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Three URC fixtures called off for New Year's weekend

29 Dec 2021

Aneurin Owen of Dragons reacts after his side's defeat to Leinster (Photo By Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Following significant disruptions to recent rounds of the United Rugby Championship, three further fixtures have been called off ahead of the first weekend of the new year.

A number of positive Covid-19 cases have been reported by Cardiff, Dragons, Ulster and Glasgow Warriors, leading to the postponement of three Round 9 matches:

Dragons v Cardiff Rugby
Ulster v Leinster
Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors

The games are set to be re-scheduled for the future, however the number of available weeks are diminishing quickly, with a slew of prior matches already likely to be played during the Six Nations.

“The games were due to take place on Saturday and Sunday (January 1 and 2), however, a number of positive Covid-19 cases in Cardiff, Dragons, Ulster and Glasgow Warriors squads have been reported,” a URC statement read.

Joyeux Noel & The European Dilemma | Le French Rugby Podcast | Episode 11

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Joyeux Noel & The European Dilemma | Le French Rugby Podcast | Episode 11

Benji’s back to tell us about his try-scoring exploits in Dubai, Johnnie’s navigated travel chaos to make it home for Christmas and we look back on a weekend where politics played its part and Castres were the only French side in action in the Champions Cup. We assess whether the whole of Round 2 should have been postponed as the Top 14 sides wanted, whether there’s going to be an asterisk by the name of the winner once more and what’s next for European rugby this season. Plus, there’s some hot coaching gossip and we pick our MEATER Moment of the Week…
Use the code FRENCHPOD10 at checkout for 10% off any full price item at Meater.com

“The URC Medical Advisory Group has liaised with the medical teams at Cardiff, Dragons, Glasgow Warriors, Ulster and their respective health authorities and deemed that these fixtures cannot go ahead as scheduled.

“The United Rugby Championship will now consider available dates to reschedule these games.”

The last URC fixture to go ahead was played on Christmas Eve, with Benetton securing a 39-14 win over Italian rivals Zebre. The remaining seven matches of Round 8 were all postponed.

With a number of the Round 2 clashes of the Champions and Challenge Cups called off the weekend prior, the likes of Leinster, Scarlets and Dragons haven’t played any fixtures since December 11.

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Comments on RugbyPass

SG 44 minutes ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

England have absolutely no need for him. Tom Willis and Ben Earl are better with a much higher work rate.

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Thomas Walsh 49 minutes ago

Super Rugby Pacific's rebirth can finally restore the missing All Blacks edge

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Virginia Jarrah 1 hour ago

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0 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

'Ulster, though no one wants to admit it, isn't much more than a development province right now.'

No full games on the IRU YT channel unfortunately, all on subscription? Looks a fairly good level (1A).

Yes I mean I wouldn’t really know the local ratio of origin here, but certainly as a province with less resources mine has a ratio that veers heavily towards club rep. The club stories are often the best so get probably an imbalanced proportion of coverage to where most players actually come from though.

Those were a couple of Ulster (regional) clubs too, good good. Those clubs/size towns are very much where you find most talent coming from (compared to the big city), so your productivity depends very much on your systems in place for scouting talent. With the more wealthy and popular sport of NRL (hence more info out there) I’ve seen some interesting studies on player origins in this respect, which I think would be a very balanced base of data to draw conclusions from.

Yes I’m wondering how those names as examples compare to the likes of Bryne getting squeezed out for a lack of places. I’m only thinking of effects far down the line as a result of Irelands #1 ranking and increased publicity/interest and how Irelands system will take advantage of them.

47 Go to comments

GP 1 hour ago

James O'Connor earns first Crusaders start against Moana Pasifika

Regarding the Crusaders side . Great to see promising young lock Jamie Hannah back in the starting team. He has certainly been through the mill since debuting for the Crusaders, even before playing for Canterbury. All his hard work has paid off. Antonio Shalfoon , who has been rested for this match has been amazing locking with AB captain Scott Barrett. I really rate Jamie Hannah as one of the best young locks of which there are a few coming through. Including his Canterbury and Crusaders team mate Liam Jack. Father is Graham Jack ,he played for Canterbury and the Crusaders in the 1990’s. Older brother of Chris, who of course was an All Black.

4 Go to comments

Andrew Nichols 1 hour ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Gloucester are in the market for a top-class replacement ..Well why would they then be talking to HS?

7 Go to comments

Utiku Old Boy 1 hour ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

I include Cunningham-South. He was born in England but moved to NZ at 4 yrs and learnt his rugby there. His dad was a schoolboy coach. In recent years, Teimana Harrison was - as was Brad Shields.

7 Go to comments

GB 1 hour ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Cunningham-South was born in the UK but raised in NZ.

Makes a good point, wouldn't walk into the English set up.

Better to roll his sleeves up and play himself into the ABs

7 Go to comments

Spew_81 1 hour ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Not sure what the ethical issue is. If it’s going for the money, it’s either do that or NZ rugby slowly dies as all the better players leave. So it’s the more lesser of two evils. Sell out a bit more as a Union, or the players sell out one by one.

41 Go to comments

Spew_81 1 hour ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Yes, the team was similar. But the two locks made a huge difference. Kaino wasn’t a lock and Tuipolutu has only very recently started playing close to his potential (his work rate was terrible until recently).

The Irish lineout maul wouldn’t have been the weapon it was on that day if Hansen started Whitelock and Retallick (or even two proper locks). Though they wouldn’t have been guaranteed to win.

Doing the new haka when the Irish were mourning a great of theirs didn’t help. The action at the end of that haka has been interpreted negatively and some see it as a but disrespectful.

Still if the All Blacks did their normal haka they wouldn’t have been guaranteed to win.

41 Go to comments

Koro Teeps 1 hour ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Absolutely no certainty he would make the current English squad. He’s not in the All Black conversation either. Physical, explosive player with ball in hand but sometimes struggles to impose himself fully on all aspects of the game.

7 Go to comments

DC 2 hours ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Who are the Kiwis (plural)? The only one I can think of is Ethan Root.

7 Go to comments

Gradier Walter 3 hours ago

Don't get out over your skis on the Highlanders