Coach believes there are medical and cost reasons to stopPremiership Rugby recorded five positives in latest 1,056 testsExeter’s Rob Baxter believes it is time to stop testing professional rugby players for Covid-19 amid growing evidence that few positive cases of the virus are being transferred to their fit, healthy teammates. Baxter has warned his squad to remain vigilant away from the club but says he hopes routine weekly testing will soon be phased out.
Baxter, whose Chiefs side have just qualified for their first European Champions Cup final and lead the domestic table, says he thinks “genuine medical reasons” are mounting to discontinue the current arrangements. Players and staff at all 12 Premiership clubs have undergone regular testing since early July with just a tiny fraction of positive cases recorded.