Update On Ireland’s Summer Tour Of Australia Amid Coronavirus Fears
Jason Hennessy
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Unlikely.
Ireland’s summer tour of Australia is now a major doubt due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that continues to wreak havoc on the sporting calendar.
Andy Farrell’s men are scheduled to face the Wallabies on July 4 in Brisbane and July 11 in Sydney, but with uncertainty continues to cloud the future – the chances of those games going ahead are dwindling.
Reports in Australia say that there have been no formal discussions between the IRFU and Rugby Australia about cancelling the tour but with major tournaments and leagues suspended across the world – it’s believed that all summer tours will be cancelled.
The Australian government has also imposed an indefinite travel ban and are likely to place restrictions on mass gatherings in response to the outbreak.
It would be another massive financial hit for Irish Rugby is the games are cancelled, With the IRFU and the provinces already set to lose out on almost €3 million due to the Six Nations and Champions Cup postponements.
Rugby Players Ireland have suggested that the players are willing to play into the summer if it means they can complete the 2019/20 season if public health restrictions are relaxed by governments across the world.
