Covid-hit Sale Sharks are set to forfeit their game with Worcester Warriors following further testing.
The club had promised to throw the towel in if more positive tests were discovered when the players were tested again yesterday morning.
, Sale have 'received the news they were dreading' after they were sent the test results early this morning.
Sale, who will likely be handed a 20-0 defeat, needed to avoid defeat in order to qualify for this weekend’s play-offs, while a defeat or a forfeit would see Bath qualify for the post-season series instead.
Worcester’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions Cup were effectively ended by the decision to gift Gloucester a walkover win against Northampton, some of whose players were forced to self-isolate after playing Sale.
When are the Gallagher Premiership semi-finals? Saturday 10 October
- 1.30pm – Wasps v Bristol Bears
- 4.30pm – Exeter Chiefs v Bath
Both matches are live on BT Sport 1 with the programme starting at 1pm.
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RANKED | The 10 highest paid people in rugby union, 2020
Keep reading to see the top 10 highest-paid people in rugby union, ranked in ascending order of earnings.
9=. ANDY FARRELL £600k (Ireland)
The first of two Farrell's on this list, Andy received a significant pay boost when he took over from Joe Schmidt following the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
9=. DAN BIGGAR £600k (Northampton Saints)
The Welsh pivot has made the most of his big-money move from Ospreys to Northampton Saints, where he has shone consistently since joining in 2018.
8. STEVE LUATUA £650k (Bristol Bears)
Didn't make any friends within the All Blacks hierarchy when he decided to cash in on his extreme rugby talent, signing for Bristol in 2017. Has since signed a two-year contract extension. The All Blacks aren’t allowed by the New Zealand Rugby Union to pick exiles.
6=. OWEN FARRELL £750k (Saracens)
The England captain signed his deal a while ago. It's set to run until 2022 when he can expect to earn an increase again wherever he decides to play, assuming rugby hasn't completely decided to tighten its belt by then.
6=. EDDIE JONES £750k (England)
The highest-paid international rugby coach. His salary pales in comparison to Manchester City chief Pep Guardiola (£20million) and England football chief Gareth Southgate (£3m).
5. PAT LAM £800k (Bristol Bears)
The former Newcastle, Northampton and Samoa back-row will remain at Ashton Gate until at least 2023 after signing a bumper contract extension in 2019. The 50-year-old, as a result, became the highest paid rugby boss in the world.
4. MARO ITOJE £825k (Saracens)
Signed a new deal last year that was reportedly between £750,000 and £1 million. He's one of the front runners to captain the Lions
3. EBEN ETZEBETH £900k (Toulon)
The 28-year-old Springbok extended his stay at the French club in July by signing a new three-year deal with the club that will see him remain at the club until June 2023.
2=. CHARLES PIUTAU £1m (Bristol Bears)
The former New Zealand wing or full-back become British rugby’s first million-pound player when he signed for Bristol Bears. The former All Black speedster, who deserted his international ambitions at the premature age of 23, has consistently been one of the best players in Europe since 2015.
1=. HANDRE POLLARD £1m (Montpellier)
The World Cup-winning Springboks playmaker Handre Pollard became the joint highest paid rugby player in the world alongside Piutau when he agreed to leave the Bulls in Super Rugby to join Montpellier in the Top 14 last year.
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