Covid-19 wipes out entire global summer schedule

● Red Rose denied chance to return to scene of 2019 World Cup final

This summer’s rugby union international schedule – including Scotland’s tour of South Africa and New Zealand and England’s tour of Japan – has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

World Rugby announced yesterday that all fixtures in July would be called off due to Covid-19, meaning England will not return to the scene of last year’s World Cup, where they reached the final.

The widespread postponements mean Wales’ one-Test mission in Japan is also off, as are their two Tests in New Zealand, with Ireland’s trip to Australia also removed from the schedule.

England coach Eddie Jones said: “It’s the correct decision under the current circumstances.”

In a statement, the Rugby Football Union said all parties were working to try and find a way to fit July’s matches into a newlook international calendar for the rest of the year.

World Rugby said:

“Extended travel and quarantine restrictions that apply to numerous countries and concerns over adequate player preparation time, mean that any sort of crossborder international rugby competition cannot be hosted in July.” Wales coach Wayne Pivac would have been returning to his homeland in New Zealand but has seen a planned trip there as well as to Japan cancelled.

Pivac said: “We were very much looking forward to playing both in Japan and New Zealand in the summer.

“So this postponement is disappointing but completely understandable in the circumstances we are facing.

“Having seen first-hand the welcome the team received at the World Cup in Japan in 2019 and the extraordinary scenes at the open training session, I am sure our fantastic relationship with Japanese rugby will go from strength to strength in the future.

“On a personal note I was really looking forward to returning to New Zealand with Wales.

“It’s unfortunate that we will now have to wait a little longer for that privilege. But the occasion will be no less relished when it arrives.”

On their tour to Australia being postponed, Ireland performance director David Nucifora said: “While it is disappointing that the summer tour to Australia will not go ahead as scheduled, it will not be a surprise to many. It is clear Covid-19 will have implications for our game for some time to come.

“We continue to work with World Rugby, our fellow unions and our players and their representative body, Rugby Players Ireland, to develop a roadmap for the safe return of our game.”

“The correct decision in the current climate”