Red Rose US tour switches to UK

ENGLAND’s three-match summer tour to North America is set to be relocated to this country because of the coronavirus crisis.

The Rugby Paper can reveal that England aren’t keen on travelling while restrictions in both the United States and Canada mean they are struggling to host games.

England were due in Inglewood, California, on July 10 to face a Calcutta Cup rematch with Scotland, who defeated them in the opening Six Nations game.

Then they are scheduled to play the USA Eagles the following week and Canada on July 24, but talks aimed at moving them are at an advanced stage.

The plan is for the game with Scotland to be played at Twickenham with matches against the USA Eagles and Canada moved to smaller venues.

England have only played one Test away from HQ since 1997, a 2019 World Cup warm-up match against Italy watched by 50,157 at St James’ Park, Newcastle.

World Rugby told a conference call between the three nations this week that they were keen for the games to go ahead as planned.

But the RFU and their North American counter

parts are keen to move the games over here, where it is hoped it will be restriction-free from June 21.

The plan is that the RFU would then take over the rights to host the games with the aim of breaking even, which is more likely with Twickenham’s commercial power.

A source has dismissed suggestions the games will be played in full stadiums, and says they are likely to be played at 30 per cent capacity.

The source said: “We need to thrash out the details, but it will be lucky to break even. The whole thing is a mess. Everyone needs to know what’s happening to they can plan.”