Risk 6 Nations may not complete this years tournament.

by No9 Mon 24 Feb 2020, 1:13 pm

First topic message reminder :

Yes, there is a real chance that not all games in this years 6 Nations may be completed as Italian authorities are enforcing "no go zones" as a result of the Corona virus.

Pro 14 games with Zebre and Treviso against Ospreys and Ulster have already been postponed as well as the women's game this weekend. Now at the moment its hitting the North, but there are real concerns and questions being asked whether the Italian team should withdraw from the remainder of the 6 Nations matches, as they're players themselves are based in those regions.

Of course, this would be an upset for all us rugby fans, but we shouldn't lose sight of the bigger picture here, that being that people are losing their lives to this, so please consider that before you WUM on this thread.

Personally, I hope the 6 Nations completes, but my thoughts go out to all being caught up in this and as such would fully understand if the 6 Nations isnt completed. After all, we delayed the 6 Nations over Foot and Mouth outbreak and even cancelled previous 5 Nations over terrorist threats, so I guess we have to put it into perspective.

*** BEFORE you WUM on this thread... think***

************Update 27th Feb @ 1800hrs ***************

BBC wrote:

Officials from around the rugby world are meeting at a pre-arranged World Rugby summit at the start of next week, with Six Nations unions set to take this opportunity to continue discussions around rescheduling the cancelled games.

While France can still clinch the Grand Slam, if they were to lose one of their remaining matches then the men's Championship may not have a winner unless Ireland's game with Italy in Dublin is rearranged.

Six Nations sources have indicated that matches will only be called off in the event of a governmental directive.

While the Italy against England women's match is under more threat because it is being staged in Padua in Veneto, the virus has not yet spread to Rome, where the men's Italy against England game is taking place.

The Italy against Scotland match in the women's Championship was called off last weekend because it was being staged in the Lombardy region, which is one of the affected areas.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/51666898

by Pete330v2 Wed 26 Feb 2020, 12:58 pm

There are still plenty of people who'll travel anyway. Most people are utterly thick when it comes to this kind of thing. The 'it'll never happen to me attitude' is simply ignorance of the fact you'll put others at risk. It's all too little, too late anyway, world travel continues and the virus has now hit Brazil and the US. Soon the word pandemic will be used at which point travel bans might come into place but it'll be far too late then. Nobody knows how bad this'll get or when it'll end let alone if vaccines can be made.

St Paddy's day will be ruined!!!!!

by tigertattie Wed 26 Feb 2020, 12:59 pm

jeebus there's some stuff going around the world about this.

There’s two particularly wild theories about the virus being either:

A) A bio weapon engineered in China that got out of containment (apparently the Chinese bio weapon facility is in Wuhan)

B) The Americans released the virus in China to start to reduce the Chinese population in case china and Russia join forces against "the west"

I think the games being called off is the most wise outcome but it then sets a precedent going forward. There’s now a real risk that the Olympics are cancelled/postponed

by Pot Hale Wed 26 Feb 2020, 1:00 pm

The chances of a Government ignoring the advice of its Public Health agency, and in turn the IRFU ignoring the advice of its own government are pretty slim. Although the IRFU now want the Irish Government to issue a specific travel ban. The Irish health minister has said that is the Government's strong advice but the decision to cancel rests with the IRFU. A wider issue for the IRFU, and WRU, SRU, FIR and SARU is that PRO14 games may also be hit as they have the most cross-border games in Europe.

Force Majeure is a key question here as that is the likely basis for any insurance claim against loss of income.

Heineken Cup matches don't involve Italian teams, but by the time April rolls around, at risk areas may have increased substantially. The Canaries are now a potential hot-spot with lots of travellers from many different countries arriving there for a short stay and leaving again.

