No disciplinary measures to be taken against clubs that do not fulfil fixtures

No rugby club in Scotland which decides not to fulfil a fixture this weekend that was scheduled to take place before the coronavirus suspension kicks in at 6pm on Sunday will face any disciplinary repercussions further down the line, Scottish Rugby has confirmed.

When the governing body announced yesterday that they were “to suspend all rugby in Scotland following the evolving coronavirus (Covid-19) situation” they set a break from 15 March at 6pm up to, and including, 29 March.

So clubs with male and female fixtures scheduled between last night and tomorrow afternoon had the chance to decide for themselves whether the matches should go ahead or not.

Cue a manic afternoon as clubs contacted each other, and both the scheduled Tennent’s Premiership matches between Marr and Hawick and Edinburgh Accies and Currie Chieftains were soon called off.

A Scottish Rugby spokesman said: “An immediate suspension of rugby would have left clubs with immediate problems so we wanted to give them leeway alongside the Government’s advice to have large events cancelled as of Monday.

“This was to give clubs as much room for manoeuvre as we possibly could while aligning with the overall Scottish Government position which was outlined by the First Minister on Thursday.

“No clubs will be reprimanded [if they choose not to play this weekend]. We have set up some working groups within Scottish Rugby that will meet from next week to look at all of these issues, but it is no-one’s fault that this is all happening so there will certainly be no throwing of blame around and no reprimands.

“We will work with clubs sensibly regarding what happens next during – and following – the suspension of rugby.”

Of the matches left on, GHK and Gordonians were due to play in Tennent’s National League Division Two last night while a handful of others below the Premiership are set to still be played today.

A number of women’s Sarah Beaney Cup, National Plate and National Bowl games were originally to be played tomorrow afternoon, but all clubs are continuing discussions today as to whether any of these should go ahead.