Shared.


Until the autumn tests of course. When NZ lose one or both games against the Irish and French and we’ll be back to this story again.


Ahh. The media and fans. So predictable and fickle.


The ABs will become consistent winners again once razors has had the opportunity to learn how to be an international coach. He’s only been doing it for a few months now.


Like I’ve said before. Razor waking in and blowing the competition out of the water is insulting to the many fantastic international coaches who has to work hard to get to that level of success. Even the great Henry and Hansen had to slum it in Wales.


If NZRU actually knew what they were doing they’d have developed their boy razor more. They’ve set him up for failure. They should have retained Foster (or Schmidt) instead of discarding him like a leper.


But at least one thing is certain on the horizon. If Razor doesn’t cut it beyond 2027 - SARU and Rassie Erasmus would have done the good work for them and prepped Tony Brown for the job. I just hope he tells them to stuff it because he’s being treated so well by an organization that knows how to treat its people.

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