STING IN TALE FOR WASPS

Three more failed Covid tests make it SEVEN unavailable players as Bristol cancel party plans to prepare to step in for the final

WASPS’ place in English rugby’s showpiece final is hanging by a thread after THREE more players tested positive for coronavirus yesterday.

Just 72 hours after four others tested positive, the club now has seven players self-isolating who would be unavailable.

And that has only i ncreased the likelihood that beaten semi-finalists Bristol will instead play Exeter in the Premiership final at Twickenham on Saturday.

A further round of testing has been ordered for both clubs today with a final decision set f or tomorrow.

RISE TO THE OCCASION Chris Vui and the Bristol Bears may have to replace Wasps in the final

Bristol were informed of the development just as they were about to kick off a Hawaiian-themed party to celebrate their European Challenge Cup triumph.

The players, some of whom stayed up all night after Friday’s cup win over Toulon, were told to stop drinking alcohol and get their heads around the idea of taking on Champions Cup winners Exeter.

Bears boss Pat Lam (right) said: “It’s not ideal but this whole season hasn’t been ideal – just as everything with Covid, the whole situation the world is in, isn’t ideal.

“This season will have an asterisk on it and rightly so. People will look at the asterisk and say, ‘Ah, that was Covid and that was a shocking time’.

“Of course Wasps and

Exeter should be contesting this final. We absolutely believe that. They thoroughly deserve it.

“But we’re rugby-ready and if we’re told we are to play, we’ ll adjust and adapt.

“You can either be a fighter or a victim, think ‘poor us’ and ‘ this isn’t right’ or get on with it.”

Wa s p s’ first-team squad have not trained since beating Bristol 10 days ago and are understood to hav e b een isolating away from the outbreak.

But that won’t save their Twickenham dream if Covid claims anyone else. The club, which now has 11 positives, including training staf f, will not return to training before tomorrow afternoon even if they get the green light.

Given Exeter are in their fifth Premiership final and flying high after becoming champions of Europe, it makes for a huge task for whoever ends up playing them.

If it is Bristol, Lam says he will dig out the template he used in 2018 to coach the Barbarians to victory over England on three days’ training.

They dressed up and had a good drink that week too, for all the harm it did them.

Come game day, they stuck nine tries on Eddie Jones’ team.