Rugby 2021: Three Covid positive Wallabies appear set to be in quarantine over Christmas
Three Wallabies players were infected while in the Barbarians bubble in London last week, and their chances of returning soon are looking slim.
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The Wallabies players infected with Covid while in camp with the Barbarians have suffered another blow, with chances increasing they will have to spend Christmas in hotel quarantine.
Three Wallabies players were infected while in the Barbarians bubble in London last week, returning positive test results on Saturday, the morning of the eventually aborted clash against Samoa.
They are currently in quarantine in London and will need negative PCR tests on day seven and then day 10 of their isolation before they are released.
But even that may not be enough to save them from a Christmas in hotel isolation.
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While Rugby Australia is not naming the players involved - or the additional player and official who tested positive following Australia’s Test against Wales just over a week ago - the three from the Barbarians squad are all believed to be headed back to Queensland for their Christmas break, meaning they will face a 14-day hard quarantine period on arrival.
The best-case scenario would see the players leave hotel quarantine in Queensland on Christmas Eve.
But with uncertainty over international flight arrivals due to the omicron variant of the virus, any delay in a flight out of London would mean they could be spending Christmas Day in quarantine.
Their positive results mean a total of five members of the spring tour party - four players and an official - have been confirmed as having tested positive to Covid and remain in quarantine in the UK.
It remains unknown whether any of the five have the omicron variant of the virus.
While initially believed the Wallabies were at the epicentre of the outbreak that forced the cancellation of the Barbarians’ clash at Twickenham on Saturday, a Rugby Australia spokesman said it was believed the outbreaks were separate events.
A player and staff member tested positive following the team’s Test against Wales in Cardiff on November 20, before another three players, who were in coach Dave Rennie’s Barbarians squad, tested positive last week.
All are isolating in the UK, while the remainder of the touring party - both those who flew following the Wales Test and those who were meant to be involved in the ultimately aborted Barbarians clash - have either returned to Australia, or are on flights home.
The positives are the first recorded in the Wallabies camp since the start of the pandemic after 18 months of constant testing among the group.
In their first tour outside of Australia or New Zealand since 2019, the Wallabies were subjected to daily lateral flow tests, as well as regular PCR tests.
The player and official who tested positive following the Wales Test could be back in Australia as early as midweek, having been tested on day seven of their isolation and will be free to leave quarantine if they test negative again on day 10.
A Rugby Australia source said the three other players with the virus are understood to have undergone regulation PCR testing on the eve of the Barbarians clash before returning positive results on Saturday.
The match was eventually abandoned after six members of the wider Barbarians group - including another player and two staff members from Japan and South Africa - also tested positive for the virus, ultimately leading to the cancellation of Saturday’s Twickenham clash just 90 minutes before kick-off.
Rugby Australia is not currently naming the players but the 11 Australians in the Barbarians squad were Rob Leota, Pete Samu, Nic White, James O’Connor, Filipo Daugunu, Len Ikitau, Tom Wright, Tate McDermott, Izaia Perese and Angus Bell and Tom Robertson.
The eight Wallabies unaffected by the virus and coach Rennie were on flights home on Monday.
They, and the players who returned following the Wales Test last week, are subject to state-based quarantine protocols, with the bulk of players and staff currently in 14-day hard quarantine in Queensland.
EARLIER: Covid chaos: Wallabies at centre of outbreak
The Wallabies are at the epicentre of a Covid outbreak that forced the cancellation of the Barbarians’ rugby clash against Samoa.
Wallabies sources have confirmed reports a player and staff member tested positive following the team’s Test against Wales in Cardiff on November 20.
They are isolating in the UK, were tested on day seven of their quarantine period and will be free to fly back to Australia if they return a negative test again on day 10, arriving home midweek.
While the bulk of the squad flew home following the Wales Test - with the original two cases picked up in pre-departure testing - several headed to London to link with the Barbarians.
Eleven Aussies were initially named in coach Dave Rennie’s Baa Baas squad to face Samoa at Twickenham on last Saturday.
Three other Wallabies players subsequently tested positive to Covid, one last Monday, with a further two on Friday.
The trio were among six members of the wider Barbarians group - including another player and two staff members - to acquire the virus, ultimately leading to the cancellation of the Twickenham clash just 90 minutes before kick-off.
It is unknown if any of the Wallabies have the omicron variant of the disease.
Originally published as Rugby 2021: Three Covid positive Wallabies appear set to be in quarantine over Christmas