Ireland vs Italy called off due to coronavirus outbreak as Six Nations schedule is thrown into chaos
Italy’s Six Nations meeting with Ireland in Dublin next Saturday has been cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.
On Tuesday, Ireland’s health minister, Simon Harris, advised against going ahead with the fixture following the spread of the virus in northern Italy.
And the IRFU met with their government for talks on Wednesday before confirming the game will be put back.
IRFU chief executive, Philip Browne, said: "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,” Browne said.
“The IRFU is perfectly happy to comply with this instruction.
“We will immediately begin to work with our Six Nations partners to look at the possibility of rescheduling those three matches and would hope to have an update on that in the coming days.”
The decision throws the Six Nations schedule into chaos, and raises the possibility of England's matches - men’s, women’s and Under-20s - in Italy on the weekend of March 14 also being called off.
More than 300 people have contracted the virus in the northern Italian regions of Lombardy and Veneto, where 11 towns are under quarantine lockdown.
The spread of coronavirus in Italy has led to a number sporting fixtures being affected, with four Serie A matches cancelled last weekend.
Upcoming top-flight matches can go ahead behind closed doors in areas affected by the outbreak after the government agreed to a request from the country's football federation.
When will the match be played?
Will Macpherson, rugby correspondent
There is precedent for the postponement of games, with the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in 2001 leading to three matches being played in the autumn of that year, six months after the Championship was due to end. A more likely timing for rearranged fixtures would be in the summer, around teams’ international tours.
There is also the possibility that games could be played behind closed doors.
Read more
England keep Six Nations title hopes alive with convincing win
