New rugby calendar confirmed

LONDON: The remaining rounds of the Six Nations Championship will be played on October 24 and 31 after World Rugby approved dates for the temporary 2020 Covid19 calendar yesterday.

The World Rugby Council approved an adjustment to allow the release of players for new international windows after the pandemic forced the sport’s suspension in March.

The Council approved the release of players for the window between October 24 and the first weekend of December.

The final rounds of the men’s and women’s Six Nations will be followed by a rest weekend on November 7 and then four consecutive rounds of international matches, World Rugby said.

Four matches of this year’s Six Nations were postponed due to the pandemic.

England is top of the standings with 13 points, ahead of France on points difference. England also topped the women’s Six Nations standings before the tournament was suspended.

World Rugby also approved a window from November 7 to the second week of December for the southern hemisphere’s Rugby Championship.

Southern hemisphere governing body SANZAAR had confirmed New Zealand as its preferred host for the annual competition.

“Special measures will need to be implemented to deal with any governmentrequired isolation period prior to the start of the competition,” World Rugby said.

The governing body added that the rescheduling of domestic, European and international calendars would allow profes

sional clubs to play their southern hemisphere international players when they complete the 201920 season.

Yet English Premiership chiefs had expressed concerns last week regarding the decision to stage test matches in November and December.

The new window would leave English topflight clubs without their overseas players for one week of domestic matches and the opening round of the European Champions Cup, as next season’s Premiership is slated to start on November 20. — Reuters