Covid SA

[Neils]

A few teams stuck in SA this weekend.  Scarlets, Dragons and apparently Munster. Trying to get out fast according to the Beeb

[Neils]

Also Zebre over there.

[Wombles]

Going to have a huge impact on their league.

Although people naturally worry, the Virus is doing exactly what viruses do. Too many unanswered questions on infectivity and severity. However in the positives, with the genomic sequencing we can track mutations, and they happen all the time! Influenza mutates twice as quickly as Covid. Also we can adjust our vaccines to match what we think the most predominant strain will be in only a matter of weeks. We do this with Flu by tracking the most predominant and infectious strain and vaccinating to cover that.

I always thought that Covid19 would be the 5th coronavirus we have, with seasonal variation and it looks like it is behaving like its siblings. Potentially this strain could blow itself out, or be more infectious but less severe (Viruses inherently want to survive). We will learn to live with it as we do Influenza.

[Neils]

Going to have a huge impact on their league.

Although people naturally worry, the Virus is doing exactly what viruses do. Too many unanswered questions on infectivity and severity. However in the positives, with the genomic sequencing we can track mutations, and they happen all the time! Influenza mutates twice as quickly as Covid. Also we can adjust our vaccines to match what we think the most predominant strain will be in only a matter of weeks. We do this with Flu by tracking the most predominant and infectious strain and vaccinating to cover that.

I always thought that Covid19 would be the 5th coronavirus we have, with seasonal variation and it looks like it is behaving like its siblings. Potentially this strain could blow itself out, or be more infectious but less severe (Viruses inherently want to survive). We will learn to live with it as we do Influenza.

Plus might impact on our match in 15/16 days if Munster can't get out quickly.

[Neils]

From Irish Press -


Munster's United Rugby Championship clash against the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday looks poised to be cancelled due to the discovery of a new Covid-19 variant in South Africa.

All four URC games involving Munster, Scarlets, Cardiff and Zebre are in doubt this morning after confirmation that South Africa is one of six countries being placed on an updated UK Red List, which comes into effect at 4am on Sunday morning.

Anyone arriving after that time will face a 10-day hotel quarantine and it is expected that the games will be called off, with an announcement expected later today.

Munster are set to play the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday and the Lions in Johannesburg the following weekend.

On their return, Munster are due to travel to Coventry to play Wasps in the opening round of the Heineken Champions Cup on Sunday 12 December.

In a statement on Twitter, the club said: "We all are safe and well in Pretoria.

"We are working with URC on the ongoing situation relating to Covid-19 and will provide an update once we know more."

Sajid Javid, the UK Health Secretary, said that flights to England from South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini and Zimbabwe will be suspended from midday Friday and all six countries will be added to the red list.

The Scarlets, who were due to face the Sharks, and Cardiff, who were set to take on the Lions, are planning to return to Wales at the earliest opportunity.

Cardiff said they are "looking to repatriate our staff ASAP", adding that "our focus is to ensure the safety and welfare of our people".

Scarlets said: "Following the news of a new COVID-19 variant in South Africa, Scarlets would like to assure families and friends that we are making every effort to get our touring party back home to the UK as soon as possible."

Italian club Zebre Parma are also in South Africa ahead of a fixture against the Stormers.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Caldwell, Paul Dunne, Niall Kearney and Cormac Sharvin are among 15 Irish and British players to have withdrawn from the Joburg Open, the first event of golf's DP World Tour 2021/22 season.

[Neils]

This kind of confirms EU Regs too (Irish Examiner) -

THE weekend’s United Rugby Championship matches in South Africa, including Munster’s match against the Bulls, are set to be postponed following a new Covid-19 outbreak.

Munster have found themselves in the provincial epicentre of a worrisome Covid-19 outbreak in South Africa, with the large majority of the 2,465 new Covid-19 reported in South Africa on Thursday having been detected in Gauteng.

Both Welsh teams who were in South Africa, the Scarlets and Cardiff, have already confirmed they are seeking routes out of the country as new travel bans continue to be enforced.

It’s believed that Munster - as well as Italian side Zebre - are also currently working on contingency plans of their own to make their exit from South Africa, with the country having already been placed on the EU and UK’s travel red lists.

The World Health Organisation is currently convening an experts' meeting from Geneva at midday (11”00 GMT) on Friday to assess the new Covid-19 variant B.1.1.529 amid growing concerns that it could be the most serious “super variant” to date.

The UK dramatically announced on Thursday night that travellers from South Africa, and neighbouring countries, would be barred from entering England, while Israel, Germany, Singapore, and Japan have since followed in those footsteps, imposing travel bans and flight restrictions on South Africa.

In terms of the impact on the United Rugby Championship, the dramatic turn of events has left teams scrambling to gain clarity on the situation, and to hastily organise flights out of South Africa as the need arises.

Munster were scheduled to play the Bulls on Saturday, but the Pretoria-based team postponed their team announcement press conference on Friday, as did the Sharks and Stormers.

It’s a sure sign of the uncertainty facing the tournament, and it’s now expected to be only a matter of time before an official announcement is made confirming the two rounds of fixtures in South Africa will not go ahead as planned. They could apparently be rescheduled for a date during the Six Nations next year.

This weekend, Zebre were also scheduled to play the Stormers, Scarlets had been in line to face the Sharks, while Cardiff were in Johannesburg preparing to tackle the Lions on Sunday.

