Bath Rugby statement: Randox testing error
Bath have said they were extremely relieved to hear of the false alarm regarding their Covid-19 testing, which incorrectly suggested 19 people had tested positive for the virus and caused ‘huge disruption’ to the club.
Randox have admitted to the false positive which saw the club’s training facility shutdown and deep cleaned, saying it was a result of human error.
Bath Rugby have released the following statement: “On Tuesday 19th January following the regular round of PCR testing, the Club was notified that 19 of the 24 league-wide positive results comprised Bath Rugby players and staff.
“Immediately, our training ground at Farleigh House was closed and all players and staff were instructed to isolate at their homes. A rigorous contact tracing process was undertaken, from which a further 16 players were identified as close contacts. Everyone who returned a positive test result, and their close contacts, was required to isolate for 10 days in accordance with PHE guidance.
“Our training ground immediately underwent a full deep clean. All rugby and training activity was halted and additional testing ordered for all players and staff as a priority.
“Our urgent priority was to stop the spread of the virus and protect the health and wellbeing of our staff, players, their families and the wider community.
“Yesterday afternoon the Club was informed that an error had occurred in the Randox laboratory and that following routine retesting, 18 of the original 19 positive results were in fact negative. The Club has been in regular and close communication with senior representatives from Public Health England throughout this time and in particular over the last 24 hours as we have worked to understand the details regarding the Randox testing error.
“We, advised by Public Health England, are now confident this was a discrete error and that the revised test results are correct. However, as an additional precaution and to rebuild confidence in the testing programme additional independent Public Health testing will be undertaken for Bath Rugby players and staff.
Bath Rugby’s Chief Executive, Tarquin McDonald said: “The health and safety of our people, the community and wider public remains the key focus for us all. We have worked closely with Public Health England who are clear that this was a specific instance of human error by Randox and not a wider outbreak. It is a huge and welcome relief to understand that this was a false alarm. However, this has caused huge disruption to our players, staff and to our training environment during an important two week break from games. Everyone at the Club and their families have been outstanding throughout, and we are now focussed on a return to training next week and preparation for our game against Bristol.”
“Our training ground at Farleigh House will re-open next week, with full contact training resuming only on Tuesday when both the independent Public Health England test results and a further round of testing from Randox have been completed. Our fixture against Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate next Friday will go ahead as planned.”
Comments on RugbyPass
We’re building a bridge but can't agree where the river is.
2 Go to commentsfirst no arms shoulder or helmet tackle into his rib cage is going to be so very painful even to watch. go back to RU mate.
1 Go to commentsBulls by 5. Plus another 50.
3 Go to commentsJohan Goosen avatar. Cute. Surely someone at RP knows how to do a google image search?
3 Go to commentsCan’t these games play a little earlier? Asking for a friend.
3 Go to commentsIt’s impressive that we can see huge stadiums with attendance in the 40 000 to 50 000 region. It shows how popular this competition is becoming. What is even more impressive is the massive growth in broadcast viewership. The URC is one of the two best leagues in the World, the other being the Top14.
7 Go to commentsChristie is not Sottish, like the majority of the Scotland team.
2 Go to commentsHold the phone, decline over-rated. Is it a one game, dead cat bounce or the real thing? Has the Penney dropped? Stay tuned.
45 Go to commentsTotally deserved win for the Crusaders Far smarter than the Chiefs who seem to be avoiding the basics when it matters Hotham showed them what was missing and Hannah seems a real find - a tad light but that can be fixed over time
8 Go to commentsGreat insight into the performance culture with Sarries and I predict Christie will be a fixture in the Scotland team now for some time to come. However, he is slightly missing his own point around Scotland “being soft” when he cites physicality examples in defence of that slight. The issue is much closer to the example he referenced around feeling off before a game but being told “it doesn’t matter, you can still play well” by Farrell. Until Scotland can get their psyche in that square, they will carry on folding under extreme pressure…
2 Go to comments> We are having to adapt, evolve and innovate more than when we were in Super Rugby where there was only really one style that everybody had to play to gain the most success. Have = able to? Interesting what that one style might be? I thought SA sides still had bad tours now, or at least bad schedule, months away? Those extra few hours flights have to be a killer though, no surprise to see their sides doing so badly at the start of the season each year. I wouldn’t enjoy that unfairness as a supporter.
7 Go to commentsThe problem for NZ, and Aus, is they ripped up the SR model and lost a massive chunk of revenue that hasn’t been replaced. Don’t forget SA clubs went North because they were left with no choice, Argy unceremoniously binned and Japan cast adrift. Now SR wasn’t perfect, far from it, but they’ve jumped into something without an effective plan, so far, to replace what they’ve lost. The biggest revenue potential now lies in Japan but it won’t be easy or quick to unlock, they are incredibly insular in culture as a nation. In the meantime, there is a serious time bomb sitting under SH rugby and if it happens then the current financial challenges will look like a picnic. IF the Boks follow their provincial teams and head north then it’s revenue meltdown. Not guaranteed to happen but the status quo is a very odd hybrid, with the Boks pointing one way and the clubs pointing the other way. And for as long as that remains then the threat is real.
45 Go to commentsI think Etene has had some good tuition, likely while at the Warriors to be a professional that helped his rugby jump, but he was certainly thrown in the deep end way too early. Should have arguably 20 less SR caps, and therefor a way better record that he does at his age, but his development would have been fast tracked by the need to satiate his signing away from league. Again, credit to him and others that he has done it so well. Easy to fall over under that pressure in the big leagues like that but he kept at it when I myself wasn’t sure he was good enough.
1 Go to commentsAwesome story. I wonder what a bigger American (SA) scene might have mean for Brex.
1 Go to comments“Johnny McNicholl and the Crusaders” save a Penney. Who has been in camp this week and showed them how to play?
8 Go to commentsSo, reports of the Crusaders’ demise / terminal decline are perhaps just - slightly - premature/exaggerated…? 🤔 Will we see a deep-dive into that by the estimable Rugbypass scribes, and maybe one or two mea culpas? Thought not.
8 Go to comments1. The Chiefs are rudderless without DMac, which enhances his AB chances 2. Chiefs pack are powderpuffs. The hard men arent there anymore 3. They had their golden title chance last yr and wont threaten this yr. Gone in second round of playoffs.
8 Go to commentsHonestly, why did you have to publish such a foolish article the day they play us? 😂
45 Go to comments> They are not standalone entities. They are linked to an amateur association which holds the FFR licence that allows the professional side to compete in the league. That’s a great rule. This looks like the chicken or egg professional scenario. How long is it going to be before the club can break even (if that is even a thing in French rugby)? If the locals aren’t into well it would be good to se them drop to amateur level (is it that far?). Hope they can reset from this level and be more practical, there will be a time when they can rebuild (if France has there setup right).
1 Go to commentsWhat about changing the ball? To something heavier and more pointed that bounces unpredictably. Not this almost round football used these days.
35 Go to comments