[LJK]

It is 2 weeks since the RFU announced their enquiry into what happened at Sale in the run up to the Worcester fixture. Given the importance and urgency to all clubs of whatever findings they make, am I the only one to be amazed that nothing yet has been forthcoming? They would presumably had full access to the SS staff and players, as our season was then over, never mind the paperwork showing how the protocols were/were not followed.
The cynic in me says that the work has been done and they have found nothing wrong at SS, but the blame lies on the initial one incorrect test result, and the testing schedule at the wrong moment between our 2 games. This official testing regime and timings would be the responsibility of Premiership Rugby and/or the RFU, and if I am correct they would not want this made public, before the big final this weekend! I am sure if they had found evidence of partying by the players ,or other errors within the training environment at SS, the manure would have hit the fan by now.

[SimonG]

Well I am amazed that you are amazed that the RFU seem to have done nothing!

[ageinghoody]

Makes you wonder what the situation would have been if the Wuss game had gone ahead, as a result of that and a succesful semi we were now due to play the final, and then the RFU did find something amiss!

[LJK]

I know the RFU (in common with other governing bodies in world sport) are often very slow in making decisions, and/or cover them up, But, this situation is of the utmost importance and urgency to find out what happened. Was it just bad luck at Sale players living in the most affected area. ? If there was something untoward, then it must be known soonest, as the future of the Premiership is perhaps at stake, never mind team sports in general,
As I said I suspect the enquiry answers are known and will probably be revealed after the showpiece of the PR final

[Yareet]

For what it’s worth, our biggest fan Ugo Monye briefly mentions Sale in this week’s BBC podcast.

He says that our outbreak was a function of the levels of Corona in the area.

I may be reading too much into this but is he now of the opinion that we didn’t do much wrong?

[Olyy]

Changed his tune, considering he was spreading completely unfounded rumours (that were started on a Saints fan twitter account) on national television only a few weeks ago.

He is a large part of the reason the club copped so much abuse during the whole ordeal, and frankly he owes the players/staff an apology.

[Van Cannonball]

Along with the rest of the BT sport presenters, Pat Lam and Alan Solomons...

Maybe they’re waiting for an official confirmation.

Seems unlikely that there’s any evidence on the partying. Some other unwitting breach by a player seems more likely, but agree you’d expect it to have been publicised by now if the case.

[Olyy]

Seems unlikely that there’s any evidence on the partying.

Aye
Baabaas were drinking in an empty pub and there were videos of it all over the internet - I find it hard to believe our lot could file into a locked-down Uni hall and have a party without a single video, photo or even tweet doing the rounds

[Lord Elpus]

I thought the scenario was :-

1) 100% negative tests reported
2) Training including scrummaging practice follows as normal.
3) Three days later notification of one false negative.
4) Next testing round reveals double figure positive tests mostly among forwards.
5) Drs. Monye, Solomons, Lam blame Dimes for bat soup consumed at Man. Met. Uni. Hall party.
6) Match forfeited and RFU announce enquiry.
7) Nowt else.

[LJK]

It is now over 3 weeks since I started this thread, and still no public evidence of misdemeanours by SS or the players, or any public report by the RFU. Contrast that with the quick statement of punishment for the players involved in the Ba Bas match cancellation, though that was clearly a no-brainer in terms of the information available.

Monye has in the past been pretty accurate in 'predicting' stuff , and so either he has personally come to the same conclusion as me and others on here, that there is no manure to heap on SS protocols, or individual players , or, he has a 'heads up' on what the RFU enquiry has found, which reaches the same conclusion. Wonder if we as Sale supporters and the rugby fan base in general will now ever find out the RFU report conclusions?
As I said at the start, if there are failings in the system of testing or the protocols, then the game needs to know about it pronto, with a new season just 3 weeks away!

[Van Cannonball]

I personally think it’s impossible for the protocols to be foolproof short of not playing.

With the high % of a symptomatic cases and that people can be infectious prior to testing positive, it’s always going to be case that someone can pick it up and pass it on without It getting caught in time. It appears that this was exacerbated for us due to the delay from the false negative.

