EP Rugby: Twitter
The Eastern Province Rugby Union has been forced to close up shop after no-less than 11 players in the EP Elephants team as well as Head Coach Peter de Villiers tested positive for Covid-19.
EPRU President Andre Rademan says the entire EP Elephants outfit was tested after they returned home from their friendly away to Free State at the weekend.
“No-one is displaying any major symptoms but its quite a shock to us that all these results have come back positive,” said Rademan. “We’ve been left with no choice but to close our offices until Monday 14 June and also postpone all meetings until next week.”
Rademan said the friendly game scheduled for Saturday 12 June between EP and Griquas had also been cancelled.
He said the EPRU Executive Committee had decided last week already to call off all club matches and this latest development certainly vindicated that decision.
He added that it was difficult to say what would happen with the EP Elephants first match in the Carling Currie Cup First Division against the Leopards which EP is set to host on Saturday the 19th of June.
“De Villiers and his 11 players will only come out of quarantine on the 17th of June so you can’t expect them to be ready for a rugby match two days later,” noted Rademan. “We are busy with crisis management at the moment and a decision regarding the Leopards game will no doubt be made in due course.”
