Cancelled games

[Peej]

Dropping off the schedule rapidly now. At what point do we start having discussions about suspending relegation? For some, not playing will help them gain more points than if they contest the match.

Or do we suspend the season again?

[Puja]

Dropping off the schedule rapidly now. At what point do we start having discussions about suspending relegation? For some, not playing will help them gain more points than if they contest the match.

Or do we suspend the season again?

You raise a good point - Worcester will take the hell out of a free 4 points against Harlequins and that could make a difference in a relegation battle.

Puja

[Danno]

Dropping off the schedule rapidly now. At what point do we start having discussions about suspending relegation? For some, not playing will help them gain more points than if they contest the match.

Or do we suspend the season again?

You raise a good point - Worcester will take the hell out of a free 4 points against Harlequins and that could make a difference in a relegation battle.

Puja

Bit rich from a Leicester fan

[morepork]

How long is this stubborn charade going to go on?

[fivepointer]

Think PRL will want to limp on as long as possible but if games are cancelled routinely the competition becomes farcical.

On the radio this morning it was announced there were 24 players tested positive for covid this week. Thats far higher than at any stage.

If that continues, the only option appears to be some sort of suspension.

[jimKRFC]

Bristol have one player (front row) positive and the other two are isolating as well. However, we're able to get sufficient players out for the Newcs game.

[Puja]

Dropping off the schedule rapidly now. At what point do we start having discussions about suspending relegation? For some, not playing will help them gain more points than if they contest the match.

Or do we suspend the season again?

You raise a good point - Worcester will take the hell out of a free 4 points against Harlequins and that could make a difference in a relegation battle.

Puja

Bit rich from a Leicester fan

No, bitter. A bit bitter from a Leicester fan.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Bristol have one player (front row) positive and the other two are isolating as well. However, we're able to get sufficient players out for the Newcs game.

All the clubs need to look at the Bristol covid regimen and then follow it.
Rob Baxter says he expects PRL to at least be discussing pausing the season.
Dave Walder has already discussed temp ring fencing at a press conference. He stated it is definitely a personal opinion but said a combo of cancelled games undermining the validity of the league table and the precarious nature of the clubs’ finances should lead to ringfencing for a low number of years.

[Raggs]

So, had a team simply said it can't fulfill fixtures due to covid, it'd currently be sat in 10th, 4 points clear of Gloucester, who've actually won a game.

[FKAS]

You raise a good point - Worcester will take the hell out of a free 4 points against Harlequins and that could make a difference in a relegation battle.

Puja

Bit rich from a Leicester fan

No, bitter. A bit bitter from a Leicester fan.

Puja

Tigers are also 7th. If we can beat Saints next week then top 6 is calling.

[Puja]

So, had a team simply said it can't fulfill fixtures due to covid, it'd currently be sat in 10th, 4 points clear of Gloucester, who've actually won a game.

The real test is going to come at the end of the season. Imagine if the team in 11th is 3 points ahead of the team in 12th and they've got their last game against Exeter (or even more fun, against the team in 12th!). Would they have a motivation to play that game or would they be better sending their players out to go shake hands in a COVID ward?

Bit rich from a Leicester fan

No, bitter. A bit bitter from a Leicester fan.

Puja

Tigers are also 7th. If we can beat Saints next week then top 6 is calling.

While we are only 4 points off being 4th, we are also only 3 points off being 11th. The table is still too volatile for me to be cocky - if we can get victories against Saints and Sale under our belts then I'll start to feel more comfortable, but we've spent far too much time at the bottom of late for me to feel like we can dismiss our presence in the relegation battle.

Puja

[FKAS]

This is very true Puja it could all go south very quickly based on previous seasons and our seeming inability to get results away from home. I'm not sure we'll get much change out of Sale who look to be slowly finding their feet under Deacon bit we've got to be gunning for Northampton with the form they've been in, particularly up front.

If we somehow get a couple of wins and the likes of Worcester don't get gifted anymore freebies then we should start to pull away. Currently it looks like a Gloucester Vs Worcester battle at the bottom but Saints, us, Quins and maybe Falcons still could all get dragged into that mess. I hope they don't announce any potential ring fencing until the season has finished just to keep things spicy.

[jimKRFC]

BBC reporting that Leicester v Saints is off and the Exe v Bris game is in doubt because of covid at Exe.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/55560884

[fivepointer]

Saints v Tigers off this weekend - https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/ ... -positives

Exeter-Bris in doubt https://www.exeterchiefs.co.uk/news/chi ... al-testing

[FKAS]

The most unfulfilling result to an East Midlands Derby. Eurgh. However, one could argue a good result for both sides in that it moves them onto 15 and 13 points respectively whilst Wuss and Glaws (11th and 12th) on 9 and 6 points respectively play 3rd and 4th in Falcons and Sale and so are unlikely to substantially increase their points totals. That cushion for the Midlands teams will help stave off relegation but probably increase the calls for relegation to be scrapped.

