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The France Ireland Six Nations game dealt potential death blow

(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

The French government has placed a ban on gatherings of over 5,000 people, casting serious doubt over the France Ireland Six Nations fixture in Paris on March 14th.

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Ireland’s Six Nations match against Italy in Dublin on March 7 has already been postponed and tournament chiefs are attending a pre-scheduled World Rugby summit in Paris on Monday where the remaining five fixtures will be discussed.

England’s trip to Rome on March 14 is the biggest concern due to the escalating crisis in northern Italy.

Earlier this week Ireland head coach Andy Farrell field question on potential disruption from the virus.

“We don’t know. That’s the answer – we don’t know,” Farrell told reporters when asked about the trip to Paris.

“All we can do is prepare properly as if the game is going ahead. We’ve been in for a few days this week and that was the normal preparation that we were going to have anyway.

“We’re going to have a rest this weekend, come back in on Sunday and train Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Then we’ll have a long weekend off. The key for us is to use the time appropriately and to our advantage.”

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Rearranging the Italy game is highly problematic because of the lack of space in the rugby calendar and the Irish Rugby Football Union has yet to suggest an alternative date.

“There’s a few dates being bounced about but they’re just ideas at this point in time, so we haven’t got a clue really,” Farrell said.

France remain unbeaten in the Six Nations, while Ireland have dropped again after tasting defeat to England in Twickenham.

Global cases are estimated to have hit 85,000 as the geographical footprint of the virus widens, while the death toll is approaching 3,000.

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A range of sports have had to take action to prevent the spread of the virus, with postponements hitting the Guinness Six Nations, Formula One and Serie A among others.

With spectacles such as Euro 2020, the Olympics and golf’s majors on the horizon, the PA news agency takes a sport-by-sport look at the impact of coronavirus.

Press Association/additional reporting RugbyPass

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BH 49 minutes ago
TJ Perenara clarifies reference to the Treaty in All Blacks' Haka

Nope you're both wrong. Absolutely 100% wrong. You two obviously know nothing about NZ history, or the Treaty which already gives non-Māori "equal" rights. You are ignorant to what the Crown have already done to Māori. I've read it multiple times, attended the magnificent hikoi and witnessed a beautiful moment of Māori and non-Māori coming together in a show of unity against xenophobia and a tiny minority party trying to change a constitutional binding agreement between the Crown and Māori. The Crown have hundreds of years of experience of whitewashing our culture, trying to remove the language and and take away land and water rights that were ours but got stolen from. Māori already do not have equal rights in all of the stats - health, education, crime, etc. The Treaty is a binding constitutional document that upholds Māori rights and little Seymour doesn't like that. Apparently he's not even a Māori anyway as his tribes can't find his family tree connection LOL!!!


Seymour thinks he can change it because he's a tiny little worm with small man syndrome who represents the ugly side of NZ. The ugly side that wants all Māori to behave, don't be "radical" or "woke", and just put on a little dance for a show. But oh no they can't stand up for themselves against oppression with a bill that is a waste of time and money that wants to cause further division in their own indigenous country.


Wake up to yourselves. You can't pick and choose what parts of Māori culture you want and don't want when it suits you. If sport and politics don't mix then why did John Key do the 3 way handshake at the RWC 2011 final ceremony? Why is baldhead Luxon at ABs games promoting himself? The 1980s apartheid tour was a key example of sports and politics mixing together. This is the same kaupapa. You two sound like you support apartheid.

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