Ireland set for an Eight Nations tournament
IRELAND will play in an eight-team tournament in November and December that will include the other members of the Six Nations along with Japan and Fiji.
Andy Farrell’s squad are expected to play their remaining Six Nations fixtures, against Italy in Dublin and France in Paris, on the final two weekends of October before beginning this invitational tournament a few weeks later.
Following World Rugby’s proposal for a temporary calendar for the rest of 2020, it is envisaged that the eight-team tournament will begin on November 14 and run up to December 5.
The teams will be split into two pools of four and play their opponents once each, culminating in play-off games between the first, second, third and fourth-placed sides in each group.
Ireland are set to be in a group with England, Wales and Fiji while the other pool will see France, Scotland and Italy joined by 2019 World Cup quarter-finalists Japan.
Matches, which will be played on four consecutive weekends, are due to be shown free-to-air on RTÉ television.
It is expected that Ireland will host two home games at Aviva
Stadium in Dublin — against Wales and Fiji — but will travel to Twickenham to play England.
Farrell’s men had an impressive 24-14 victory over Wales in their second Six Nations outing last February, following up their stuttering opening home win over Scotland with a four-try display against the Welsh.
Ireland would be confident of doing the double over Wayne Pivac’s side but less so of beating England in Twickenham.
Eddie Jones’ men were comfortable 24-12 winners in their London base on February 23 before Ireland’s remaining Six Nations games were postponed due to the coronavirus crisis.
Ireland have never lost to Fiji but Joe Schmidt’s men were pushed uncomfortably close in their last meeting at Lansdowne Road in 2017, tries from number eight Jack Conan and wingers Dave Kearney and Darren Sweetnam helping Ireland to squeeze home 23-20.
Ireland had been due to face South Africa, Australia and Japan this November, but all scheduled autumn meetings have been postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic — allowing this special tournament to take place.
South Africa and Australia are now set to compete in the Rugby Championship at that time, which will be staged in New Zealand.
If England finish top of the initial pool stage they could face France in a grandstand final. Wherever they stand, they will play another game against a team from the other pool who finished in the same pool position.
Meanwhile, Exeter Chiefs will officially review their name, branding and Big Chief mascot at a board meeting tomorrow.
The Premiership’s top side are under pressure from campaigners to ditch their links to Native American imagery — amid claims it is racist and offensive — although there is another petition for the symbols to stay.
In the NFL, Washington Redskins retired their badge and changed their name to the Washington Football Team after years of pressure from indigenous groups.
Chiefs directors will be presented with dossiers on the options tomorrow.
THE Lions will wear Vodafone branding on their shirts on the tour to South Africa next summer, having secured a multi-million-pound sponsorship deal.
It is understood the telecommunications giant has paid a similar amount to the £6.25m which Standard Life Investments shelled out in 2017 to be the Lions’ main shirt sponsor.