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Front row issue sees Harlequins' January 1 game at Worcester cancelled
Premiership Rugby have confirmed that Harlequins’ Gallagher Premiership Rugby match against Worcester Warriors, scheduled for New Year’s Day, has been called off as the London club are unable to field a team for the game on Friday. It’s believed that following this week’s league-wide round of PCR testing, Harlequins had a number of players placed in isolation following the contact tracing protocols.
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A Premiership Rugby spokesperson said: “We would never cancel a match lightly, as we understand the consequences but we will always put health and safety first.
“Neither Premiership Rugby nor the club will be naming any of the players or staff involved and we would ask everyone to respect their privacy.”
A follow-up statement from Harlequins read: “Following the Boxing Day fixture versus Bristol Bears, the club returned one positive test from this week’s round of PCR testing.
“Following a forensic contact tracing process of the club’s game last weekend and training so far this week, a further six players have been ruled out of selection, preventing the club from fielding a full front row for the match against Worcester. In accordance with PHE guidelines, the seven players will now go into a ten-day isolation period.
4?? bonus-point wins for Chiefs from four games this term has sparked a conversation about the competitiveness of the 2020/21 Premiership minus the Londoners
#GallagherPrem
https://t.co/ImHjnSGSrr— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 30, 2020
“Harlequins have taken a further measure of standing players down from training for a week to contain any further transmission and to minimise the use and possible contamination of the training facility, such is the need to protect the health and well-being of players and staff.”
Bath versus London Irish and Newcastle versus Leicester were called off last weekend due to the virus. Under the Premiership Rugby regulations, a panel will now be convened to determine the allocation of points for the cancelled Worcester versus Harlequins game and a further announcement will be made in due course (click here to read the regulations).
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The latest annual @EsportifIntel comparison of rugby player salaries by position in England, France and PRO14 is out #GallagherPrem #GuinnessPRO14 #Top14
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 29, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
smith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
36 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
36 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
36 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
36 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
36 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
36 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
36 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
36 Go to comments