SATURDAY’S Guinness Premiership encounter between Sale Sharks and Worcester Warriors was a victim of the current cold snap, the pitch deemed to hard to play on by officials.

Referee Dave Pearson postponed the game at 11am, declaring the covers had not been able to sufficiently protect the playing surface. Ironically, Mr Pearson was the match official who controversially called off the Sharks’ game at London Wasps last February less than a quarter-of-an-hour before kick off, after which the Premiership clubs implemented strict rules to ensure that a game is played.

The Sixways club had held high hopes that the game could be staged, but maintain the low overnight temperatures defeated their efforts.

The club’s general manager, Charlie Little, said: “We have been monitoring the adverse weather conditions throughout this period, but what has beaten us is the fact that we are in an exposed area and have suffered a very bad frost overnight. “Two thirds of the pitch would have been deemed playable for 3pm but the south end is still frozen due to the low sun which has not risen above the stand to heat it up.”

There is an irony that the Warriors’ owner, Cecil Duckworth, amassed his personal fortune through heating.

He was a pioneer of the combi-boiler during the 60s at his firm Worcester Engineering, before selling his concern to German giants Bosch for £90 million three decades later. Messenger understands Sale Sharks have put a company on standby to defrost Edgeley Park in readiness for this Friday’s visit of London Irish, which kicks off at 7.45 pm.

The Exiles returned to the top of the table on Saturday after a thumping 48-8 win against Newcastle Falcons.

The club will be anxious to avoid being forced to play re-scheduled matches when all their international players are unavailable.

The next two weekends see the return of Heineken Cup.

Sharks have a ‘must win’ encounter at Munster in Limerick on Friday week, and will be encouraged by the Irish province’s recent defeats by Connacht and Ulster in the Magners League. The final pool game is at home to ASM Clermont Auvergne on Saturday January 24, kick off 3.35 pm.

Fred Harvey