If rugby wants to carry on it needs to accept that this can/will happen and factor in rescheduling of games instead of forfeiting games, otherwise teams will be penalised for things outside of their own control.

[Lord Elpus]

Shouldn't that be high % of asymptomatic cases?

[Van Cannonball]

Auto-correct fail...

[H's D]

To my mind there is no doubt the testing was too regimented and inadequate. The error and delay in reporting instrumental in exacerbating the outbreak. The failure to immediately re-test everyone that Saturday after a single delayed notification failure, before the next game on the Tuesday was reckless, if not negligent. No wonder they have gone quiet...
However I also think part of the reason it has all gone quiet is that a rational explanation for the large numbers would still involve either a superspreader or two within the camp or the likelihood that games of rugby & contact training are indeed superspreader events which would tend to put into question whether rugby at professional level should go ahead at all under the current regime of testing.
The lack of clarity is all about not upsetting the current plans for this season........keeping the job running!

I note the NFL test their players virtually every day with a next day results service. https://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-con ... ?r=US&IR=T

Manifestly testing needs to be more frequent with far quicker accurate results obtained if professional sport is to continue without further embarassing incidents like Sale's.

And it's not a reflection of the efficiency/better finances of the US sport:
If you can get a similar commercial quality-assured Laboratory test routinely done for Corona virus in a cat with results back the next morning - using a routine end of day courier service (all for about £25+ VAT), or a PCR screening patient-side test done in 15 minutes at the surgery while you wait (for £35) , why does it take 3-4 days for a human sample result to be reported after undergoing exactly the same processes in human medicine in the UK?

[Lord Elpus]

And it's not a reflection of the efficiency/better finances of the US sport:
If you can get a similar commercial quality-assured Laboratory test routinely done for Corona virus in a cat with results back the next morning - using a routine end of day courier service (all for about £25+ VAT), or a PCR screening patient-side test done in 15 minutes at the surgery while you wait (for £35) , why does it take 3-4 days for a human sample result to be reported after undergoing exactly the same processes in human medicine in the UK?

Do the Lighthouse Labs only have 20w bulbs?

[H's D]

They are probably lit by the headlights of their owner's Ferraris parked outside!

Read this interesting Spanish article based on actual outbreak data from their test and trace. It would appear any long meeting indoors with one of those infected would do the trick in terms of superspreading....lack of adequate ventilation and duration is key apparently .... 2m spacing and masks won't really help you that much!
https://english.elpais.com/society/2020 ... obal-en-GB

[Yareet]

17 positives across the Prem

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/54813600

[Lord Elpus]

Beware of Dimes when he bears gifts of bat soup.

[LJK]

See Tigers have now suspended training after 'several' cases of Covid. Wonder if there will be an enquiry into that by the RFU (which will never see the light of day, like that for Sale) ?

[WillC]

In today's Times, in an article about Tiger's stopping training due to covid:

"The RFU is nearing the end of its investigation into the Covid-19 outbreak at Sale Sharks last month that led to the club having to forfeit their final Gallagher Premiership match of the regular season and missing out a potential semi-final place."

[LJK]

I am no expert on what is involved in making 'an enquiry' but not to have done it within a month.....! This time delay just seems unjustifiable, whatever the outcome, and unforgivable given the sport's concerns on the subject ahead of the new season, now just 2 weeks off. Any new recommendations for safety protocols will surely now come too late

[Olyy]

Cleared, it would seem: From the bossman himself

[ale shark]

Some folk just don’t care, they’ll say anything to make themselves appear relevant and informed, normally for the sake of a social media soundbite or some banal podcast. Unlistenable drivel.

[LJK]

2 working days have elapsed since Simon O. put into the public domain the info. that no procedure fault could be found by the RFU at the team training or individuals misbehaving, with his 'put down' of Monye. above. Yet, I can't find any PR piece stating this to the masses. Clearly he at least feels aggrieved by the negative guesswork done back in Oct. by Monye and plenty of others, so surprised this clearing of the club's name has not been declared properly.
Does the fact that no release has been made by anyone indicate that the problem was purely Sale being located in the worst affected region for Covid, or, as I have suggested before, does it mean a cover up of the poor RFU testing regime which for Sale led to the severe outbreak, the forfeiture of the game and possibly a top 4 finish. ?
It would be good for us all who enjoy and/or participate in rugby to get the proverbial 'closure' on this mystery.

