The Nations Cup clash between Scotland and Fiji - scheduled for Murrayfield on November 29 (NZ time) - has been cancelled.
The decision comes after the Fiji camp returned 29 positive coronavirus tests earlier this week, Now facing a 10-day isolation period, they cannot field a squad for this weekend's match against Italy, while their match against France last week was also called off.
While the official outcome of the cancelled match has yet to be decided, both France and Italy have been awarded 28-0 victories under the same circumstances.
"The extent of infection in the Fiji camp, combined with a minimum 10-day isolation period, plus the obvious need for suitable preparation for any international test meant that... the decision was unavoidable," organisers say.
Organisers are hopeful that a fourth match on December 6, when Fiji take on the fourth-placed team from Pool A, will proceed as scheduled, after fitness checks on players emerging from isolation.
The Nations Cup is a tournament created to replace the November tests, after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the international schedule.
Reuters