As the Chief Medical Officer of the Dept of Health said this morning, they think they're past the point of containing the virus unlike they were able to successfully do with SARS.

by lostinwales Wed 26 Feb 2020, 1:05 pm

If we wait long enough there is a good chance we'll end up at a point where it won't make any difference. That is of course when most bans will happen because governments at that point will want to be seen to be doing something, even if it is long after that particular horse has bolted.

by Pete330v2 Wed 26 Feb 2020, 1:14 pm

lostinwales wrote:If we wait long enough there is a good chance we'll end up at a point where it won't make any difference. That is of course when most bans will happen because governments at that point will want to be seen to be doing something, even if it is long after that particular horse has bolted.

The horse bolted a while ago.

Simon Harris, the Irish health minister has asked for the game to be postponed/cancelled yet his own government's social media is still advertising Dublin as the place to be for Paddy's day and for the world to come. They'd really need to remove those posts and tell everyone that Paddy's day is off.

God I hope not, I love a bit of Paddy's day.

by SecretFly Wed 26 Feb 2020, 1:22 pm

Pete330v2 wrote:

Simon Harris, the Irish health minister has asked for the game to be postponed/cancelled yet his own government's social media is still advertising Dublin as the place to be for Paddy's day and for the world to come. They'd really need to remove those posts and tell everyone that Paddy's day is off.

God I hope not, I love a bit of Paddy's day.

Wearing shamrock protects you from the worst symptoms. And ten pints of Guinness cures you instantly.

So the World is Welcome!!!!! But not Italianos!

by No9 Wed 26 Feb 2020, 1:27 pm

SecretFly wrote:
Pete330v2 wrote:

Simon Harris, the Irish health minister has asked for the game to be postponed/cancelled yet his own government's social media is still advertising Dublin as the place to be for Paddy's day and for the world to come. They'd really need to remove those posts and tell everyone that Paddy's day is off.

God I hope not, I love a bit of Paddy's day.

Wearing shamrock protects you from the worst symptoms. And ten pints of Guinness cures you instantly.

So the World is Welcome!!!!! But not Italianos!

Bu88er... think I overdosed last weekend... vomit

by SecretFly Wed 26 Feb 2020, 1:32 pm

rodders wrote:
I think authorities in Europe have been slow to act for economic reasons. If they advise people not to travel to impacted locations they'll have more rights in terms of compensation. Whereas if they just leave it up to personal choice then they have to foot the bill themselves.

I was laughing about that earlier this morning as I was listening to someone point out those technicalities.

It's weird and funny. If your Government officially warns you not to travel to certain places and you find yourself there, or about to go there - you can be compensated. But if you travel without anyone telling you you shouldn't, you're on your own.
Surely the person who has been warned doesn't deserve a penny and the person who has travelled without being officially warned should get a few million?

by **rodders** Wed 26 Feb 2020, 1:37 pm

lostinwales wrote:If we wait long enough there is a good chance we'll end up at a point where it won't make any difference. That is of course when most bans will happen because governments at that point will want to be seen to be doing something, even if it is long after that particular horse has bolted.

And this is the key thing here, right now certain governments in the west are effectively doing nothing but trying to appear to do be doing something to contain the spread.

By the time a travel ban is implemented -and it will - it will likely be too late to be effective, and the current delay is simply down to avoiding liability for lost travel costs and potential economic damage.

The IRFU are right to push the decision for the Ireland game back to the Irish government to implement a wider ban, there is either a significant risk or their isn't.

by **rodders** Wed 26 Feb 2020, 1:44 pm

SecretFly wrote:
rodders wrote:
I think authorities in Europe have been slow to act for economic reasons. If they advise people not to travel to impacted locations they'll have more rights in terms of compensation. Whereas if they just leave it up to personal choice then they have to foot the bill themselves.

I was laughing about that earlier this morning as I was listening to someone point out those technicalities.

It's weird and funny. If your Government officially warns you not to travel to certain places and you find yourself there, or about to go there - you can be compensated. But if you travel without anyone telling you you shouldn't, you're on your own.
Surely the person who has been warned doesn't deserve a penny and the person who has travelled without being officially warned should get a few million?

Fly I was watching Nick Hancock(?) this morning on BBC, he was so careful to avoid issuing any sort of advice, he would stutter something like "well we can't advise whether to travel, it's up to individuals to decide if it is to risky based on their own circumstance..."

