Edinburgh Rugby academy player tests positive for Covid-19

An Edinburgh Rugby academy player has tested positive for coronavirus after attending a house party last week with three other teammates.

All four players are self-isolating after the breach of Covid restrictions, which was described as “clearly unacceptable” and “a hugely disappointing incident” by the Scottish Government’s national clinical director Professor Jason Leitch.

The first team is due to travel to France as they prepare to face Union Bordeaux in the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup – a trip which is still set to go ahead.

Prof Leitch said NHS Lothian examined training footage, GPS data and Edinburgh Rugby’s safety measures before advising it is still safe for the squad to travel.

Speaking at the daily briefing, he said: “I can confirm that an Edinburgh Rugby academy player has tested positive for Covid. The young man in question is one of four academy players who attended a house party last Friday.

‘This is clearly unacceptable and I am personally disappointed that after all the hard work that’s gone into the return of elite sport with the rugby authorities that this has happened.’
Scottish Government’s national clinical director Professor Jason Leitch

“In doing so they breached the general restrictions on social gatherings and also the protocols that were agreed between Scottish Rugby and the Scottish Government.

“This is clearly unacceptable and I am personally disappointed that after all the hard work that’s gone into the return of elite sport with the rugby authorities that this has happened.

“All four players are now self-isolating and their contacts, including those at the gathering, are being traced.

“The health protection team in NHS Lothian has examined the implications for the rest of the Edinburgh squad, in particular the first team players who are due to play in France at the weekend.

“In doing so they’ve examined training footage, GPS data and the safety measures that were in place. Based on that, they have advised that it is safe for the squad to travel to France and for the match to go ahead.”

Edinburgh Rugby said in a statement on the matter: “We would treat a suspected breach of our own, and the government’s public health guidelines, extremely seriously and will take appropriate actions and steps as required.”