Zebre v Edinburgh: Richard Cockerill and Blair Kinghorn left at home as Covid-19 test results are delayed

Edinburgh will be without head coach Richard Cockerill and full-back Blair Kinghorn for today’s game against Zebre due to a delay in their Covid-19 test results.
Edinburgh coach Richard Cockerill will remain in contact with the team "digitally". Picture: Ross Parker/SNSEdinburgh coach Richard Cockerill will remain in contact with the team "digitally". Picture: Ross Parker/SNS
Edinburgh coach Richard Cockerill will remain in contact with the team "digitally". Picture: Ross Parker/SNS

Cockerill, Kinghorn and a team physio were unable to travel to Italy because of the delay.

All club personnel due to fly to Parma for the Guinness Pro14 match were PCR tested on Thursday, in line with new Scottish Government 72-hour Covid-19 testing protocols for international travel.

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However, the results for Cockerill, Kinghorn and the unnamed physiotherapist were delayed on Friday morning, leaving their Covid-19 status unknown, meaning they were not in a position to fly on the team’s charter flight. All other test results were negative.

Edinburgh full-back Blair Kinghorn will miss the game against Parma. Picture: Ross Parker/SNSEdinburgh full-back Blair Kinghorn will miss the game against Parma. Picture: Ross Parker/SNS
Edinburgh full-back Blair Kinghorn will miss the game against Parma. Picture: Ross Parker/SNS

The trio’s tests have subsequently been completed and were confirmed to be negative.

The results from Edinburgh’s PCR tests carried out on Tuesday this week returned a full set of negative results, including the three people unable to travel to Italy.

Edinburgh say Cockerill will “remain in full contact with the travelling group digitally”.

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Assistant coaches Calum MacRae and Duncan Hodge will take charge of the team at the Stadio Serio Lanfranchi. Jack Blain moves to full-back to replace Kinghorn, with Jamie Farndale taking Blain’s place on the wing.

Edinburgh Rugby’s managing director Douglas Struth said: “We continue to take our Covid protocols extremely seriously and, while we have returned two sets of negative test results this week, the uncertainty created by Richard, Blair and our physio’s delayed results meant we took the decision to not put the wider group at any potential risk and they did not travel.

"We subsequently have had confirmation their tests were negative.

"With support from Scottish Rugby the club applies stringent Covid-19 measures for the safety of our players, coaches and wider performance team to both protect the health of our employees and in acknowledgment of the privileged position in which we operate.”

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