Absolute nonsense.

by **LondonTiger** Wed 26 Feb 2020, 1:48 pm

Matt Hancock I assume (Health Secretary - Nick is a TV host).

Should the UK Government add places to the "Do not travel list" then people can cancel their holiday and get compensation. Without the official warning people either have to stay at home and lose the money or travel and risk getting ill.

by Pete330v2 Wed 26 Feb 2020, 1:51 pm

rodders wrote:
SecretFly wrote:
rodders wrote:
I think authorities in Europe have been slow to act for economic reasons. If they advise people not to travel to impacted locations they'll have more rights in terms of compensation. Whereas if they just leave it up to personal choice then they have to foot the bill themselves.

I was laughing about that earlier this morning as I was listening to someone point out those technicalities.

It's weird and funny. If your Government officially warns you not to travel to certain places and you find yourself there, or about to go there - you can be compensated. But if you travel without anyone telling you you shouldn't, you're on your own.
Surely the person who has been warned doesn't deserve a penny and the person who has travelled without being officially warned should get a few million?

Fly I was watching Nick Hancock(?) this morning on BBC, he was so careful to avoid issuing any sort of advice, he would stutter something like "well we can't advise whether to travel, it's up to individuals to decide if it is to risky based on their own circumstance..."

Absolute nonsense.

That's the usual nonsense we'd sadly become so used to. If there is a significant risk, do not leave it up to the selfish to decide whether to make things worse by travelling to effected areas. Grow a pair and shut them down. People are generally incredibly selfish when it comes to doing just exactly what they want because it's a free country.

I for one am taking Fly's advice and will be imbibing much Guinness.
My Granny was on a prescription of Guinness, I remember the wooden crate with the bottles in it with prescription labels on them. One a day it said, she saved them up for the Saturday wrestling and drank them all in one go Smile

by Gooseberry Wed 26 Feb 2020, 1:53 pm

Pete330v2 wrote:
rodders wrote:
SecretFly wrote:
rodders wrote:
I think authorities in Europe have been slow to act for economic reasons. If they advise people not to travel to impacted locations they'll have more rights in terms of compensation. Whereas if they just leave it up to personal choice then they have to foot the bill themselves.

I was laughing about that earlier this morning as I was listening to someone point out those technicalities.

It's weird and funny. If your Government officially warns you not to travel to certain places and you find yourself there, or about to go there - you can be compensated. But if you travel without anyone telling you you shouldn't, you're on your own.
Surely the person who has been warned doesn't deserve a penny and the person who has travelled without being officially warned should get a few million?

Fly I was watching Nick Hancock(?) this morning on BBC, he was so careful to avoid issuing any sort of advice, he would stutter something like "well we can't advise whether to travel, it's up to individuals to decide if it is to risky based on their own circumstance..."

Absolute nonsense.

That's the usual nonsense we'd sadly become so used to. If there is a significant risk, do not leave it up to the selfish to decide whether to make things worse by travelling to effected areas. Grow a pair and shut them down. People are generally incredibly selfish when it comes to doing just exactly what they want because it's a free country.

I for one am taking Fly's advice and will be imbibing much Guinness.
My Granny was on a prescription of Guinness, I remember the wooden crate with the bottles in it with prescription labels on them. One a day it said, she saved them up for the Saturday wrestling and drank them all in one go

Exactly we didn't vote for the freedom to end the freedom of movement to not deny people the freedom to move.

by SecretFly Wed 26 Feb 2020, 1:56 pm

LondonTiger wrote:Matt Hancock I assume (Health Secretary - Nick is a TV host).

Should the UK Government add places to the "Do not travel list" then people can cancel their holiday and get compensation. Without the official warning people either have to stay at home and lose the money or travel and risk getting ill.

