SALE Sharks has denied reports that players partied in Manchester after a cup win and days before a coronavirus outbreak at the club. 

Worcester Warriors had been due to finish the season with a trip to Sale on Sunday, a match that has been rescheduled for Wednesday subject to advice from Premiership Rugby, the RFU and Public Health England. 

SALE'S STATEMENT IN FULL

Following an internal investigation, Sale Sharks refute all recent allegations made in the national press and by other leading figures from Premiership Rugby clubs, regarding Sale Sharks’ players being in central Manchester or on university campuses following the Premiership Rugby Cup final on Monday 21st September.

Sale Sharks is unable at this moment to confirm the cause of the COVID-19 outbreak at the club. We suspect that the cause of the outbreak is related to a ‘false-negative’ test result received in respect of one of our players.

Even though the club did have an entirely compliant matchday squad available to play on Sunday, Worcester Warriors expressed concern on health grounds about completing the fixture as scheduled. Sale Sharks accepted these concerns as legitimate so agreed to postpone the game until the following Wednesday, in order to allow Sale Sharks’ players and staff to undergo a further round of testing.

If the club feel it is not safe to play and/or receive one additional positive test, Sale Sharks will forfeit their Gallagher Premiership Round 22 match with Worcester Warriors in order to ensure the health and safety of all concerned.

Sale Sharks would like to thank those who have expressed concern for the welfare of our players and staff during this challenging period.