area of rain are watching the next area of rain massing towards the west of us. this time it looks like it will be further north, coming into scotland, although tonight may brush southern scott scotland. this time it turns chilly behind because we pick up a north—westerly breeze. more showers, yes, but even in the afternoon, temperatures will be lower. lower for all of us as we go through the weekend, by day and night. we have a northerly wind to greet us. high pressure is starting in the west, a lwa ys pressure is starting in the west, always the risk further east, not just chilly by day, but by night as well.

hello and welcome to sportsday, i'm chetan pathak. here's what's coming up

on a busy programme. sale sharks say they're devastated as they miss out on the premiership play—offs as six more players test positive for coronavirus. ahead of their euro 2020 play off semifinal — scotland's national side is hit too, as stuart armstrong tests positive with kieran tierney and ryan christie forced to self isolate as well. the covid delayed french open reaches the business end — with novak djokovic currently in quarter final action the latest from roland garros is coming up. and also on the programme, amidst the pandemic new figures show a sharp rise in the number of footballers concerned about their mental health. players struggle and we struggled to be supported by contract and i think these players will be coming forward to us for emotional support because of that.

thanks forjoining us. you'll see coronavirus dominating much of tonight's programme, with cases on the rise in the uk — sport is being affected too. we start with rugby union and if you're a supporter of sale sharks you'd have been hoping to see them keep their title hopes alive by beating worcester this evening. but after 19 cases of covid in the sharks camp forced sunday's match to be postponed — a further six players now testing positive. meaning the game is off. worcester have been awarded the win, and sale miss out on the play—offs. the club says its devastated. our sport correspondent andy swiss reports. their title hopes ended by covid. this was sale sharks training earlier in the summer challenging for the premiership while, like all teams, being regularly tested. on and off the pitch they were doing

well until last week some 19 players and staff tested positive. it happened shortly after they'd won a cup competition. sale have strongly denied claims their players had been out celebrating in manchester. but it's now proved very costly. after eight more positives emerged this morning, they've had to forfeit tonight's pivotal game here against worcester, ending their hopes of becoming champions. the club said... in a statement, premiership rugby said they shared sale sharks‘ disappointment at the way their season ended but that they couldn'tjeopardise the health of any players or staff. and as the rugby authorities investigate what has happened here for the whole sport, these are challenging times. worcester, who'd expressed concerns about playing sale tonight, welcomed the cancellation.

at the forefront of the decision was the health and safety of players and their families, and i feel that the decision was made with that at the forefront. therefore i think the correct decision was made. i know it's tough from a rugby perspective. but one england star says sale deserves sympathy. it is a shame that the boys out there have fought so hard to get themselves in a position to qualify for the play—offs and, you know, it has come undone at the last hurdle for them. but the rules are the rules. and covid is impacting other areas of rugby. one of the first games of the new women's season was postponed after a bristol player tested positive. there's been a case in the england men's squad with pierce francis having to withdraw. commentator: he runsa commentator: he runs a great line in scores.

for the sport of tries, these are trying times. andy swiss, bbc news. let's get more on that story then. i'm joined live now by our rugby union correspondent chris jones. thanks forjoining us on the programme. the positive tests at sale have an impact far beyond the club — what does it mean for the play—offs and going forward? it means as andy swiss was saying sale denied the chance to keep their title chance hopes. they were one of the teams that began the restart in second place and had a pretty good restart slipping to fifth but hoped they would have been able to beat worcester a nd they would have been able to beat worcester and the last game of the season worcester and the last game of the season and secured the top four but means bath travel fourth and bath travel to exeter and wasp hosts bristol in the earlier game on saturday. this is nothing we have seenin saturday. this is nothing we have seen in sports. we have seen cases in football and rugby week and the women pass up premier 15th but 27

cases in all is an extra ordinary numberand cases in all is an extra ordinary number and now rf you are looking to invest it how it has got up to this because up until now clubs have been able to control their situation and isolate the odd case and make sure it doesn't sweep through the squad. this is swept through sale and an investigation will be ongoing and we do wish everyone the best was been affected at the club. we know a mrs pandemic that means no fans and we know how much of a loss that is for by. —— know how much of a loss that is for rugby. —— amidst this pandemic. but there are hopes the 2021 six nations could be played in front of crowds? this was set up by the whales head coach and he was saying that the 2020 16 coach and he was saying that the 202016 nations could be moved if it meant there were a better chance of getting some fans through the gates. —— two arnie 26 nations. we have seen —— two arnie 26 nations. we have seen it work and premier league football and it can work in the club game behind closed doors because it

will keep television revenues coming in but it's not seen for international rugby union. the six nations doesn't work without supporters and that's why the organisers are looking at the options. but if they were to move it, does that work? that will be fraught with danger and into club season next year and there is the small matter of the british lions tour to south africa. why so many things with support and society, it is allup in things with support and society, it is all up in the air. so many unknowns at the moment. chrisjones or rugby union correspondent, thanks s0 or rugby union correspondent, thanks so much. on the day tougher measures have been introduced in scotland to deal with a surge in coronavirus cases — the national football side's been hit too, with stuart armstrong, kieran tierney and ryan christie all now out of their euro 2020 play—off semifinal against israel tomorrow. it's after armstrong tested positive for covid—19. tierney and christie both need to self—isolate for 1h days as well after being dentified as close contacts. our sports reporter kheredine idessane has more.

