Gloucester versus Worcester match cancelled

NEWS: Gloucester’s match at home to Worcester in the English Premiership on Friday was called off just hours before kick-off due to the visitors’ lack of front row forwards.

Worcester said they had 36 players unavailable due to a mixture of injury, illness and COVID-19 concerns, leaving them with just a squad of 18.

Of those, only three were prop forwards, meaning Worcester were unable to field the required six front row forwards.

An independent panel will now decide the points allocation from the game, with Premiership Rugby confirming the fixture will not be replayed.

“We apologise to Gloucester, supporters of both clubs for the inconvenience this will inevitably cause but exceptional circumstances have conspired against us,” a Worcester statement read.

The fixture was finally scuppered when Scotland front row Murray McCallum, initially named as a replacement, failed a fitness test on Friday, thereby leaving Worcester with a mere three props.

“When the side to face Gloucester was announced on Thursday we named the only four fit props in the club at that stage,” the statement added.

“The availability of Murray McCallum, who was named as replacement tighthead, was subject to him passing a fitness test on Friday morning. Unfortunately, Murray failed that fitness test.”

Gloucester made clear their unhappiness at the match being abandoned some five hours before the scheduled 1945 GMT kick-off in a statement of their own.

It read: “Gloucester is extremely disappointed to confirm that the fixture against Worcester Warriors has been cancelled, following a forfeit by the opposition.

“Gloucester would like to extend its deepest apologies to our supporters.

“While this is not a matter which the club was able to influence despite best efforts, we recognise the significant disruption this causes for both sets of supporters, players and staff.”