Munster’s match against the Bulls was set to be followed by a clash against the Lions next weekend, while they are due to play in a European Champions Cup match against Wasps in Coventry on December 12.

The only statement Munster have made on the matter up to this point is to say: "We all are safe and well in Pretoria. We are working with URC on the ongoing situation relating to Covid-19 & will provide an update once we know more."

Specifically in Gauteng, as of Thursday night, the 1,950 new cases represented the biggest single-day increase since 13 August, with 707 patients in hospital and 55 in ICU.

Ironically, the two rounds of matches in South Africa were originally due to be played in Italy due to Covid issues, but they were then switched back once the country was taken off the UK's travel red list in October.

This weekend was also set to represent the first time supporters were allowed back into South Africa's rugby stadiums for such a high-profile set of fixtures, albeit with crowd limitations of just 2,000 attendees.

In golf, four Irish golfers are among 16 players to have withdrawn from the Joburg Open, the opening event of the DP World Tour (rebranded from the European Tour). Jonathan Caldwell, Niall Kearney, Paul Dunne, and Cormac Sharvin are seeking to leave the country amid the new outbreak.

[FishingWasp]

Plus might impact on our match in 15/16 days if Munster can't get out quickly.
[/quote]

Flights from SA etc suspended from midday today per Javid, so highly unlikely that a rugby team plus support staff plus equipment etc will be able to get out until flights resume. Tough for the guys stuck out there Munster,Cardiff, Scarlets, Zebre.
This could throw many European Cup/ Challenge cup into doubt

[Neils]

Plus might impact on our match in 15/16 days if Munster can't get out quickly.

Flights from SA etc suspended from midday today per Javid, so highly unlikely that a rugby team plus support staff plus equipment etc will be able to get out until flights resume. Tough for the guys stuck out there Munster,Cardiff, Scarlets, Zebre.
This could throw many European Cup/ Challenge cup into doubt
[/quote]

Yes the UK 10 Isolation would make games possible but stretching it. Can't see what the EU/Ireland have put in place yet. I see Munster hope to get back by flying the the Middle East.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

I would be most surprised if most major countries don't issue a similar incoming flight ban ASAP. If they aren't on a plane somewhere in the next couple of hours, they will be stuck there.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

It would appear that all of the teams, and fans, are stuck there. The Munster team is locking themselves down in a hotel in South Africa, but I doubt that it would satisfy any quarantine requirements upon arrival. It seems highly likely that the team will have to quarantine after they arrive back in Ireland, assuming they can get back. All flights for now are grounded, but it is obvious that someone is going to have to charter a flight. That would be the Irish Government (highly unlikely, as nobody is really at risk), the URC (their equivalent of our Premiership, and that is highly unlikely, as I doubt they have any money for such an expense) and Munster club. It WILL costs a LOT of money, and will take days to organise. They would have to get a direct flight charter and have governmental permission. There will be massive political pressure against making exceptions to a lockdown rule, so there would likely be days of negotiating, press briefings and attempts to smooth the way for the announcement of permission being given. Upon arrival, they would have to quarantine, so they would have to find a large hotel to do that in (suggestions are that it might be Carton House in Kildare). Can they train whilst there, or whilst they are in their hotel in South Africa? Probably not.

A big mess, with no apparent contingency planning for what was a probable event. Any team leaving the UK right now should maybe have a contingency plan to exit the country they are in, but that would be expensive ...

[Bloke in North Dorset]

I wouldn't wish Munster's fate on anyone and I know there's a lot of people looking forward to that game, but we should take it as a blessing if the game is off.

This has been an annus horribilis, as HMQ would say, and the sooner we get to the end of it the better. One less game for players to get injured, more time for other players to recover, a bit more rest for those players who've been putting in huge amounts of work. We may even have a full squad if and when the game is rearranged.

[Neils]

I wouldn't wish Munster's fate on anyone and I know there's a lot of people looking forward to that game, but we should take it as a blessing if the game is off.

This has been an annus horribilis, as HMQ would say, and the sooner we get to the end of it the better. One less game for players to get injured, more time for other players to recover, a bit more rest for those players who've been putting in huge amounts of work. We may even have a full squad if and when the game is rearranged.

I actually echo that fully- kind of blessing in disguise.

[MarleyWasp]

I suppose a flight could be chartered to bring back all 4 sides and match officials. There's probably 200 players, coaches, physios and officials needing to get back to Europe which should fit on most flights capable of flying that distance. Dread to think of the cost though, but it makes sense to work together.

[Chunky24]

I suppose a flight could be chartered to bring back all 4 sides and match officials. There's probably 200 players, coaches, physios and officials needing to get back to Europe which should fit on most flights capable of flying that distance. Dread to think of the cost though, but it makes sense to work together.

Welsh sides apparently have the charter flight ready to go but can't get permission to fly back to eu/ UK.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/live-updates-cardiff-scarlets-try-22282717

[Heathen]

Welsh sides apparently have the charter flight ready to go but can't get permission to fly back to eu/ UK.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/live-updates-cardiff-scarlets-try-22282717

That will always be the case. No flights allowed until the Govt. lift the ban. Does not matter what they do in SA, it will be 2 weeks quarantine in the UK when they eventually do arrive.