Sharks, Lions games postponed after gastro outbreak hits touring teams

An outbreak of gastroenteritis has forced the Vodacom United Rugby Championship games between the Cell C Sharks and Irish side Ulster, as well as the Emirates Lions v Glasgow Warriors games to be postponed.

Both games, which were to take place on Saturday, were canned when both overseas touring teams came down ill and couldn’t field a side to play in the fixture.

The URC have confirmed the matches will be rescheduled for a later date.

It is the first time in the competition’s history that fixtures have to be postponed for illness, outside Covid outbreaks which forced teams to return home last December and caused major disruptions in the first season of the tournament.

“The Round 6 United Rugby Championship fixtures involving Glasgow Warriors, Ulster Rugby, Cell C Sharks and Emirates Lions have been postponed,” an official statement from the URC said.

“Due to gastroenteritis infections it is not possible for Ulster or Glasgow Warriors to field full playing squads.

“In order to ensure a duty of care towards the players involved and given the medical advice received from key stakeholders, the United Rugby Championship has made the decision to postpone the fixtures.

“The league will now move to examine potential dates to reschedule the games and will update in due course.”

Glasgow came down with the illness earlier in the week while Ulster seem to have picked it up when moving to Durban, where they stayed in the same hotel as the Warriors.

Glasgow had already discussed sending some players home early because of the illness, and both sides’ international players go into camp with their respective national sides this weekend when they get home.

The URC will announce the rescheduled dates in due course.