Premiership Rugby insists Randox Health contract for Covid-19 testing is unaffected by Government fears

Premiership Rugby have insisted their Covid-19 testing programme carried out by Randox Health is not affected despite calls by the governing for the members of the public and care homes to stop using tests made by the same because of safety fears.

Matt Hancock, the health and social care secretary, told MPs on Thursday that swabs provided by the company had been identified that were “not up to the usual high standard”.

“While we investigate further, we’re requesting that the use of these Randox swab test kits is paused in all settings until further notice,” said Hancock. Clinical advice is that there is no evidence of any harm, the test results are not affected.”

However PRL insist their programme with the company, which is costing £100,000 per week to test around 800 players and staff in their 12 clubs was not affected after demanding reassurances from the company.

“We can confirm that our club testing programme is unaffected by the decision to temporarily suspend distribution of sample collection kits within the national testing programme,” said a Premiership Rugby spokesman.

“The sample collection kits provided to Randox Health’s private customers use a different supplier of swabs than the kits used within the national testing programme.”

Randox, who produce the testing kits for members of the public and care homes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, also won the contract to carry out testing of Premiership rugby players following their return to contact training last week.

Clubs and players have been reassured that the swabs used for the testing are not in question.

A Randox Health spokesperson said: “We can confirm that our contract with Premiership Rugby is unaffected by the decision to temporarily suspend distribution of sample collection kits within the national testing programme.

“The sample collection kits provided to our private customers use a different supplier of swabs than the kits used within the national testing programme.”