I know people can't be faulted for having to act on official info that a certain place is now deemed unsafe to visit..... but surely travel/airline companies aren't to blame for the reasons why these places have suddenly become unsafe due to virus outbreak.
So..... if someone gets compensation from us.... we're going to get compensation from someone else? Who will the companies having to dish out compensation get compensation from? Big bill coming China's way. They're the first ones who didn't close down exit points.

by lostinwales Wed 26 Feb 2020, 1:57 pm

If you were thinking of going to, say, a game in Italy there are now two risk factors to consider.

What is the risk of picking up the virus and spreading it to your nearest and dearest (and anybody else you'll meet)?

What is the risk of getting ill and dying?

Now there are all kinds of other risks that we take for granted. But at what level would you start thinking its not worth going? 1%? 0.1%?

by Pete330v2 Wed 26 Feb 2020, 2:06 pm

lostinwales wrote:If you were thinking of going to, say, a game in Italy there are now two risk factors to consider.

What is the risk of picking up the virus and spreading it to your nearest and dearest (and anybody else you'll meet)?

What is the risk of getting ill and dying?

Now there are all kinds of other risks that we take for granted. But at what level would you start thinking its not worth going? 1%? 0.1%?

Personally I'd be thinking of the first one. How will my actions effect others? If there was any chance my actions could damage someone's health or even kill them, I'd cease and desist immediately.
It's just another reason why I'm not a lycra-clad cyclist. There's a section of society who don't care how their actions effect others Smile

by SecretFly Wed 26 Feb 2020, 2:08 pm

Pete330v2 wrote:

I for one am taking Fly's advice and will be imbibing much Guinness.
My Granny was on a prescription of Guinness, I remember the wooden crate with the bottles in it with prescription labels on them. One a day it said, she saved them up for the Saturday wrestling and drank them all in one go

Ah the memories. Dickie Davis, wrestling and the endless football results print outs. Scunthorpe.....nil - West Bromwich Albion ...........................nil.

Saurdays, Saturdays - Christ, I hated Saturdays!

by SecretFly Wed 26 Feb 2020, 2:14 pm

Be Jeepers, has telephones got to Scotland yet. Them boys over on the Scottish threads seem oblivious to Coronavirus maybe very near to closing down the World for a few months.

Not them! They is gonna smash France! Ravish Italy! Play England again on a clear day and make shyte of them!!!! They are going to win this Six Nations one way of another, damn it!!!!!!!

by 123456789. Wed 26 Feb 2020, 2:32 pm

SecretFly wrote:Be Jeepers, has telephones got to Scotland yet. Them boys over on the Scottish threads seem oblivious to Conovirus maybe very near to closing down the World for a few months.

Not them! They is gonna smash France! Ravish Italy! Play England again on a clear day and make shyte of them!!!! They are going to win this Six Nations one way of another, damn it!!!!!!!

This is a big opportunity for us, if the other teams stop playing rugby we might actually win something.

by Pot Hale Wed 26 Feb 2020, 2:42 pm

From IRFU 14.34 today

"The IRFU had a positive meeting with Minister Harris and his advisors today, where we requested a formal instruction as to the staging of the Ireland v Italy international matches over the weekend of 6/8 March.

At the outset we made it clear that the IRFU was supportive of the Governments’ need to protect public health in relation to the Coronavirus.

We were then advised, formally, that The National Public Health Emergency team has determined that the series of matches should not proceed, in the interests of Public Health.

The IRFU is happy to comply with this instruction.

We will immediately begin to work with our Six Nations partners to look at the possibility of rescheduling the matches and would hope to have an update on this in the coming days."

by Pot Hale Wed 26 Feb 2020, 2:43 pm

Note that the IRFU is now "complying with this instruction" from Government.

by **rodders** Wed 26 Feb 2020, 3:05 pm

LondonTiger wrote:Matt Hancock I assume (Health Secretary - Nick is a TV host).

Should the UK Government add places to the "Do not travel list" then people can cancel their holiday and get compensation. Without the official warning people either have to stay at home and lose the money or travel and risk getting ill.

