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The summer\u2019s rugby union international schedule, including Ireland\u2019s tour of Australia, has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\nThe summer\u2019s rugby union international schedule, including Ireland\u2019s tour of Australia, has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n
World Rugby announced on Friday that all fixtures in July would be called off due to Covid-19.<\/p>\n
The widespread postponements mean Wales\u2019 one-Test mission in Japan is also off, as are their two Tests in New Zealand, with Scotland\u2019s trip to South Africa and New Zealand also removed from the schedule, and England will not return to Japan for their tour.<\/p>\n
“While it is disappointing that the summer tour to Australia will not go ahead as scheduled, it will not be a surprise to many as it is clear that COVID-19 will have implications for our game for some time to come,” said IRFU Performance Director David Nucifora.<\/p>\n
“We continue to work with World Rugby, our fellow unions and our players and their representative body, Rugby Players Ireland, to develop a road-map for the return of our game.<\/p>\n
“In the meantime, we have, in conjunction with the provinces, provided players with programs to ensure that they remain in condition for when we get a green light to return to training.”<\/p>\n
England boss Eddie Jones said: \u201cWhile we are of course disappointed to have our two Test matches against Japan postponed, it\u2019s the correct decision under the current circumstances.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the Rugby Football Union said all parties were working to try and find a way to fit July\u2019s matches into a new-look international calendar for the rest of the year.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll decision-making will be entirely contingent on national government travel, quarantine and health advice and important player welfare and hosting considerations in line with return-to-rugby guidance recently published by World Rugby,\u201d it read.<\/p>\n
In making the decision, World Rugby said: \u201cThe program of international rugby matches scheduled for the 2020 July window has been postponed due to ongoing government and health agency Covid-19 directives.<\/p>\n
\u201cExtended travel and quarantine restrictions that apply to numerous countries, and concerns over adequate player preparation time, mean that any sort of cross-border international rugby competition cannot be hosted in July.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wales coach Wayne Pivac would have been returning to his homeland, but has seen a planned trip to New Zealand \u2013 as well as Japan \u2013 cancelled.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were very much looking forward to playing both in Japan and New Zealand in the summer so this postponement is disappointing but completely understandable in the circumstances,\u201d said Pivac.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving seen first-hand the welcome the team received at the World Cup in Japan, and the extraordinary scenes at the open training session, I am sure our fantastic relationship with Japanese rugby will go from strength to strength in the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn a personal note I was really looking forward to returning to New Zealand with Wales. It\u2019s unfortunate that we will now have to wait a little longer for that privilege, but the occasion will be no less relished when it arrives.\u201d<\/p>\n