Bristol confirmed

[BdeB]

Sale have forfeited so it is Bristol on Saturday.

[Neils]

Good but where?

[Neils]

 https://mol.im/a/8813697

[MarleyWasp]

Not taking this as a given by any means until PRL confirm it. I don't trust the clowns at PRL to do the right thing.

[Heathen]

If it is Bristol then I wonder how Lam will decide his team selection. He has already said that he is targeting the ECC this season.

[Neils]

If it is Bristol then I wonder how Lam will decide his team selection. He has already said that he is targeting the ECC this season.

He will still go strong.

[andermt]

If it is Bristol then I wonder how Lam will decide his team selection. He has already said that he is targeting the ECC this season.

He will still go strong.

Agreed, the Premiership title is a better trophy to win than the Challenge Cup.

[MarleyWasp]

I don't expect Bristol will be resting players unless they're 50/50. With the Challenge Cup Final being on Friday they'll have the standard time to recover and prepare.

[Raggs]

He'll go all out. Prem is bigger than the challenge cup. I think the targeting comment was qualifying, now they've qualified however..

[wycombewasp]

the prem might be the bigger cup but which does he have the best chance of winning, Toulon at home or Exeter I would say Toulon, winning 1 cup is better than zero

[backdoc]

the prem might be the bigger cup but which does he have the best chance of winning, Toulon at home or Exeter I would say Toulon, winning 1 cup is better than zero

They have got to beat Wasps first

[NellyWellyWaspy]

the prem might be the bigger cup but which does he have the best chance of winning, Toulon at home or Exeter I would say Toulon, winning 1 cup is better than zero

They have got to beat Wasps first

+1. Right on. I would say that beating Wasps will be harder for Bristol than beating Chiefs.

[Trevs Big Tackle]

It's back to effectively a game a weekend for Bristol now rather than midweek fixtures we've been having. Player recovery should be okay if there's no injuries. They just have 3 games to win to become legends. Incredibly difficult games but still, just 3 wins away from glory. Same as Wasps were last week.

I think they'll go all out to win all three.

[Covkid48]

I'd rather play Bristol anyway than Sale. We are more than a match for anyone in broken play and our defense is better than Bristol's. When I watch them play I see 4-5 top quality players but not that much else, we need at least parity in the scrum so that we've got quality ball to play with and to keep the tempo high. if we get on top and keep the score board ticking over I think we will win.

[Rossm]

From The Telegraph: Report by Gavin Mairs, CHIEF RUGBY UNION CORRESPONDENT

Sale Sharks' make-or-break Premiership clash with Worcester cancelled after more positive Covid tests

Sale Sharks' match against Worcester Warriors has been called off after the north west club received more positive tests for Covid-19 within their squad, Telegraph Sport understands.

It is thought that around half-a-dozen new positive cases have been identified overnight following the latest round of testing on Tuesday, dashing Sale’s hopes of reaching the Premiership play-offs.

Sale had said they would forfeit the fixture if they reached any more positive tests, or if they felt it was not safe to go ahead, after 19 positive tests last Friday forced their match against Worcester on Sunday to be postponed.

The latest results were being considered by the Premiership’s Oversight Group on Wednesday morning but sources confirmed that a decision has already been taken to call
Sale required a victory to leapfrog Bath into fourth place but the forfeit means that Worcester will record a 20-0 win under the restart regulations.

The decision will come as a relief to Worcester, who had held grave reservations about the fixture going ahead, given that several Northampton players were forced to self-isolate after playing against Sale last Tuesday night.

The ripple effects of Sale Sharks’ mass Covid-19 outbreak even extended into Eddie Jones’ England camp as Northampton centre Piers Francis tested positive for the virus.

Francis, who was included in an initial 28-man squad, will not enter England’s training camp and will isolate at home.

Sale's forfeit means that the Saturday’s Premiership play-offs will see Exeter Chiefs entertain Bath and Bristol Bears travel to Wasps.