Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France
20 - 17
FT
20 - 52
FT
Tomorrow
15:10
Saturday
08:30
Saturday
10:10
Saturday
10:30
Saturday
10:30
Saturday
10:30
Saturday
10:30
Saturday
12:40
Saturday
15:05
Saturday
15:10
Sunday
08:40
Sunday
10:00
Sunday
11:10
Sunday
15:05
Gallagher PremiershipSaleWorcester

Worcester respond to Sale cancellation

(Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images)

Worcester have issued their response after Premiership Rugby confirmed that it had cancelled Wednesday match at Sale following eight more positive tests for Covid among the Sharks. 

ADVERTISEMENT

The fixture was initially thrown into jeopardy after it emerged that 19 Sale players and staff had tested positive for the virus. That resulted in the game, originally scheduled for Sunday, being moved to Wednesday subject to further testing. 

That rearrangement has now fallen by the wayside after the number of positive tests in the Sale camp rose to 27 following an additional eight more positives.    

Video Spacer

Look what’s coming to RugbyPass!

Video Spacer

Look what’s coming to RugbyPass!

It resulted in Sale forfeiting the match and Premiership Rugby awarding a 20-0 win to Worcester, with the Warriors given five league points.

The Worcester statement read: “Warriors welcome Premiership Rugby’s decision to cancel tonight’s Gallagher Premiership match against Sale Sharks at the AJ Bell Stadium.

“This is the right outcome for the safety of all players, staff and officials involved although we do have sympathy for Sale that such an important match has been decided in this way.

“Sadly, we are playing rugby in the middle of a pandemic and in unprecedented circumstances. While it is desirable to retain the integrity of all competitions as much as possible, ultimately the health and safety of all involved has to be the absolute priority.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We would like to thank Sale and Premiership Rugby for being understanding of our concerns and working closely with us to ensure the safety of everyone concerned.

“Now we know that our own players are not at any increased risk, our thoughts are with those at Sale and Northampton Saints who have tested positive for COVID-19. We wish them all a speedy recovery and hope that no further cases are reported.

“Hopefully the remainder of the season can be completed safely and securely to provide a fitting finale on the pitch.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

1

Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales all have the same problem

2

David Campese names his Springbok world player of the year winner

3

Let's be real about these All Blacks

4

Why World Cup winner doesn’t blame All Black for leaving New Zealand

5

Tyrone Green decision has huge bearing on his international future

6

Five legends to be inducted into World Rugby Hall of Fame

7

The appointment I would make to save Steve Borthwick – Andy Goode

8

Michael Hooper reacts to Scott Barrett’s controversial late-game call

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

LONG READ

Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones

The Irishman's abrupt departure left his players reeling and confused about their new rearguard action.

LONG READ

'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame'

The England head coach shoulders some responsibility for his side's disappointing autumn results.

LONG READ

Despite defeat in Paris, the real reason the All Blacks are feeling upbeat

Signs of progress for Scott Robertson and a resurgent Australia are reasons for optimism for an All Blacks collective

Comments on RugbyPass

T
Tk 11 minutes ago
Two former All Blacks clash on success of 2024 campaign

Part of me agrees about chucking players in too early, then I think back to '86 Baby Blacks. If you are good enough you are old enough.

15 Go to comments
0
007 13 minutes ago
Rob Howley: Warren Gatland is 'the best coach in the world'

Apparently Howley's never heard of Rassie Erasmus?! 😂

3 Go to comments
J
JW 32 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

What are you on about fran. You sound like john.

297 Go to comments
O
OJohn 1 hour ago
Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones

No he's just limited in what he can do. Like Scott Robertson. And Eddie Jones.


Sometimes it doesn't work out so you have to go looking for another national coach who supports his country and believes in what he is doing. Like NZ replacing Ian Foster. And South Africa bringing Erasmus back in to over see Neinbar.


This is the real world. Not the fantasy oh you don't need passion for your country for international rugby. Ask a kiwi, or a south african or a frenchman.

18 Go to comments
T
TazT 1 hour ago
'Lightweight' Premiership not preparing England players for Test rugby

Dont complain too much or start jumping to conclusions.


Here in NZ commentators have been blabbing that our bottom pathway competition the NPC (provincial teams only like Taranaki, Wellington etc)is not fit for purpose ie supplying players to Super rugby level then they started blabbing that our Super Rugby comp (combined provincial unions making up, Crusaders, Hurricanes, etc) wasn't good enough without the South African teams and for the style SA and the northern powers play at test level.

