UPDATED: Scarlets cancel match but Cardiff field team following Covid quarantine
Both teams have players and staff in hotels, following flights back from South Africa, on the red list
Last updated 7th Dec 2021
Scarlets have been forced to give up their Champions Cup round one match with Bristol Bears this Saturday (11th December), because too many of the team are in quarantine.
32 players are isolating in a hotel in Belfast, after they travelled back from South Africa after it had been put on the travel red list.
They are due out on Friday, the day before the match was scheduled to take place, but club management say it would be a physical risk to select any of them for the matchday squad.
In a statement, Scarlets added: 'Since returning from South Africa, the travelling party have been in a strict 10-day quarantine, confined to their rooms with limited outdoor time a day without having been able to train as a group. That isolation period is due to end on Friday, December 10 – just a day before the Bristol fixture.
'At present, we have 14 fit Scarlets players training at Parc y Scarlets – seven senior players and seven development players.
'We would like to thank the Ospreys and Dragons for their offer of assistance, but, unfortunately, we have been unable to put together a match-day squad that can safely take the field against the Bears.'
Cardiff to host European champions Toulouse
Cardiff, who have a party of 42 players and staff in isolation at a hotel just outside London until next week, host reigning European champions Toulouse on Saturday.
That game definitely goes ahead, with Cardiff's challenge built on a platform provided by a handful of Wales internationals such as Josh Adams, Ellis Jenkins, Dillon Lewis and Seb Davies, who did not travel to South Africa.
But their line-up will also include a number of academy players and semi-professionals, with academy manager Gruff Rees heading up the coaching team.
Rees said: "It is a surreal situation all round, really.
"It has been really tricky, and obviously our thoughts are with the players and staff who have had to endure such difficult times, and (we are) trying to give them as much support as possible.
"We can't hide away from the fact that it could be a daunting task against the best in the business, but one that actually can bring the best out of everyone.
"We have a slightly misfit group coming together. There is less pressure in some ways, but we've got that responsibility that whoever is on the field we are representing a great rugby club in a great competition."
"Welfare of our players has to be a top priority"
Scarlets bosses say forfeiting the match, automatically awarding Bristol a 29-0 win, was not a decision taken lightly.
Executive Chairman Simon Muderack said: “This is a great fixture between two great clubs, which supporters, players and staff on both sides were all looking forward to.
“Ultimately, though, the welfare of our players has to be our priority and following discussions with our staff it was felt that there was too much risk to ask the players currently in quarantine to play a game of this magnitude and intensity just a day after coming out of quarantine. You have to remember, the squad have been in isolation since the news of this Omicron variant first emerged when they were still in Durban so it will be something like 15 days in all. Also, a lot of the players haven’t played since the Benetton game on October 22. As a club we have a duty of care to our players.
“With only 14 squad members training at the Parc, half of them young development players, we did look into the possibility of registering players from other regions and we have been grateful for the positive response from Ospreys and Dragons. But, any players we did loan would effectively be ‘cup-tied’ which has made that option a challenge as well.
“With the integrity of the competition in mind, we felt we were unable to put together a match-day 23 that would safely be able to take the field against the Bears.
“We are all disappointed. I know a lot of fans had booked accommodation in Bristol and have been looking forward to this game for some time. But I am sure everyone will understand the situation we have found ourselves in through no fault of our own.
“I would also like to stress that we have returned no positive Covid-19 cases in all the rounds of PCR testing prior to leaving and since arriving in South Africa and Northern Ireland.
“We would like to thank everyone at Bristol Bears and EPCR for their understanding of our predicament and look forward to welcoming Pat Lam and his side to Parc y Scarlets for the return fixture in January.”
Details will soon be published for supporters who had planned to watch the game in Bristol, including for coach travel.