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Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie says the game against the Lions was understandably canceled, but has questioned the late notification of the decision.
The Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked match between the teams scheduled for Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon was canceled in accordance with Covid-19 protocols after two more Lions players tested positive on match day.
The decision to have the sides share the points rather than play the game was taken as part of the prescribed precautions recommended by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) to limit the risk of further infection in the rugby community.
But Fourie was disappointed in the way the decision was made and how late his team was briefed on the decision, especially after they had already traveled from Bloemfontein to Johannesburg on a five to four bus trip.
“We were busy with our pregame meal around 12:30 pm when we got the call at the hotel. We would have had our final team meeting at 2pm and then we would have gone to Ellis Park, ” he said. The citizen.
“It leaves a bad taste in the mouth that they made the decision so close to the start of the game. I believe that certain structures should be established in the future [to better deal with this sort of thing]’Fourie explained.
“I would say at least 48 hours before the game so that the team that has to travel doesn’t lose a couple hundred thousand rand. For me it is very poor that we receive the news so late; four hours before the start. I don’t think it’s acceptable. ‘
Fourie added that the three Cheetahs players who left, Walt Steenkamp, Jasper Wiese and Benhard Janse van Rensburg, were especially disappointed as it would have been their last game for the Bloemfontein franchise.
Obviously, they were very disappointed. They desperately wanted to play one last time in the Cheetahs jersey and the team really wanted to give them a proper sendoff. ‘
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Photo: Harry Murphy / Sportsfile via Getty Images
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