Coronavirus: Newcastle and Bath awarded four points after Boxing Day cancellations

Both Newcastle vs Leicester and Bath against London Irish were cancelled; a Premiership Rugby panel has awarded Newcastle and Bath four points and Leicester and London Irish two

Image: Newcastle and Bath have both been handed four points by a Premiership Rugby panel

Newcastle Falcons and Bath have both been awarded four points following their respective Boxing Day cancellations, Premiership Rugby has confirmed.

The outcomes were reached by a Premiership Rugby panel consisting of Premiership Rugby chairman Andy Higginson, chief executive Darren Childs and rugby director Phil Winstanley.

It came as the Boxing Day matches - Newcastle against Leicester and Bath versus London Irish - were cancelled after Leicester and London Irish returned a small number of positive coronavirus tests in this week's PCR testing.

A number of the Tigers and Irish squad were ruled out of the matches and forced into isolation due to contact tracing, and the clubs subsequently closed their training grounds to minimise the impact and spread.

Both Leicester and London Irish have been awarded two points following the investigation.

Image: Leicester and London Irish were both awarded two points

A Premiership Rugby spokesperson said: "Following Leicester Tigers' inability to fulfil their Gallagher Premiership Rugby Round Four fixture against Newcastle Falcons as a result of Covid-19, the Falcons have been awarded the win and four league points.

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"Leicester Tigers shall be deemed to have lost the match but awarded two league points. The match score shall be recorded as 0ǂ."

The spokesperson added: "Following London Irish's inability to fulfil their Gallagher Premiership Rugby Round Four fixture against Bath Rugby as a result of Covid-19, Bath Rugby have been awarded the win and four league points.

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"London Irish shall be deemed to have lost the match but awarded two league points. The match score shall be recorded as 0ǂ.

"The health and safety of players, staff, management, officials and supporters is our only priority, so the correct decision was taken to call the game off."

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