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Scarlets’ scheduled Heineken Champions Cup fight against Toulon on Friday is over after the French team decided not to play due to coronavirus concerns.
The Scarlets players were practicing on the pitch at Parc y Scarlets 75 minutes before kick-off, but Toulon had not yet arrived at the stadium and the televisions were being put away.
In a statement, Toulon said they had decided « not to play this meeting tonight as planned ». .
The former European champion said: « The Rugby Club Toulonnais played this Thursday the 17th. December, learned that at least one player on the Scarlets team tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this week.
« Following that, Bath Rugby Club, which faced the Scarlets last weekend, lost day two of the Champions Cup [against La Rochelle] as 12 players in their squad were in ‘close contact’ with it welsh players.
« Despite this extremely sensitive context, the EPCR, with the approval of the Welsh Rugby Union, wanted to keep the Scarlets-Toulon game. «
« He stated that the sanitary conditions were not in place to keep the organization of this meeting going, with the health of the players, staff and their families being of the utmost importance.
« Faced with this situation, the Rugby Club Toulonnais, although aware of the grave consequences, decided not to play this meeting tonight as planned. «
Three Champions Cup games have already been canceled this weekend due to coronavirus-related issues – Bath’s trip to La Rochelle and Glasgow against Lyon on Saturday and Exeter’s trip to Toulouse on Sunday.
EPCR will convene a game resolution panel to decide on the outcome of the games. However, the results have yet to be announced.
An EPCR statement confirmed that the game was not over: « EPCR has been informed that RC Toulon believes that today’s Heineken Champions Cup game in the second round against Scarlets at Parc y Scarlets Matchday squad and staff cannot be played safely enough.
« Following confirmation from Scarlets that one of their players tested positive for Covid-19 after their first game against Bath Rugby last weekend, the player was self-isolated and his two close contacts became, in accordance with public health guidelines Not selected Matchday squad for the pool A game against RC Toulon.
« A medical risk assessment committee was convened today to review possible issues related to the scarlet testing and tracing. It was convinced that the risk of further transmission was contained before it was recommended to continue the game safely. « .
« When RC Toulon heard of the game concerns, it was suggested that the game be postponed to a later date on the weekend so that any player at the club could cancel if they so wish.
« It has also been suggested that RC Toulon could source willing players from their existing tournament squad to replace those who had withdrawn and that the Scarlets matchday squad could undergo additional PCR testing.
« These offers have been declined by RC Toulon and EPCR can confirm that the game has been postponed. «
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European Rugby Cup, Scarlets, Rugby Union, RC Toulonnais, Bath Rugby, Stade Rochelais, Premiership Rugby
World news – GB – Toulon pulls out of Scarlets due to Covid- – Play back 19 fears
Ref: https://www.rte.ie
