The inaugural game of Japan's rebranded elite rugby union competition, Japan Rugby League One, was canceled after six members of the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights tested positive for the coronavirus, the league announced Wednesday.
The Wild Knights, who won the final championship of the former competition, the Japan Rugby Top League, were to take on the Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay at Tokyo's National Stadium on Friday. The club canceled its Wednesday practice after three players tested positive.
Unable to confirm a squad 48 hours before game time after the remainder of the Wild Knights squad were designated as having been in close contact with the infected players, Spears will receive a maximum five-point win for the forfeited game.
The fate of the Wild Knights' second-round game, scheduled for Jan. 16 at Saitama Prefecture's Kumagaya Rugby Ground against NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu has not yet been determined.
