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Further Postponement Of Italian PRO14 Fixtures

The outbreak of the Coronavirus has disrupted planned fixtures in the GUINNESS PRO14 in both February and March ©INPHO/Ryan Hiscott

All round 14 and 15 GUINNESS PRO14 fixtures involving Benetton Rugby and Zebre have now been postponed due to restrictions enforced by the Italian government that will prevent the teams from travelling.

The round 14 match between Cardiff Blues and Zebre in Wales (March 21) and the round 15 game between Munster and Benetton (March 27) in Ireland have now been postponed.

This means that six Italian fixtures now require alternative dates as authorities in Italy take action to combat the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus.

PRO14 Rugby has been consistent in ensuring that it has the latest information and guidance made available by the local and national authorities via our participating Unions in the UK, Ireland, Italy and South Africa.

Currently in northern Italy, no unnecessary travel is permitted in or out of the Lombardy region and 14 other provinces, which include the cities of Treviso and Parma.

These restrictions are in place until Friday, April 3, 2020, and PRO14 Rugby will remain in contact with the FIR (Italian Union), Zebre, Benetton Rugby and World Rugby to monitor situation on a regular basis.

The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) latest report has listed over 100 countries with confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus. 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

Postponed Fixtures –

Round 13: Zebre v Ospreys; Benetton Rugby v Ulster
Round 14: Cardiff Blues v Zebre; Benetton Rugby v Munster
Round 15: Munster v Benetton Rugby; Zebre v Connacht

As previously indicated, PRO14 Rugby aims to reschedule these matches on dates during the European weekends in April and May. PRO14 Rugby is currently engaged with EPCR to avoid any scheduling conflicts with European knockout clashes.

As stated on February 28, in the event that no alternative dates can be found to ensure that a postponed fixture is fulfilled, the board of Celtic Rugby DAC has agreed that both teams will be awarded two match points and the game will be deemed a 0-0 draw.