Coronavirus fears
Ireland's Six Nations game with Italy has been cancelled due to fears over the coronavirus.
IRFU chief executive Philip Browne confirmed the news following discussions with Department of Health officials.
Ireland's @SixNationsRugby matches v Italy are off.
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.https://t.co/80ByyvOd3E
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 26, 2020
Health officials had yesterday recommend that the match - which was scheduled to take place at the Aviva Stadium on March 7th - be cancelled as it was 'too high risk' due to the coronavirus outbreak in northern Italy.
It prompted the IRFU to seek an urgent meeting with the minister over the reasons for the call for the cancellation.
The cancellation extends to the women's and under-20's games with their Azzurri counterparts.
Browne hopes the games can be rescheduled, but has no details on a date.
In a statement following the meeting, the IRFU's Philip Browne said: "The IRFU is perfectly happy to comply with [officials'] instructions.
"We will immediately begin to work with our Six Nations partners to look at the possibility of rescheduling those three matches - we would to have an update on that in the coming days."
Meanwhile, the Irish boxing squad have left their training camp in Italy due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak.
They'd been in Assisi ahead of next month's Olympic qualification tournament in London.
