DURBAN’S reputation suffered a massive blow when at least 50 international rugby players who were to challenge the Sharks and the LIons in Durban and Johannesburg today were knocked down by e-coli infections.
Billed as the biggest party in Durban this weekend, and an annual gathering for the whole family, the Sharks versus Ulster match has been postponed.
The Emirates Lions versus Glasgow Warriors game will now also be rescheduled while the players recover from the outbreak of gastroenteritis.
Durban’s water woes, both sea and tap water, have been identified as possible causes for the outbreak after weeks of public suspicion about its quality.
Over the past few months, the city’s tap water quality has come under the spotlight while several of its prime beaches like the one in uMhlanga, where the rugby players were staying, have been closed.
However, by late last night it was still unknown what caused the players to pick up the e-coli infections which are typically accompanied by diarrhoea, stomach cramps and, occasionally fever.
Experts say it usually takes about five days and a course of antibiotics to recover although in severe cases hospitalisation may be required.
Calls to the five-star uMhlanga hotels, Beverly Hills and The Pearls, where the players were staying, did not provide any updates.
It was a massive blow to Sharks fans as the home team was due to host Ulster at the Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium in their annual SharkFest, usually an all-day affair which includes various forms of entertainment and rugby for the whole family.
The Glasgow Warriors were training in Durban and were supposed to fly to Johannesburg yesterday to face the Lions at Ellis Park when the shock announcement was made.
While any further information was hard to find and the Sharks media person read but never responded to messages, the rivalry on social media continued.
“Can’t believe Ulster are so scared of the Springbok-laden Sharks that they’re making up sicknesses I’ve never heard of,” tweeted @ThalaMsutu77.
A response to that tweet quickly followed. “If I had to play against Eben I’d also be sh*tting myself,” said @matt_everitt7, referring to the Shark’s giant lock, Eben Etzebeth.
In a statement released yesterday afternoon, The United Rugby Championship said: “Due to gastroenteritis infections it is not possible for Ulster or Glasgow Warriors to field full playing squads.
“In order to ensure a duty of care towards the players involved and given the medical advice received from all key stakeholders, the United Rugby Championship has made the decision to postpone the fixtures.
“The league will now move to examine potential dates to reschedule the games and will update in due course.”
Independent on Saturday rugby writer Mike Greenaway said: ”This was also one of the few games where the Sharks could field all of their Springboks and they now say farewell to those players who next week report to the Springbok training camp, so this is a huge setback for the Sharks.”
The city was swift to hit out at detractors who speculated that the players might have gone to the beach or drank tap water.
eThekwini municipal spokesman Msawakhe Mayisela said: “The city is very disappointed in this relentless campaign of spreading disinformation about the city’s water quality. As far as we are concerned the city’s water is clean and safe to drink. We are appealing to those who enjoy spreading this disinformation to desist from doing so. It’s for the first time that we are hearing about this, and, if indeed it is true, the city would like to wish those players a speedy recovery. In the event that anyone has scientific evidence that the water is indeed contaminated, we appeal to them to come forward and prove that our water is indeed unsafe to drink.”
The Independent on Saturday