Postponement Of Benetton v Ulster Due To Coronavirus Precautions
Out-half Bill Johnston produced a man-of-the-match display in Ulster's 20-10 victory over the Toyota Cheetahs in Belfast on Saturday night ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
Both GUINNESS PRO14 fixtures set to take place in Italy next weekend have been postponed due to the restrictions enforced by national and local authorities dealing with the threat posed by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.
Contingency-planning around the rescheduling of the round 13 games – Zebre v Ospreys (2pm local time) and Benetton v Ulster (4pm local time) – are currently underway.
The restrictions on public gatherings and sporting events put in place by the Italian authorities apply in the Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto regions and have already seen a Women’s Six Nations game and four Serie A football fixtures postponed over the weekend.
Fixtures in Italy’s national rugby championship, the Top 12, and all domestic rugby activities have also been postponed ahead of next weekend.
The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) latest report has listed 78 countries with confirmed cases of the Coronavirus.
In a statement issued today, PRO14 Rugby said: “To ensure the safety of our players and spectators, PRO14 Rugby fully supports the preventative measures taken in Italy and will adhere to the directives from the WHO and local authorities
“The current restrictions are in place until next Sunday (March 1) and PRO14 Rugby will remain in contact with the FIR (Italian Rugby Union), Zebre Rugby Club, Benetton Rugby and World Rugby to monitor the situation on a daily basis.”