New Premiership Rugby points system for games impacted by Covid

Premiership Rugby will no longer automatically award five points to teams when the opposition is unable to field a side because of coronavirus.

League bosses confirmed a four-point win will be awarded to the club able to name a side, with two points to the team forced to cancel.

The score will be recorded as 0-0.

"With Covid, we previously had a system which effectively attributed fault," said Premiership Rugby director Phil Winstanley.

"The problem we have with that is it's very, very difficult in the current landscape to say that was something that somebody's done wrong."

Winstanley added that there was "no science" behind the new system, but it was "the fairest way of dealing with this".

On the final day of the regular 2019-20 season, Sale were unable to play because of positive Covid test results and their match with Worcester was eventually cancelled.

Warriors were given a 20-0 win and five points as Sale missed out on the play-offs.

Winstanley confirmed that under the new system Worcester would have received four points and Sale two.

If a club is unable to field a team for reasons not attributed to Covid problems, then the previous system of a 20-0 win and five points to the opposition will continue.

Due to fixture congestion matches cannot be rearranged because of a coronavirus outbreak, unless it is safe to do so on the same weekend.

All fixtures during the regular season will be treated equally, with only the semi-finals and the final given more leeway.

Winstanley confirmed that this weekend's opening round of six fixtures will all go ahead as planned, with games at Harlequins and Sale starting the season on Friday.

WhatsApps, emails & bank statements to be checked

Premiership Rugby has also confirmed the introduction of stricter measures over the breaching of salary cap regulations.

Last season Saracens were docked 35 points, fined £5.36m and later relegated for persistent salary cap breaches, but there was no means for Premiership Rugby to strip them of silverware the club had accrued during the disputed period.

The tougher measures, which follow an independent review led by government minister Lord Myners, provide an independent panel with greater scope for punishment.

This includes a level-entry points deduction of 50 points at the top end, which could be decreased or increased, and the power to relegate a club, remove titles or trophies and to return prize money.

There will also be increased investigatory powers to study players' tax returns and interview club officials.

Each year the champion club will undergo an extended audit, which will include the reviewing of club officials' emails, texts and WhatsApp messages and at least 50% of players' tax returns and bank statements.

Accountability will also be expanded to club officials - be they qualifying shareholders, directors, directors of rugby - right through to players and players' agents.