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Worcester name team despite not knowing yet if Premiership fixture at Sale will go ahead
Loosehead prop Callum Black is set to become the latest Worcester player to join the 100 club – but only if the Warriors’ match at Covid-affected Sale is allowed by Premiership Rugby to go ahead on Sunday. There has yet been no confirmation by the Gallagher Premiership organisers that the match at the AJ Bell will take place as scheduled.
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A Saturday morning statement from Premiership Rugby read:”Premiership Rugby can confirm that it is carrying out an urgent review ahead of Sunday’s final round of Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches.
“Sale Sharks announced last night that they had suffered ‘a number of positive Covid-19 tests’ this week, and we are aware there are also positive tests at other clubs.”
Darren Childs, Premiership Rugby, added: “We understand the stakes are very high this weekend but we have a responsibility to everyone involved with Premiership Rugby to ensure a methodical process is followed, and this cannot be rushed.”
Sale had claimed on Friday night that the Premiership match would go ahead but Worcester quickly responded, insisting there could be no guarantees of that happening just yet. The Warriors statement read: “Worcester’s match against Sale is still the subject of discussions between Premiership Rugby and public health officials.
? Callum Black will make his 100th appearance for the club if tomorrow's match goes ahead.
Further updates will come when we receive them.
? https://t.co/BqqLF1ZKzc pic.twitter.com/Mvzc4AQE8L
— Worcester Warriors (@WorcsWarriors) October 3, 2020
“A significant number of Sale players and staff tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday and have been re-tested as part of a rigorous process that applies to all clubs and which has been in place since before the 2019/20 season resumed in August.
“The sole criterion for deciding whether a match can take place in the current unprecedented and worrying circumstances is the safety of officials and players and staff of both clubs and minimises the risk of anyone contracting and spreading this killer disease.
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“Warriors would always prefer the outcome of a match to be decided on the pitch and will do so provided we are satisfied that all the Covid-19 protocols and procedures have been followed and no health risk is posed to our players and staff. At the moment we are still awaiting confirmation that those protocols and procedures can be met to allow Sunday’s match to proceed as scheduled.”
Despite not knowing if they have a fixture to fulfil, Worcester ploughed ahead with their team announcement and if Black does reach his century of appearances on Sunday he will become only the 27th Warrior to reach the landmark in the professional era but the fifth this season following Ryan Mills, Ryan Bower, GJ van Velze and Matt Cox.
Black, 34, made 51 appearances his first spell with Warriors having progressed through the academy at Sixways and he then played more than 140 times for Ulster before he re-joined Warriors two years ago.
Warriors have made six changes to the side that beat Saracens on Wednesday, three of them enforced as wing Perry Humphreys (ankle), centre Ashley Beck (ankle) and tighthead prop Nick Schonert (head) have all been ruled by injuries sustained in that game.
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WORCESTER: 15 Chris Pennell; 14 Melani Nanai, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Scott van Breda, 11 Noah Heward; 10 Billy Searle, 9 Francois Hougaard; 1 Ethan Waller, 2 Beck Cutting, 3 Richard Palframan, 4 Anton Bresler, 5 Andrew Kitchener, 6 Ted Hill (capt), 7 Matt Kvesic, 8 Marco Mama. Reps: 16 Niall Annett, 17 Callum Black, 18 Joe Morris, 19 Sam Lewis, 20 Tom Dodd, 21 Joe Batley, 22 Gareth Simpson, 23 Jamie Shillcock.
BREAKING https://t.co/xR2mcrCtdm
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 3, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments