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Misery for England fans as Italian government orders all sporting events to take place behind closed doors until April

(Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

Italy’s Guinness Six Nations match versus England on March 14 will have to be played behind closed doors at Stadio Olimpico in Rome or be postponed to a later date.

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It follows the publication of a new Italian government decree that has ordered all sporting events to take place without fans until April 3 due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Six Nations officials had declared on Monday that all remaining matches in the championship were going ahead as planned except for the already postponed meeting of Ireland versus Italy in Dublin which had been fixed for next Saturday in Dublin. 

However, with the threat of the coronavirus spread still not under control, the Azzurri’s round five clash with the English in Rome is now set to be played without a crowd allowed watch at Stadio Olimpico – or be postponed to a later date by tournament officials.

The decree allows for “the suspension of events of any nature… that entails the concentration of people and do not allow for a safe distance of at least one metre (yard) to be respected.”

If the match goes ahead behind closed doors on March 14, it will leave thousands of England fans facing misery after booking flights and hotels in the Italian capital to attend the match.

WATCH: RugbyPass Rugby Explorer takes a trek through Italian rugby, stopping off in Rome and Treviso 

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BH 1 hour 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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