Gallagher Premiership: 12 test positive in latest round of coronavirus testing
"The staging of this weekend's matches is not affected and all six games go ahead"
Saturday 12 September 2020 17:03, UK
Six Premiership players and six members of staff have tested positive for coronavirus in the latest round of testing.
The 12 positive tests came from eight different clubs in the Gallagher Premiership with 1,031 tested.
"Premiership Rugby can today confirm that on Thursday 10 September, 1,031 players and club staff from Premiership clubs were tested as part of the PCR COVID-19 screening programme," read a statement issued on Saturday afternoon.
- Greenwood: Farrell knows he's crossed a line
- Gallagher Premiership: Sunday's talking points
- Murphy: Wasps defeat worst of my Leicester career
"Of those six players - from five different clubs - tested positive and six members of staff. The 12 were from eight different clubs.
"Those who tested positive and their close contacts are isolated and assessed in line with the PHE-agreed guidelines. The staging of this weekend's matches is not affected and all six games go ahead.
"Premiership Rugby and the RFU are providing this aggregated information for competition integrity and transparency. No specific details as to clubs or individuals will be provided under any circumstances.
"The number of positive results will be made public after each round of testing."
Gallagher Premiership: Sunday's talking points
We take a look at the talking points ahead of the next round of Premiership games, as clubs jostle for the play-offs and a home semi-final place...
Bristol's Piutau loses appeal against suspension
Bristol's Siale Piutau has lost his appeal against a three-match suspension.
The former Tonga centre was handed the ban for punching Worcester's Andrew Kitchener during the Bears' 36-13 Gallagher Premiership win at Sixways Stadium last Friday.
Piutau was cited for punching or striking Kitchener - who was dismissed for his part in the incident - by independent citing commissioner Tony Diprose following the match.
The appeal, heard by a new online independent disciplinary panel of Sir James Dingemans (chair), Sam Hillas QC and Becky Essex, was dismissed and Piutau remains suspended. He is free to play again on September 20.
