Bristol Bears are looking increasingly likely to be called-up to replace Wasps in the Gallagher Premiership final on Saturday following news coming out of the Coventry-based club.
Wasps have been forced to suspend training since Wednesday following seven positive cases for Covid-19 at the club last week and a further four confirmed yesterday from emergency testing carried out on Saturday, however it is understood two of the latest positive cases were false positives, meaning a secondary test cleared those involved.
However Wasps' place in the Gallagher Premiership final could be lost if they return just one more positive Covid-19 test result reports CoventryLive, with the entire playing squad tested today (Tuesday) in the final round of scheduled testing during the 2019/20 season.
The results will be learned tomorrow (Wednesday) and a decision made as to whether Wasps will tackle Exeter Chiefs in Saturday's final or whether Bristol Bears, who are the next best placed side having finished the regular season in third place despite having lost 47-24 to Wasps in the semi-finals, will step in to take their place having been put on standby.
A decision will be made in consultation with the medical leads at Premiership Rugby, the RFU and Public Health England.
It has been heavily rumoured that should Wasps return one more positive test for Covid-19, they would be forced to forfeit the match as they cannot prove they have controlled the spread of the virus - a likely requirement from Public Health England to fulfil the match.
Sale Sharks were given the same conditions to fulfil when they were forced to forfeit their Round 22 Gallagher Premiership game with Worcester Warriors following 27 positive coronavirus cases at the club in the space of seven days.
Discussing the abnormal situation, Bears director of rugby Pat Lam said: “When we got back from the restart we all signed up to a lot of things, to playing midweek games, if you can’t fulfil a game you will forfeit 20-0 - there is no postponement. The other one was in play-off situations, in the semi-final and final, if you can’t fulfil the fixture because of positive tests, the next team has to step in.
“We never thought we would get there.
“Of course there was the possibility but we never thought we would be in this situation, but we are.”
While Lam was very clear he hopes Wasps are given the green light to play Exeter in the final having rightfully earned their spot, he said he will use his experience of preparing teams with a short turn around to get the best out of Bristol should they get called-up for the final with just three day’s notice.
Lam and his coaching staff led the Barbarians against England in 2018, and 2019, winning the first fixture 63-45 to inflict Eddie Jones’ uncapped national side to their biggest ever loss on home soil.
That Barbarians team of 2018 included Bristol Bears’ John Afoa, Semi Radradra and Niyi Adeolokun.
Lam said: “My experience with the Barbarians helps me a lot.
“Because when you have coaches they are all keen to do their bits and pieces but I always remind them about the Baa-Baas, and that is why I took my coaching staff with me. You have three days to put the guys together.
“You don’t have to do an hour of this, and hour of that.
“I say whatever the framework I give you, whether that is 10 minutes, you make the most of that 10 minutes and get the essential stuff covered. If I give you an hour then there you go.
"You can get a lot done even if you have minimal time, it is more about the quality of your work rather than the quantity.
"We will flick the switch, it was what I did with the Baa-Baas, it is what I have done before. It is about your mindset and our planning and processes.
"Once I heard this could happen I have been working behind the scenes on the game plan."
