Premiership clubs face a potentially huge points deduction if they break their ‘social bubble’ when rugby returns next month.
The sport remains on track to resume top flight action on August 14 after 896 Covid tests produced only two positives in the third week of screening.
Once the season restarts special measures will be introduced to guard against any possible spike in infections.
These include travelling in two buses to away games to observe social distancing rules, and players not sharing hotel rooms.
Should a team break its “social bubble” it is understood the punishment could be as much as a 10-point deduction for the most serious breach.
With nine of the 22 regular season rounds still to play, Exeter lead the table by five points from Sale.
Gloucester have completed their coaching line-up by appointing Dom Waldouck as defence coach.
Waldouck’s arrival means the Cherry and Whites’ new management set-up is loaded with playmaker Danny Cipriani’s former Wasps club mates.
In addition to Waldouck, George Skivington is head coach, Alex King attack coach and World Cup-winning prop Trevor Woodman assistant forwards coach.
