BEARS ON STANDBY AFTER WASPS COVID NIGHTMARE

Bristol are put on Prem final alert after new virus outbreak

BRISTOL have been put on stand-by to step in for next Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership final at Twickenham if Wasps’ Covid outbreak forces them out of the showpiece against Exeter.

The Bears, who were eliminated in the semi-final by Wasps (above, Dan Robson celebrating scoring a try), are understood to have been sounded out as potential replacements should an extra round of testing, due to be carried out today on Lee Blackett’s side, reveal a major spread.

Wasps will face an anxious wait for the results, which are likely to arrive on Monday, after training was cancelled following positive tests for four players and three members of staff last week.

Sale and Northampton were forced to forfeit final-round matches by a series of positive cases in t h e i r s q u a d . But Premiership Rugby decided ahead of the restart the final would be treated differently with a back-up opposition to be brought in should a club be unable to f ul f i l t h e f i xture because of Covid.

Bristol, who will fly back from Aix-en-provence today after being involved in the European Challenge Cup final against Toulon last night, have been earmarked for the role ahead of the other losing semi-finalists Bath by virtue of having finished above them in the Premiership table.

South Africa could face the Lions next summer having not played for 20 months after pulling out of the Rugby Championship yesterday.

The Springboks, whose last Test was in November 2019 against England in the World

Cup f i n a l , h av e b e e n left scrabbling around for replacement fixtures in the New Year after withdrawing fr om the tournament. South Africa cited player welfare concerns over the decision which came a fortnight before it kicks off in Australia.

“Players needed a minimum of 400 minutes of game-time before they could be ready for a Test match,” said Springboks director of rugby Rassie Erasmus. “The overseas-based players started playing before us and would have been close to that.

“But many have had Covid outbreaks at their clubs which has interrupted planning. The Japan-based players haven’t played any rugby.”

Sale’s South African contingent, including Faf de Klerk, have been released from quarantine after being caught up in the outbreak at the club.