here at the national performance centre in edinburgh, the national football manager had difficult news today to digest on the eve of one of scotland's biggest matches in recent yea rs scotland's biggest matches in recent years tomorrow night you're a 2020 playoff semifinal against israel, he has lost three key player student covid—19. the southampton forward stuart armstrong is the player who has tested positive for the virus. he is having to self nicely for ten days, to close contacts of his that our arsenal‘s defender kiernan tierney and celtics forward ryan christie. they're having to self—isolate for 1h days so all three of those players will not be a player for steve clark for tomorrow's huge game against israel. steve clark is adamant that he is just having to prepare as best he can and covid—19 has not become part and parcel of football and the game and parcel of football and the game and it simply is not immune.

and parcel of football and the game and it simply is not immunem and parcel of football and the game and it simply is not immune. it is something that is and everybody‘s wife now and there is something we can do about that, we must adapt as much as we can and be ready and be prepared for it is probably the best way, and one of the speeches i a lwa ys way, and one of the speeches i always give to the squad is everybody who comes into the squad, i picks the next—to—last squad next time to cover such eventualities and to tell them all that they have to be ready to step in at any time because we need everybody. for than idealfor because we need everybody. for than ideal for steve clark ahead of such a huge game for the country and he also wrote the —— revealed that he is having to do without three for the players without injury. liam palmer, scott mckenna and ollie burke will not play any part in any of scotland's three upcoming matches. israel tomorrow and slovakia on sunday and the czech republic on wednesday. it is a huge week for the scottish national football tea m week for the scottish national football team and the situation could be scarcely were difficult for the head koch was up but he is saying hisjob now is the head koch was up but he is saying his job now is trying to put

a smile on the country's face. as for the head coach. well arsenal are seeking clarification from the sfa about why kieran tierney has to self—isolate. tierney himself has released a statement... meanwhile after tammy abraham, ben chilwell and jadon sancho broke coronavirus rules by going to a surprise party, manager gareth southgate has reminded his players of their responsibilities. that's ahead of a friendly against wales tomorrow. southgate has been speaking in his news conference in the last few minutes and here's what he's had to say. they were able to go into the tournament, and i have also talked before about the connection with the fa ns before about the connection with the fans that we have worked very hard over the last three or four years to

bring back. key to that is the contribution of the players that have been with us. we have ten with us have been with us. we have ten with us this time who were not with us in russia. they have done a lot of good work with us, with their clubs within the communities and they have played well and have got results. some of the younger ones have not done that yet with england, they don't have that credit in the bank and have to prove themselves. they need to remember that it is an honour to play for england and all of these things as we are selecting squads moving forward do play a part in yourthinking. so squads moving forward do play a part in your thinking. so it's very difficult for me to stand here, i will not be too moralistic because we have all made errors in our lives, i am the same. i've been a player, i have had my sense i am not sitting here saying that i am not done any of those things. we are going in really unique times with the covid regulations and everybody from politicians to businessmen to footballers are having, you know,

are having difficultly within that field. i think as a country in terms of fighting the virus, we need to get a little back on track on working together. i felt really positive about this at the beginning of lockdown, everybody was out supporting the nhs, people were doing shopping for their neighbours, everybody was pulling together. there is a lot of disharmony now and we are all in this situation together and i think we have got to work together to pull through asa as a country. gareth southgate they are taking a more measured approach to those players at the subpar a's party. you can follow what he is saying on the bbc sport website. —— at the surprise party. time now for some of the day's other football stories and wales midfielder aaron ramsey will miss the game against england because he's been self—isolating at his clubjuventus. it's after they had two positive tests. he will however be available for their nations league games against the republic of ireland and bulgaria. steven davis says he'll be

incredibly proud if he becomes northern ireland's most capped player tomorrow. he's set to make his 120th international appearance in their euro 2020 play—off semi—final against bosnia. and england under—21's suffered a shock 3—3 draw in andorra in their euro 2021 qualifier. andorra, which has a population ofjust 77,000, scored a 91st—minute equaliser. england play turkey next on tuesday. next to the french open where novak djokovic is on court and has scored against his opponent and is having at his own way at the moment. the spaniard outplayed the world number one in the first set and he won it by six games to four. djokovic needs to— one and the second set and the winner of that match will play

stefanos tsitsipasin the semi—finals the greek had to hang on to win the opening set but ended up winning in straight sets. 7-5, 6-2, 6-3. former wimbledon champion petra kvitova is also through to the semi—finals. she saw off germany's laura siegemund in straight sets at roland garros. it's just the second time that kvitova's reached the last four at the french open. and kvitova will play sofia kenin in the semis after she beat fellow american danielle collins in three sets. the australian open champion powered to victory in the final set, winning it 6—0. the king of clay meanwhile, the 12—time winner rafael nadal, remains on course to win the tournament and equal roger federer‘s record of 20 grand slam titles but he's not enjoying roland garros as much as usual this time. last night his match against italy's jannik sinner was the latest finish in the tournament's history and nadal said it was too cold to play.