Covid situation that forced Johannesburg postponement could have broad ramifications

The positive tests in the Phakisa Pumas squad that has forced the postponement of Saturday’s scheduled Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked match against the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg could have broader ramifications for the competition.

An SA Rugby release stated on Friday that “The intention is to reschedule the match as soon as possible”. However, it could be argued that from a competition integrity perspective, a precedent was set when the game between the Lions and the Toyota Cheetahs that suffered a similar fate a month ago was declared a draw, with both teams being awarded two log points.

The problem for the organisers of the Unlocked competition is that it probably won’t just be Saturday’s game in Johannesburg that will be impacted by the positive tests turned in by Pumas players that have forced the postponement. According to the release, “a number of Pumas forwards have been placed in quarantine for 10 days”, meaning that next week’s scheduled final game in the competition between the Bulls and the Pumas must be in doubt too.

As it stands, the Bulls have a six-point lead on the Super Rugby log, with most of the chasing pack having a game in hand on them. For the two coastal teams, the DHL Stormers and the Cell C Sharks, the gap can only be made up if the Bulls fail to pick up a bonus point win in their final game in Nelspruit.

However, if the Bulls had to settle for a “declared draw”, thus being awarded just two points, it would change the whole outlook, and leave the Pretoria team looking far more beatable on the log table that will determine the winner of the Unlocked trophy (which is determined just on a league basis).

Clearly that should not be palatable to anyone who wants the integrity of the competition preserved, but if a different outcome is allowed for these Covid impacted games, the Cheetahs for a start would have every right to feel put out that they were forced to share the points in their cancelled game nearly a month ago.

The decision to postpone (as it stands at the moment it is a postponement and not cancellation) was taken as part of prescribed precautions advised by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) to limit the risk of further infection in the rugby community.

According to the press release the decision was triggered on Friday following receipt of two further positive results from a second batch of tests after one player from the Pumas returned a positive result in scheduled testing earlier in the week.

Contact tracing protocols were followed which identified that all the infected players were engaged in a scrumming session. As a result, a number of the Pumas forwards have been placed in quarantine for ten days.

The Pumas' game against the Bulls is scheduled for next Friday, 20 November. According to the release, plans are already being made to reschedule both games.

The Tafel Lager Griquas match against the Cell C Sharks on Friday night (13 November) and the Stormers' meeting with the Cheetahs on Saturday are unaffected.