Gloucester head coach George Skivington has sympathised with crisis club Worcester over the “horrendous” situation Warriors find themselves in.
Worcester have been suspended from all competitions with immediate effect and placed into administration, which could also mean relegation.
Warriors failed to meet a Rugby Football Union deadline requesting proof of insurance cover and funding for the club’s monthly payroll.
Gloucester and Worcester were due to be facing one another at Kingsholm this weekend.
The club will now stage an open training and signing session on Saturday, with free admission for supporters.
“The cost is very big to the club,” Skivington said.
“It’s not on the level that Worcester are going through, but on a personal level for the club, these losses are big for us.
“At Worcester, there are some great people, and my sympathy goes out to anyone involved in this. It’s horrendous.
“We are very blessed to be in sport, and if you have got a job in rugby right now you really need to appreciate how lucky you are.
“For it to be pulled away just like that, financially it is a nightmare.
“If you are a young competitive athlete and you’ve set your stall out to achieve something this year and you might have moved house thinking Worcester is the club for you, it’s devastating. It’s very messy, and everyone has got my full sympathy with it.
“We went through Covid and everything, so I had a lot of conversations around finances, as I am sure every coach at every club did with the people who were in the know. Rugby has always been on a fine line.
“There might be one or two clubs who sit in a room and go ‘we’ve got loads of money, do what you want’ and we know who those clubs are, but there are not many.”
No decision has yet been made on whether Gloucester will be awarded points for the Worcester fixture, or if it could be rescheduled.
But Skivington added: “Honestly, I think the reality of rescheduling Premiership games in a season which is packed is going to be very, very difficult.
“We know there are too many games in a season, as it is. I think it is going to be a real challenge, and I don’t envy those guys in the room trying to work that out.”
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