£800K TEST BLOW

RUGBY UNION PREMIERSHIP

PREMIERSHIP clubs will have to foot an £800,000 coronavirus testing bill to restart the season next month.

Full contact training was given the green light yesterday after assurances on testing procedures were agreed.

Each club will test between 70 and 80 players, coaches and staff each week in the run-up to the league’s return.

Testing is seen as essential – but the financial cost is huge for a league on its knees after the four-month shutdown.

Premiership Rugby chief executive Darren Childs (left) said: “This is a significant milestone in our journey to restarting the league on Friday, August 14, if it remains safe to do so.

“Rugby has unique challenges due to levels of proximity and impact, which is why the exhaustive process that is being followed is so thorough.”