It appears likely that Exeter and Glashow will be handed down defeats to nil as a result of Covid-19 outbreaks forcing the cancelling of their games against Toulouse and Lyon this weekend.
That is the precedent established during the closing stages of the Gallaghers Premiership in England and the Guinness Autumn Nations Series when matches involving Northampton Saints and Fiji had to be called off for the same reason.
“As per its COVID-19 protocol, EPCR will convene Match Result Resolution Committees to determine the results of the cancelled matches and the decisions of the committees will be communicated as soon as practicable.,” said a statement from tournament organisers as the news emerged.
Exeter is being reported as having 15 of the 18 positive tests from across the competition taken this week as part of the regular procedural testing.
There will be an impact for Munster, Ulster and Connacht, all of whom are in the same pool of twelve from which four will emerge into the Quarter-Finals of the tournament.
Lyon and Toulouse are currently in the Top Four alongside Exeter and Clermont. Munster would move into the Top 4 at the half wa=y stage of qualification if they beat Clermont away at the weekend.
The tight timeframe of this season’s competition means that games which are not played as originally scheduled cannot be rearranged.
It is unlikely to be the only occasion on which this might happen over the coming weeks.
Sport for Business Partners