Sincere apologies to Nick, then, although I'm sure he'd do a better job....

by TightHEAD Wed 26 Feb 2020, 3:06 pm

Is that the last we see of Italy in the 6 nations, no win for 5 years.

Presumably the England game will be off too.

SA will join as of next year.

by Pot Hale Wed 26 Feb 2020, 3:40 pm

They're under contract with the Six Nations for another while yet.

by SecretFly Wed 26 Feb 2020, 3:44 pm

If the games were cancelled rather than postponed, (as I'd prefer) that'd be two draws for them against Ireland and England. Not bad and more than enough to keep them in. Wink

by **LondonTiger** Wed 26 Feb 2020, 3:50 pm

SecretFly wrote:If the games were cancelled rather than postponed, (as I'd prefer) that'd be two draws for them against Ireland and England. Not bad and more than enough to keep them in.

to add to their draw against NZ in the world cup and it will have been a decent season.

by Pete330v2 Wed 26 Feb 2020, 4:04 pm

Play the postponed matches the following week behind closed doors. It'd be like watching Edinburgh at home in the Pro14.

by No9 Wed 26 Feb 2020, 4:11 pm

If postponed, then the points can be awarded prorata...

If not, and cancelled then award 0 points as if the game was NULL. They should not award a draw, that makes a mockery of it.

As I've said, numerous times... If France go on and win the Slam, there is NO reason for these games to be rescheduled. However, if France don't, then either can the tournament (as if not played at all), or they will have to play the postponed games so that the points can be correctly assigned. Awarding a drawer makes a mockery...

by Brendan Wed 26 Feb 2020, 4:12 pm

If the holiday resorts have been hit we probably are looking at all of Europe being infected. It highlights the issues with unrestricted open boarders when Italy have locked down part of the country but people from one town over can stroll around all of europe

The good news from all this is our carbon footprint will be doen this year and lower population will help with Gobal warming. Every cloud and all that.

If the 6N is cancelled we can always play a home nations cup

by BamBam Wed 26 Feb 2020, 4:18 pm

No9 wrote:If postponed, then the points can be awarded prorata...

If not, and cancelled then award 0 points as if the game was NULL. They should not award a draw, that makes a mockery of it.

As I've said, numerous times... If France go on and win the Slam, there is NO reason for these games to be rescheduled. However, if France don't, then either can the tournament (as if not played at all), or they will have to play the postponed games so that the points can be correctly assigned. Awarding a drawer makes a mockery...

Would a wardrobe or bookshelf be less of a mockery?

by Pete330v2 Wed 26 Feb 2020, 4:33 pm

BamBam wrote:
No9 wrote:If postponed, then the points can be awarded prorata...

If not, and cancelled then award 0 points as if the game was NULL. They should not award a draw, that makes a mockery of it.

As I've said, numerous times... If France go on and win the Slam, there is NO reason for these games to be rescheduled. However, if France don't, then either can the tournament (as if not played at all), or they will have to play the postponed games so that the points can be correctly assigned. Awarding a drawer makes a mockery...

Would a wardrobe or bookshelf be less of a mockery?

by Pete330v2 Wed 26 Feb 2020, 4:35 pm

Brendan wrote:If the holiday resorts have been hit we probably are looking at all of Europe being infected. It highlights the issues with unrestricted open boarders when Italy have locked down part of the country but people from one town over can stroll around all of europe

The good news from all this is our carbon footprint will be doen this year and lower population will help with Gobal warming. Every cloud and all that.

If the 6N is cancelled we can always play a home nations cup

I said that to my other half the other night, I think it went a bit more like "well it's been a while since we've had a half decent plague, young Thunberg should be jumping for joy". It did not go down well, humourless cow!

by No9 Wed 26 Feb 2020, 4:39 pm

Pete330v2 wrote:
BamBam wrote:
No9 wrote:If postponed, then the points can be awarded prorata...

If not, and cancelled then award 0 points as if the game was NULL. They should not award a draw, that makes a mockery of it.

