Sale's match with Worcester Warriors has been called off after Premiership Rugby reported six more Sharks players have tested positive for Covid-19.

It means Worcester are awarded a 20-0 win and Sale miss out on the play-offs.

Bath will now travel to leaders Exeter in the semi-finals on Saturday, while Bristol go to Wasps.

Two members of Sale rugby staff have also returned positive results from the latest round of testing, bringing the number of infections at the club to 27 in the past seven days.

Worcester welcomed the decision to cancel the fixture, calling it "the right outcome for the safety of all players, staff and officials involved".

The club also extended it sympathies to Sale that a match with such significance for their play-off hopes had to be forfeited.

While Sale admitted the cancellation is "devastating", denying them the chance to win the Premiership title, it wholly understands "the welfare of players, staff and officials is the most important factor".

The Sharks are the subject of a Rugby Football Union investigation into their Covid management after the initial 19 positive results were confirmed on Saturday.

The club once again denied reports players and staff had broken any guidelines and protocols given to them by the RFU and Premiership Rugby.

It also labelled claims players had gone out partying and socialising in Manchester following their Premiership Rugby Cup victory over Harlequins on 21 September as "completely inaccurate and untrue".

More to follow.