Covid call-off hits Linlithgow Rugby Club schedule

Linlithgow Rugby Club 1st XV were denied a fixture last Saturday as scheduled visitors Royal High had the game postponed due to a suspected coronavirus outbreak.
Linlithgow's Ross Plenderleith about to be tackled by the Royal High defenders during the sides' previous league meeting on September 25 (Pic by Graham Black)Linlithgow's Ross Plenderleith about to be tackled by the Royal High defenders during the sides' previous league meeting on September 25 (Pic by Graham Black)
Linlithgow's Ross Plenderleith about to be tackled by the Royal High defenders during the sides' previous league meeting on September 25 (Pic by Graham Black)

The fixture has been rescheduled for January 15, with Linlithgow currently fifth in Tennent’s East Division 1 with 14 points from five games.

Linlithgow club president Ken Richardson told the Journal and Gazette: “Royal High told us that a number of their players had flu like symptoms and someone in the club had Covid.

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"It turned out actually that a couple of others were having to self isolate.

"Given that they had a number of people off ill, they had dispensation to postpone the match.

"That happened on the Wednesday so we had a bit of notice, but unfortunately we couldn’t arrange another team to play against us because we had 52 players available to play on Saturday.”

With the Reds’ 1st XV out of action, the spotlight was turned on their second string who acquitted themselves well in a home clash against top of the table Melrose Storm, with the league leaders eventually prevailing 24-10.

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Richardson said: “Melrose, who had the former Edinburgh coach Rob Moffat coaching them, won and they played some super rugby.

"But our guys played superbly well against a very good team.

"They came very close to pulling off a comeback victory but it wasn’t to be.

"When it was 19-10, one of our guys went over for a try but the referee was unsighted. There was a picture put on our website later showing that the guy had actually touched it down.

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"That would have made it 19-17 with about 20 minutes to play and we’d suddenly come back into the game.

"But hats off to Melrose Storm, they came and played good rugby. Our guys really responded, they lifted their game superbly.

"Some of those seconds guys must be knocking on the door of the first team. A lot of them could easily step up if they had to.”

Linlithgow 1st XV return to league action this Saturday in an away league game against Haddington, KO 3pm.

The Reds’ 2nds have Peebles as visitors on Saturday.

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