Derby is switched to this evening

THE West Country derby between Bristol Bears and Bath Rugby has been switched from last night to this evening as a mark of respect following the death on Thursday of Queen Elizabeth II.

Bristol and Bath, along with Sale and Northampton, were scheduled to kick-off the 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership campaign yesterday, but those matches were rescheduled as the majority of UK sport was put on hold.

The Bears and the Blue, Black & Whites will now meet at Ashton Gate at 5.30pm this evening, while Sale and Northampton’s clash is set for 3pm tomorrow.

All three games which were originally scheduled for this afternoon, as well as Wasps’ visit to Gloucester tomorrow, will go ahead as planned.

Premiership matches will start with a minute’s silence and players will wear black armbands.

The Rugby Football Union has confirmed that games in the lower tiers can also be played.

Hartpury visit Caldy in the Championship today, while in National League One Cinderford host Birmingham Moseley. Dings host Clifton in National League Two West. Clubs can postpone a fixture if they have “connections to the Royal Family or those with large numbers of players in the military or emergency services who will be called away to work on official duties as a result”, provided both sides agree.