As I've said, numerous times... If France go on and win the Slam, there is NO reason for these games to be rescheduled. However, if France don't, then either can the tournament (as if not played at all), or they will have to play the postponed games so that the points can be correctly assigned. Awarding a drawer makes a mockery...

Would a wardrobe or bookshelf be less of a mockery?

...

by Mr Bounce Wed 26 Feb 2020, 4:55 pm

I am currently recovering from Norovirus (I like to be different). I am not due to go to Twickenham until the 7th, so you should all be safe.

by Pete330v2 Wed 26 Feb 2020, 5:09 pm

As has just been pointed out on Twitter, the EL443 Aer Lingus flight from Milan has just landed at Dublin airport. The passengers have not been quarantined, they've not been health checked yet they are quite free to disperse across Ireland, in all likelyhood to visit some well attended venues for example our famous Irish pubs. Simon Harris isn't requesting that this stops, mind you he is the man who denies life changing medication from small kids.

by Pete330v2 Wed 26 Feb 2020, 5:11 pm

Mr Bounce wrote:I am currently recovering from Norovirus (I like to be different). I am not due to go to Twickenham until the 7th, so you should all be safe.

There's nothing quite like a good clean out Mr Bounce. I like to refer to it as natures pull-through.

by SecretFly Wed 26 Feb 2020, 5:23 pm

Pete330v2 wrote:As has just been pointed out on Twitter, the EL443 Aer Lingus flight from Milan has just landed at Dublin airport. The passengers have not been quarantined, they've not been health checked yet they are quite free to disperse across Ireland, in all likelyhood to visit some well attended venues for example our famous Irish pubs. Simon Harris isn't requesting that this stops, mind you he is the man who denies life changing medication from small kids.

You're in top form today, Pete! Great stuff

by **LondonTiger** Wed 26 Feb 2020, 5:55 pm

So, I do get that people are getting I'll and dying, but the important thing g is

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR MY FANTASY RUGBY TEAM?????

by No9 Wed 26 Feb 2020, 7:04 pm

BBC wrote:

First French citizen dies
More details are emerging about the first French person to die from coronavirus.

On Wednesday health officials said the 60-year-old teacher died overnight in a Paris hospital. He had not travelled to a virus hotspot. He worked at a school north of Paris.

He is the second person to die from the virus in France. The first was a Chinese tourist.

In the past 24 hours, four new cases were reported in the country. Two of those patients had returned from Italy. The total number of cases in France is 17.

BBC Link

And so it goes... Can see calls for France's remaining games to be called off next, and if/when that happens I think the 6 Nations will be cancelled, with it being declared incomplete.

by 123456789. Wed 26 Feb 2020, 7:07 pm

I realised that about my fantasy league team, had a bit of a mare in the first two rounds and was starting to pick up. Was going to pop Sexton, Larmour and Stockdale in to get a few easy points too.

The other thought that crossed my mind was whether the upheaval of the World Cup and now the Six Nations (and more widely the Olympics and the Euros) would become a more regular occurrence with the changes in Weather conditions worldwide. We may find that only certain countries have the climate to host major championships reliably. Equally, with an change in the weather conditions coupled with the speed of travel, we may find that obscure illnesses have a wider range of climates in which they will survive and prosper. However it's not as if illnesses never used to travel, the black plague came from China originally. You do wonder when Parisse will get to retire now though.

by Pot Hale Wed 26 Feb 2020, 7:36 pm

No9 wrote:If postponed, then the points can be awarded prorata...

If not, and cancelled then award 0 points as if the game was NULL. They should not award a draw, that makes a mockery of it.

As I've said, numerous times... If France go on and win the Slam, there is NO reason for these games to be rescheduled. However, if France don't, then either can the tournament (as if not played at all), or they will have to play the postponed games so that the points can be correctly assigned. Awarding a drawer makes a mockery...

Repeating your inaccurate assertion doesn’t make it true.

You’re now suggesting that Ireland should play against France on 9 points, with France on 17 or 18, and if France win, then they win the Grand Slam, and if they don’t then the tournament is made null and void as one of your options. Why on earth would Ireland agree to do that on that basis? Or England for that matter?

