England: Symptomatic-only Covid testing replaces routine testing in elite rugby

Dylan Coetzee

17 Feb 2022 8:06 AM

A negative result of SARS-CoV-2 antigen test is seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on February 16, 2022. (Photo illustration by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto)

Rugby bosses in England have decided to employ symptomatic-only Covid-19 testing in the elite game.

Taking place with immediate effect, the new protocols will apply to the Premiership, RFU Championship and the Premier 15s.

Routine testing to stop

Therefore, routine weekly testing will be placed on hold and only those who have symptoms will be tested for the virus.

English rugby’s Professional Game Board (PGB) said: “Following a recommendation from the Professional Rugby Testing Oversight Group in England after extensive consultation with club medical teams, public health and independent medical experts, the PGB have approved the change which comes in with immediate effect.”

PGB chair Chris Booy added: “The safety of everyone involved in the game and the wider community has been our only priority since the very first outbreak of Covid.

“The Testing Oversight Group have done a fantastic job in managing the testing policy of the sport and adapting it when required to prioritise the safety of all players and staff.

“This has included, at times, the difficult decision to cancel fixtures when it has been the right thing to do to manage risk.

“Following this extensive consultation, we are now able today to align more closely with national guidance and can reduce our testing to focus our testing on players or staff with Covid symptoms.

“All players and staff will continue to be monitored by their medical teams for those symptoms, with any testing requirements and positive cases still co-ordinated and managed by club medical teams.

“The Government are looking to take a phased approach to get back to ‘business as usual’, with review points and further changes as, and when, conditions allow. We believe that elite sport should adopt the same approach.”

Booy said that the proportion of fully-vaccinated players and staff across the Premiership is currently 97 per cent, with 94 per cent in the Championship and 96 per cent in the Premier 15s.

England