Here is what I reckon, Our comps are good enough for how WE want to play rugby not how Ireland, SA, England etc play. Our comps are high tempo, more rucks, mauls, running plays, kicks in play, returns, in a game than most YES alot of repetition but that builds attacking skillsets and mindsets. I don't want to see world teams all play the same they all have their own identity and style as do England (we were scared with all this kind of talk when they came here) World powerhouse for a reason, losses this year have been by the tiniest of margins and could have gone either way in alot of games. Built around forward power and blitz defence they have got a great attack Wingers are chosen for their Xfactor now not can they chase up and unders all day. Stick to your guns its not far off

13 Go to comments
O
OJohn 1 hour ago
Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales all have the same problem

The common denominator is foreign coaches, obviously.

NZ and South Africa and France wouldn't stand for it.

3 Go to comments
T
TD 1 hour ago
Despite defeat in Paris, the real reason the All Blacks are feeling upbeat

Are we really writing of the positively tiny (diminutive, even) Ardie Savea 1 year after he won World Player of the Year?

10 Go to comments
L
LiamBerlin 1 hour ago
'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame'

I agree with DrinkAway... that the ref video was disappointing, or worse, but otherwise I think he's fantastic in terms of results, evolving the style of the Boks and bringing in new people and ideas to keep the magic alive. I've been watching international rugby for over 50 years and for me he's among the very best. I don't know if he would want to, but it's interesting to think about how he might improve the performance of other nations if he had the opportunity.

10 Go to comments
J
JK 1 hour ago
Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales all have the same problem

Not enough South Africans?

3 Go to comments
N
NH 1 hour ago
How leviathan Will Skelton and the Wallabies reversed the World Cup fiasco

Which game did Nasser outplay Faessler for the wallabies? Is Nasser a better scrummager than BPA? Both Kiss and Schmidt seem to have him behind Faessler at the moment, there must be something they aren't seeing...

183 Go to comments
d
dw 2 hours ago
Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones

Thanks Nick. Surely they will thump Japan this week and the pressure will be off. Do you want to make a prediction that the defence coach will go before the Six Nations? England seem to want Borthwick there for a long time so surely they will back Bortho and look for a new defence coach?

18 Go to comments
d
dw 2 hours ago
Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones

Isn't he a kiwi working from the inside? Oh wait no that's someone else

18 Go to comments
M
Mzilikazi 2 hours ago
How leviathan Will Skelton and the Wallabies reversed the World Cup fiasco

Yes, Carlos, I sensed before hand this would be a very close game, even could see an Arg. win....well, they have beaten all their three SH compatriots this year, then added Italy. And as nick says below, they were winners of the breakdown for a lot of the game, and both sides of the ball too.


Felipe very highly regarded in Ireland, esp. Leinster.


Good luck this weekend !

183 Go to comments
A
Ardy 2 hours ago
Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales all have the same problem

Jake, I think England has a 10 in Smith, it is the game plan that ain't working for them. They are back to plodding along hoping for a penalty or drop goal to win the game.

3 Go to comments
J
JJB 2 hours ago
Five changes for the All Blacks, including the return of Sam Cane

I think Razor needs to grow some cahunas

12 Go to comments
A
Ardy 2 hours ago
How leviathan Will Skelton and the Wallabies reversed the World Cup fiasco

OK Nick, John F wrote an article on props and kindly posted a list:

Loosehead props: Bell, Slipper, Kailea, Hoopert, Hodgman, Schoupp, Lambert, Gibbon, Fa'agase, Pearce, Kaihea

Tighthead props: Tupou, Alaalatoa, Nonggorr, Tauakipulu, Van Nek, de Lutiis,

183 Go to comments
A
Ace 2 hours ago
Ex-All Black accuses Ireland's Jack Crowley of 'disgusting' act in Argentina win

Oh look, it's the answer to a question no-one asked!

42 Go to comments
M
Ml 2 hours ago
Did Rassie Erasmus miss a trick with his latest South Africa squad?

That's really stupidly pedantic. Let's say the gods had smiled on us, and we were playing Ireland in Belfast on this trip. Then you'd be happy to accept it as a tour of the UK. But they're not going to Australia, or Peru, or the Philippines, they're going to the UK. If they had a match in Paris it would be fair to call it the "end-of-year European tour". I think your issue has less to do with the definition of the United Kingdom, and is more about what is meant by the word "tour". By your definition of the word, a road trip starting in Marseilles, tootling through the Massif Central and cruising down to pop in at La Rochelle, then heading north to Cherbourg, moving along the coast to imagine what it was like on the beach at Dunkirk, cutting east to Strasbourg and ending in Lyon cannot be called a "tour of France" because there's no visit to St. Tropez, or the Louvre, or Martinique in the Caribbean.

51 Go to comments
W
Willie 2 hours ago
The Wallabies have a serious problem

Just thought for a moment you might have gathered some commonsense from a southerner or a NZer and shut up. But no, idiots aren't smart enough to realise they are idiots.

12 Go to comments
f
frandinand 3 hours ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

In your opinion because he's a Crusader. We talk about parochialism in our game but people like you and Jacko take it to a whole new level in your consistent antagonism to Crusader players.

297 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones
Search