And stating that there’s NO reason for games to be re-scheduled is wrong. Finishing places in the 6 N table have a lot of money attached to them, so it does matter. And WR ranking points are at stake if matches are deemed a draw. So they will try to play any postponed matches.

by Gooseberry Wed 26 Feb 2020, 7:39 pm

Pete330v2 wrote:Play the postponed matches the following week behind closed doors. It'd be like watching Edinburgh at home in the Pro14.

Not really, Scotland don't win that often

by majesticimperialman Wed 26 Feb 2020, 9:45 pm

How long are these game that are being postponed going too be postponed for?
Will it lead to the 6ns actually running on after the end of the champion ship?

Can these games be moved to other venues in other countries?

Questions i am sure we would all like answers too.

by 123456789. Wed 26 Feb 2020, 9:55 pm

Well the last article I read said the whole thing could be 12-18 months long. Would be just Saracens luck to be relegated for the season that never happens.

by tigertattie Wed 26 Feb 2020, 11:30 pm

If the games are postponed you’d be looking at the autumn for rescheduling. Either just before the AIs or some of the “lesser” teams will be dropped and a “6n” game put in its place

by yappysnap Wed 26 Feb 2020, 11:41 pm

Could the teams just play behind closed doors and it just be broadcast? Assuming the players are happy to travel to Italy and get thoroughly screened then that should be low risk and limit impact on the tournament.

by No9 Wed 26 Feb 2020, 11:45 pm

It’s a real concern. If they are to be postponed how long for.

Unlikely to be a month or two, as the Coronavirus threat is unlikely to be over by then, and of course there are other tournaments still going on in this season, which may also need rescheduling.

So next opportunity would be the summer, and if the Coronavirus is still a world issue in the summer, maybe summer tours will get cancelled so possible free slot there.

If not, then you run into the new season, and that itself will have issues. Perhaps replace the autumn internationals.

Beyond that it runs into next seasons 6 Nations, which would not make any sense at all.

But all this will depend on how and when the Coronavirus threat is deemed under control, and that may be many months yet.

This is why, I think, if more than 2 games cancelled, then I think they will take the decision to just can this years tournament and mark it down as incomplete.

by tigertattie Thu 27 Feb 2020, 9:26 am

No9 wrote:It’s a real concern. If they are to be postponed how long for.

Unlikely to be a month or two, as the Coronavirus threat is unlikely to be over by then, and of course there are other tournaments still going on in this season, which may also need rescheduling.

So next opportunity would be the summer, and if the Coronavirus is still a world issue in the summer, maybe summer tours will get cancelled so possible free slot there.

If not, then you run into the new season, and that itself will have issues. Perhaps replace the autumn internationals.

Beyond that it runs into next seasons 6 Nations, which would not make any sense at all.

But all this will depend on how and when the Coronavirus threat is deemed under control, and that may be many months yet.

This is why, I think, if more than 2 games cancelled, then I think they will take the decision to just can this years tournament and mark it down as incomplete.

You cant cancel one game due to the virus and replace it with another. Instead of Samoa going to Italy for an AI (as Italy is infected) Ireland go over instead to finish the 6Ns???

There is already a precedent for this anyway. Foot and Mouth in 2001 saw the Ireland game moved to the AI window (but that is dependant on the virius being gone by then obviously)

by SecretFly Thu 27 Feb 2020, 9:38 am

Now we're beginning to hear that some people who have 'recovered' are showing symptoms again.

So there are two stories going around - one says it isn't really a much different virus to a common cold, most people will get very mild symptoms, you gotta be very close to carriers to get it, don't panic

...the other story is that this is a newbie and not well enough studied to work out its characteristics, one of the main symptoms is shortness of breath (no panic there then), it lingers in the system and could reignite, not enough is known about it, nobody really knows the true source.

Hmmmm. No panic - run for the hills!

by Gooseberry Thu 27 Feb 2020, 10:39 am

Im sure the Welsh will find a way to blame it on the ref.

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