The pandemic played havoc with the eagerly anticipated Christmas fare in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, with just one match in the six that were initially scheduled taking place.
The plum Irish, Welsh and Scottish derbies that were initially scheduled were all systematically postponed during the build-up week, with Monday night's scheduled clash between Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh at the Scotstoun also called off.
So, the only game that took place was the Italian derby in Parma on Christmas Eve between Zebre Parma and Benetton. Although it was an away game for the Rainbow Cup champions, the result was predictable, with Zebre continuing to prop up the URC log with one solitary bonus point from their six games thus far.
Due to the havoc wreaked by Covid-19, Benetton is the only team to have played eight games as the year comes to an end, but they are mid-table so the leadership positions have not changed as all the competing clubs wait with bated breath to see whether an appetising series of New Year fixtures will take place.
The top of the table clash between leaders Leinster and third-placed Ulster scheduled for the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast for Saturday evening tops the menu for the New Year weekend as it stands now, although the Edinburgh clash with Glasgow Warriors earlier that evening will add to what should be an entertaining and absorbing doubleheader.
As it stands, there are three possible impacts those two games could have on the top three leadership positions - if Leinster win, they will remain top, but if Leinster loses then Edinburgh can go top if they beat their derby rivals. If Ulster win with a bonus point against Leinster, and Edinburgh lose, then they will be the leaders of the URC after the first weekend in 2022.
But all those involved in the URC will just be hoping that we get some rugby played following a break that now extends to close to a month for most of the teams. With some of the teams registering high numbers of Covid positive cases, it remains to be seen whether a full round will be played.
Covid is causing a particularly damaging impact on the four regional Welsh clubs, who are having to negotiate the new restrictions imposed by the Welsh Government to combat the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
A strict limit of 50 spectators was placed on sport at all levels in the country last week, with no timeline set on when that might be lifted. The scheduled match between Dragons and Ospreys was postponed early in the week, but the Cardiff and Scarlets game that was sold out was due to be played in a closed stadium before it too was postponed.
This week Cardiff is scheduled to travel to Rodney Parade in Newport to play the Dragons while Scarlets are slated to host Ospreys. The coming days will tell us whether those games will go ahead.
Weekend Vodacom United Rugby Championship result
Zebre 14 Benetton 39
All other matches were postponed due to Covid
New Year Weekend URC fixtures
Dragons v Cardiff (Newport, Saturday 17.00)
Scarlets v Ospreys (Llanelli, Saturday 19.15)
Connacht v Munster (Galway, Saturday 19.15)
Ulster v Leinster (Belfast, Saturday 21.35)
Benetton v Zebre (Treviso, Sunday 15.00)
Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors (Edinburgh, Sunday 16.00)