Rob Baxter explains strong case not to continue with Covid-19 testing
Exeter boss Rob Baxter feels that an argument for continued Covid-19 testing at Gallagher Premiership clubs will fade “pretty quickly”.
Players and staff at all 12 Premiership clubs have been subjected to regular tests since early July, while the league season restarted on August 14 following a five-month break because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Baxter, whose team are through to the Heineken Champions Cup final and Gallagher Premiership play-offs next month, has stressed a need for continued vigilance.
But he also feels that “genuine medical reasons” are looming not to continue with testing in English rugby union’s top flight.
“Hopefully, things progress very quickly and hopefully maybe it will be a matter of weeks where testing is deemed unnecessary,” Baxter said.
“The reality is, when you look at the number of tests being made and how few cases are being picked up, I don’t think we are far off genuine medical reasons not to continue with the testing.
“I think most clubs would be in agreement that what is being picked up and the actual transfer rates, even around players who are testing positive, are so, so small that I think the argument for continued testing will die away pretty quickly.
“There are a lot of reasons for it.
“It would save a fortune, it would free up a block of testing for other people, and the transmissions rates within the club because of the hygiene levels that are there and the age-range of the players, positive tests are not leading to mass outbreaks. You would think they would.
“If you are testing once a week, we are not picking up the player the minute he becomes positive. We are picking them up at some period at which the virus has been in their system, and yet they are mingling through the week.
“Hopefully, we are moving to a different rugby environment in a matter of weeks.”
Exeter are chasing a domestic and European trophy double, having arrived at the business end of the season in prime form and pristine shape.
And Covid-19 awareness will continue to be relayed to Chiefs’ squad and staff as big knockout games edge closer.
Baxter added: “I am probably no different to any other director of rugby in what I am saying to our lads.
“The latest news is that there are Covid spikes in around universities and campuses.
“In the last couple of weeks, the lads have been told to be extra-vigilant. You don’t want to be pulled in the week of a semi-final or final because of a failed Covid test.
“On the whole, we do feel the lads are being very good. They appear to be vigilant and are keeping very high standards.
“You have to keep throwing the reminders out there because the reality of Covid is that rugby players aren’t going to be ill or suffer more than cold symptoms.
“I know it is all confidential, but, of the players I know who have had it or had it during lockdown, none of them have been ill.
“There is a reality that you have got to not let your individual circumstance mean that you relax a bit and fail a Covid test. Regardless of how you feel or whether you have a temperature, it does stop you playing.
“It would be criminal now to allow your standards to slip or to make that one mistake that means you failed a test and you are unavailable for the biggest game of the season.”
Comments on RugbyPass
We had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 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.
11 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.
54 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.
7 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
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 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
54 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.
54 Go to comments