[Puja]

The most unfulfilling result to an East Midlands Derby. Eurgh. However, one could argue a good result for both sides in that it moves them onto 15 and 13 points respectively whilst Wuss and Glaws (11th and 12th) on 9 and 6 points respectively play 3rd and 4th in Falcons and Sale and so are unlikely to substantially increase their points totals. That cushion for the Midlands teams will help stave off relegation but probably increase the calls for relegation to be scrapped.

I'll take a free 4 points (given our inconsistency so far this season in leaping from great victory at Glaws to capitulating at Irish) and we are owed it after our rivals got free points the other week, but I'd've much preferred a chance to actually earn them.

Puja

[morepork]

Jaysus, just write it off for this year already. It's the feckin mini spreader cup now.

[Doorzetbornandbred]

I can see a complete shambles at the end with sides potentially missing out on Europe because they genuinely lost a played game and someone picked up 6 or 8 points from not playing because of Covid and getting 2 points as the loser.

[Puja]

I can see a complete shambles at the end with sides potentially missing out on Europe because they genuinely lost a played game and someone picked up 6 or 8 points from not playing because of Covid and getting 2 points as the loser.

Hells, Skivington's just been interviewed talking about how his side have had heightened COVID protections and discipline and that's why they haven't had a game cancelled yet, and that discipline is arguably why they're bottom of the table!

It's not just England - Bayonne have pulled out of the ECC because of COVID cases, so Leicester are now due to have a two week rest before their next game.

Puja

[Doorzetbornandbred]

I can see a complete shambles at the end with sides potentially missing out on Europe because they genuinely lost a played game and someone picked up 6 or 8 points from not playing because of Covid and getting 2 points as the loser.

Hells, Skivington's just been interviewed talking about how his side have had heightened COVID protections and discipline and that's why they haven't had a game cancelled yet, and that discipline is arguably why they're bottom of the table!

It's not just England - Bayonne have pulled out of the ECC because of COVID cases, so Leicester are now due to have a two week rest before their next game.

Puja

I can genuinely see Pro sport being stopped in a fortnight or so's time. I reckon we'll up round 1800 to 2000 deaths a day around the 20th sadly.

[Gloskarlos]

This from the telegraph:-

The revisions, which have been seen by Telegraph Sport, include a ban on “face-to-face” try celebrations and ice baths while non-playing players are also to be prevented from attending matches to provide support. Other measures state that post-match food must taken on a “grab and go” basis. Players will also be banned from sharing cars while social-distancing and face-covering measures are also to be tightened.

The crackdown means that all pre-match warm-ups will now be filmed to help identify close contacts in the event of an outbreak, while all training meetings must either take place outside or virtually

Clubs have also been told that the use of changing rooms must be limited to showering after outdoor sessions while player flow through changing rooms is to be monitored. Bus seating plans must also be submitted to help with contact tracing.

I can’t see the sense in carrying on, as much as I would hate the only real slice of joy being removed from current existence.

[Puja]

I can’t see the sense in carrying on, as much as I would hate the only real slice of joy being removed from current existence.

The nationwide lockdown will help though, surely. It'll mean fewer contacts between players and general members of the public which will hopefully reduce the number of cancelled games.

Puja

[Gloskarlos]

You would hope so.... I personally think that stage is still a few weeks away, buts let’s try to remain optimistic.

[Tigersman]

I can see a complete shambles at the end with sides potentially missing out on Europe because they genuinely lost a played game and someone picked up 6 or 8 points from not playing because of Covid and getting 2 points as the loser.

Hells, Skivington's just been interviewed talking about how his side have had heightened COVID protections and discipline and that's why they haven't had a game cancelled yet, and that discipline is arguably why they're bottom of the table!

It's not just England - Bayonne have pulled out of the ECC because of COVID cases, so Leicester are now due to have a two week rest before their next game.

Puja

IDK about that, it's hard to say.
If it was their fault they would get 2 so they would still be near bottom anyway.
You could argue they have been unlucky that others near the bottom have picked up wins due to other teams getting covid but that has nothing to do with their own heightened covid protection and discipline.

[fivepointer]

This from the telegraph:-

The revisions, which have been seen by Telegraph Sport, include a ban on “face-to-face” try celebrations and ice baths while non-playing players are also to be prevented from attending matches to provide support. Other measures state that post-match food must taken on a “grab and go” basis. Players will also be banned from sharing cars while social-distancing and face-covering measures are also to be tightened.

The crackdown means that all pre-match warm-ups will now be filmed to help identify close contacts in the event of an outbreak, while all training meetings must either take place outside or virtually

Clubs have also been told that the use of changing rooms must be limited to showering after outdoor sessions while player flow through changing rooms is to be monitored. Bus seating plans must also be submitted to help with contact tracing.

I can’t see the sense in carrying on, as much as I would hate the only real slice of joy being removed from current existence.

I'm a bit surprised that most of these measures arent already in place.

car sharing should be a no no and there is surely no justification for pretty much the whole squad to attend a home match.

Can't help feeling that we're only a few cancellations away from some sort of halt.

And should we really be allowing cross border competitions to go ahead in the current circumstances?