Uncertainty over men’s and women’s Six Nations

THE Women’s Six Nations is set to be postponed as a result of the escalating coronavirus crisis at a time when uncertainty continues to hover over the men’s event.

Tournament organisers have been forced to concede defeat in attempts to stage the competition in its traditional February and March window, with April and May now pencilled in as an alternative.

It means England will be denied the chance to mount their title defence until later in the year as the challenges over holding it alongside the men’s Six Nations, which is due to start on February 6, prove insurmountable.

Only the champions are fully professional, with France semiprofessional and the remaining sides mostly amateur, creating difficulties over testing and bubbles at a time when lockdowns are in place across Europe.

A schedule had yet to be published and the announcement is expected this week.

The Six Nations are still hopeful that the men’s competition will take place as planned, despite France facing a possible travel ban from their government.

That situation has also seen plans drawn up for alternative fixtures for the Welsh regions over the next two weeks following the suspension of European cup rugby.

The final two rounds of Champions Cup and Challenge Cup pool matches will not be going ahead as planned, due to the French government effectively banning cross-border games with UK teams because of concerns over a new variant of Covid-19.

The Scarlets and Cardiff Blues had been due to travel to Toulon and Stade Francais, with the Dragons hosting Bordeaux-Begles. Those games are now to be postponed, along with the Ospreys’ home match against Worcester and all the other fixtures scheduled in the two competitions over the next fortnight.

That will leave the Welsh sides with a blank couple of weekends: talks are now under way on how to fill the gaps.