Aussie players cleared of COVID-19

NEWS: Rugby Australia has confirmed that two of its sevens team members who were tested for coronavirus have returned with negative results.

The governing body had taken firm action as the team members, who have not been named and have not been specified as players or staff, had previously shown symptoms of COVID-19 and self-isolated over the weekend.

In response, the organisation closed its headquarters in Sydney for a two-day intensive clean on Monday and Tuesday, while all administrative staff had been advised to work from home.

The Australian men’s and women’s sevens teams had also suspended training at Sydney’s Moore Park from Monday through to Wednesday, but a statement released by RA today confirmed that teams will resume normal practice on Thursday.

“Rugby Australia has confirmed that members of the Australian Sevens program who were tested for COVID-19 have each returned negative tests,” the brief statement reads.

“There are not currently any concerns for any other members of the program, and teams will return to training at Rugby Australia headquarters on Thursday.”

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Precautionary measures were taken by the All Blacks Sevens squad and South Africa sevens after news of RA’s coronavirus scare emerged, both teams suspended their own training.

The World Sevens Series has already been impacted by COVID-19 this season, with the Hong Kong and Singapore events of the 2019-20 season were delayed until October after having initially been scheduled for April.

The next event is a women’s series tournament set to be held in Langford, Canada in early May, but that could be under threat after the Canadian government announced it was closing its borders to all foreigners except US citizens due to the coronavirus outbreak in North America.

The men are scheduled to play three weeks later in London on May 23.