Jon Wilkin: Weekly coronavirus tests for players seems indulgent
Toronto forward Jon Wilkin says talk of testing all Super League squads each week for coronavirus in a bid to get games restarted seems indulgent when there aren’t enough kits to test those in need.
The Super League season has been suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus outbreak, with a return date yet to be confirmed.
Super League and the Rugby Football League are discussing a number of ways the game can get back up and running at the earliest but safest opportunity.
There has been talk of all Super League clubs being tested each week – but Wilkin thinks that scenario seems indulgent.
He said: “I was initially concerned of the chat of those extra games.
“Quite simply, playing three games a week as a 37-year-old athlete – I couldn’t do that. Younger men could but I know for a fact that I couldn’t.
“I think the new proposal of getting games on TV is great and I think there are a lot of logistics involved.
“We talk of testing people but one of my family works for the NHS, they aren’t being tested and there’s not enough testing kits to test people who are ill and it just seems indulgent to test all of the Super League squads every week to make sure nobody has got it so we can play fixtures.
“I’m not saying I disagree with it, I just think whatever we do we need to have a unified answer about where the game goes.”
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