[Yareet]

France V Fiji is off as the Islanders have an outbreak

[Olyy]

Daily Heil, but good article with insights from Dimes and Orange, and confirms we have been cleared by the RFU

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... ssion=true

[LJK]

Well spotted Olyy, and at last something in the mainstream press about it. Wonder if that will get an 'retractions' from Monye and the rest when the BT Sport coverage of the new season gets going this week !!?

[Van Cannonball]

Don’t hold your breath

[WillC]

Well spotted Olyy, and at last something in the mainstream press about it. Wonder if that will get an 'retractions' from Monye and the rest when the BT Sport coverage of the new season gets going this week !!?

In one of the more recent BBC rugby podcasts Monye's position seemed to have changed so that he is now saying that the outbreak was down to the high infection rates in Manchester. He came to this conclusion after speaking to the Covid managers at several clubs. I think this is as close as we are going to get to an apology from him.

There was another interesting snippet, in the same podcast I think, with Care saying that Covid had gone through the Quins group during lockdown and the summer break (presumably when infection rates were high in London).

[Yareet]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54974513

Don’t they share a stadium with Bears? Really hope Pat Lam doesn’t have to deal with an outbreak in his squad....

[Van Cannonball]

For the sake of the game, I’d hope that any outbreaks are dealt with by postponements rather than forfeits this season.

For the sake of Pat Lam...

[Yareet]

For the sake of the game, I’d hope that any outbreaks are dealt with by postponements rather than forfeits this season.

For the sake of Pat Lam...

I'm not sure how many free weekends there will be to hold postponed games. Much will depend on who the teams involved are and their progression in Europe but with no international breaks and no Prem Cup, there schedule is pretty full.

Which means any postponed games could have to be midweek.....

[JohnJ of HM]

Now reported as being cleared on the BBC web-site.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/54974517

And even more on Rugby Pass

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/steve-di ... emiership/

[Olyy]

When's the next time BT are at the AJ Bell?
Post game interview with Dimes will be.....frosty

[ale shark]

When's the next time BT are at the AJ Bell?
Post game interview with Dimes will be.....frosty

Can we hit Ugo with a stadium ban?

[Flumpty]

When's the next time BT are at the AJ Bell?
Post game interview with Dimes will be.....frosty

Can we hit Ugo with a stadium ban?

noooooooo, don't do that.

I'd miss the post match interview with SD if he was banned from the ground

[Major Bloodnok]

When's the next time BT are at the AJ Bell?
Post game interview with Dimes will be.....frosty

I'm going to guess at 27th December for the home game against Wasps as it's the only game on that day,

[LJK]

Even got coverage on BBC Northwest Tonight, which is pleasing. Absolutely mad that it has taken 6 weeks+ to get the 'enquiry' published. Had there been recommendations to prevent repeat infection episodes, then they would have been far too late for many.
Hopefully get some more positive pres season coverage on local TV after the press day today, in the next few days ahead of the match

[Van Cannonball]

Loads of info in that rugby pass article!

Dimes more critical of others than I thought he’d be (not that I think he’s wrong) but probably doesn’t help.

[chris1850]

Faf on his experience of Covid

http://digitaleditions.telegraph.co.uk/ ... cle/104067

[Yareet]

RFU's report published

https://www.englandrugby.com/news/artic ... ale-sharks

[Alex]

https://www.salesharks.com/2020/11/20/r ... le-sharks/

[Yareet]

For me there were three questions for the investigation to answer:

Was there a post-final uni piss up?
Was there a false negative?
What learnings can Sale (and other clubs) take from the experience?

The first and third questions are answered but without confirming or refuting the false negative, how can anybody know if we were at fault? It seems strange that this was apparently outside the scope of the investigation

I'm assuming we are completely innocent but it would be nice for an independent body to support our version of events just to silence the critics.