Argentina players test positive for coronavirus

THE Rugby Championship looks like it could well be scrapped after six Argentina players tested positive for Covid-19.

The annual competition between New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and the Pumas was already in some doubt amid travel concerns and serious doubts South Africa will be prepared to make the journey to New Zealand with little preparation.

The Argentine Rugby Union issued a statement saying: “After completing a new round of PCR tests, in order to minimize the risk of contagion and be able to start the health bubble, the results yielded six positive cases of Covid-19 in the campus.

“All of them asymptomatic and already fulfilling preventive isolation. The players are Juan Cruz Mallia, Emiliano Boffelli, Bautista Delguy, Rodrigo Fernandez Criado, Bautista Pedemonte and Lucas Bur.”

The schedule for the tournament was due to be finalised next week, but reports in New Zealand, where the competition was proposed to be held, say it seems almost certain to be called off.

Western Australia has been mooted as an alternative host venue for the tournament, but the ongoing fight against the pandemic and resulting quarantine issues in different countries could prove too much.

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen was pleased to book a place in the Guinness PRO14 final for a third year running after beating Munster on Friday.

PRO14 champions for the past two seasons, Leinster claimed a workmanlike 13-3 semi-final victory at the Aviva Stadium thanks to Ronan Kelleher’s first-half maul try and eight points from the boot of captain Jonathan Sexton. It was their 24th straight victory.

Despite admitting it was a far from vintage performance by his side, Cullen’s charges can now look forward to a final showdown with either Edinburgh or Ulster next Saturday.

“The match itself I thought was pretty brutal,” said Cullen afterwards. “You’ve got to be very accurate against a team when all they want to do is box kick and apply that pressure game.

“It wasn’t a great spectacle out there. A semi-final for us is about getting through to a final.

“We’re through to the next round. It was pretty ugly stuff, an ugly contest but we’re through.”