LIST | What international rugby matches have been called off?
Rugby NewsThursday, 10 October 2019 at 09:26
Ireland’s Six Nations game against Italy, scheduled for March 7 in Dublin, has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Irish Rugby Football Union has announced.
A very small number of international rugby matches have been called off down the years.
Here are four occasions where games were called off or rearranged.
1. Ireland vs France, Paris, 2012
This match was abandoned just two minutes after the scheduled kick-off time at the Stade de France - because the pitch was still frozen. The pitch had passed an earlier inspection, but the referee then reversed his decision close to kick-off.
The capacity crowd of 80,000 people were told by the PA announcer that the ground was not deemed safe for playing a game of rugby.
France captain Thierry Dusautoir then took the microphone to address the fans.
"Thanks to everyone for coming to encourage us tonight, unfortunately the game has been called off," Dusautoir said.
"I hope you will all come and support us next time. The decision has been taken, and now we will prepare for the next time."
By the time the game was due to start the air temperature was -5C.
2. Ireland v Scotland and Ireland v Wales, 1972
It was the height of "The Troubles" in Northern Ireland and rugby became a dangerous occupation. Ireland had beaten France and England away and turned to their home games of Scotland and Wales.
But a series of bomb threats and death threats by the IRA ratcheted up the pressure .The games were due to be played in the wake of the burning down of the British Embassy after Bloody Sunday.
Eventually, both players and authorities decided to call off the matches.
3. Russia v Georgia, 2019
Perhaps unnoticed among the bigger matches of this year was the abandonment of the Russia v Georgia game in Tbilisi, Georgia.
The game was set to go ahead in August but Russian authorities decided that "demonstrations by radical persons" in protest against Russian political actionism meant the team would not travel to Georgia.
4. Springboks v Waikato, 1981
Probably the most famous cancelled match in New Zealand history. The Springbok tour went ahead despite massive protests against apartheid South Africa.
It all came together - police and protesters - in a massive pitch invasion in Hamilton. After that little would be the same again - not rugby, not the tour and maybe not even New Zealand.
5. Ireland vs Wales, 1962
A smallpox epidemic in South Wales in March and April caused the match between Ireland and Wales to be postponed for seven months until November 1962. The game ended 3-3.
6. Rugby World Cup 2019
The tournament in Japan saw the first cancellation of matches at the Rugby World Cup with Typhoon Hagibis affecting three matches due to the expected impact on safety that the typhoon would have.
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