Harlequins’ Premiership game at Worcester on 1 January is off after a number of Quins players were forced to self-isolate because of Covid-19.
It comes after 33 new cases were found at 10 clubs in the latest round of testing – the most this season.
One Quins player was found to have the virus, while a further six players have been ruled out following a “forensic contact tracing process”.
The club said they would be unable to field a front row as a result.
Of the 33 people who have tested positive in total, 24 are players and nine are staff.
Quins have also cancelled training for a week to stop “further transmission”.
The London club said “standing players down” is to “minimise the use and possible contamination of the training facility” and that they are doing so to “protect the health and wellbeing of players and staff”.
Worcester have said they “support” the cancellation of the match and that “the safety of players, officials and staff in these worrying times is the sole consideration when making these decisions”.
The Premiership game is the third to be cancelled in the past week because of coronavirus, with Boxing Day fixtures between Newcastle and Leicester and Bath and London Irish called off.
A league panel awarded both Newcastle and Bath four points, while Tigers and Irish were given two.
The panel will again convene to decide how points are allocated to Worcester and Quins.
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
Source link
