Premiership Rugby have issued a statement saying that all fixtures will go ahead as currently scheduled despite the outbreak of coronavirus.
With a huge number of sporting events being called off over the past 24 hours including the suspension of the PRO14 indefinitely, two Six Nations matches this weekend being postponed and English football shutting down until at least April 4th, rugby in England will continue as normal.
That means that Sale Sharks and Harlequins’ Premiership Cup final this weekend will be played as scheduled and the statement claims they have no issues with the fixtures going ahead as previously planned.
“The welfare of our fans, players and staff is our first concern and we are working in close contact with DCMS, Public Health England and World Health Organisation, following all the experts’ advice. Based on this advice, and in consultation with the teams, we have decided to run the Premiership Rugby Cup this Sunday at the AJ Bell Stadium, as planned. We will continue to work closely with government on a schedule for the remainder of the season, should the guidance on sporting events change. We will keep updating our plans with new information as it is released, and ensure our clubs and fans are updated with developments as soon as they happen,” the statement read.
It comes as a bit of a surprise with the number of events being put on hold over the past couple of days and many will expect that Premiership Rugby will follow suit in due course as the spread of the virus increases.