BREAKING NEWS: Ireland’s Six Nations clash with Italy is called OFF as Irish government take decision in a bid to minimise spread of coronavirus after it sweeps across opponent’s homeland
- Ireland’s Six Nations clash with Italy has been postponed, it has been confirmed
- Irish government’s public health emergency team said it should not be played
- Irish health minister Simon Harris said game would pose a ‘significant risk’
Ireland’s Six Nations clash with Italy in Dublin has been called off amid fears over the coronavirus.
The deadly epidemic has swept through northern parts of Italy, and in a bid to prevent the disease reaching their shores, the Irish government have taken the step to postpone the game on March 7.
Both the women’s Six Nations and Under 20s clashes have also been cancelled.
Ireland’s Six Nations clash with Italy on March 7 has been called off due to the coronavirus
It leaves this season’s competition in chaos, with no date set for when the game will take place.
IRFU chief Philip Browne revealed they are working with the Six Nations in an attempt to find a date to reschedule the fixtures, but there are no details on when that may be.
In his statement, Browne said: ‘We had a very positive meeting with [Irish health minister] Mr [Simon] Harris and his advisors where we requested an instruction as to the staging of the Ireland v Italy international matches over the weekend of 6-8 March.
At the meeting we were informed that the national public health emergency team has determined that the series of matches should not proceed in the interests of public health.
IRFU chief Philip Browne revealed the decision to members of the press on Wednesday
‘The IRFU is perfectly happy to comply with this instruction. We will immediately begin to work with our Six Nations partners to look a the possiblity of rescheduling those three matches.
‘I would hope to have an update on that in the coming days.’
On Tuesday, Irish health minister Simon Harris made it clear that his government was opposed to the games going ahead.
‘The very clear view was that this game should not go ahead,’ he said.
‘It would constitute a significant risk because a large number of people would be travelling from what is now an affected region.’
Italy is the first European country to be struck hard by the coronavirus. There have so far been 322 confirmed cases and 11 deaths, with the several cities in Lombardy and Veneto under lock-down.