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Coronavirus: Ireland's July Tests in Australia in doubt

Scheduled summer matches likely to be affected as Rugby Australia attempts to retain four teams - Brumbies, Rebels, Reds and Waratahs - in Super Rugby

Ireland's players huddle after the final whistle during the Six Nations international rugby union match between Ireland and Wales at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, on February 8, 2020.
Image: Ireland had been due to play two matches in Australia in July

Ireland's two-Test series in Australia, scheduled for July, is in doubt as the country deals with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle outlined several measures the governing body is undertaking in response to the situation, which has affected all sport globally.

RA said it was unable to guarantee that Australia would retain four teams in the Super Rugby competition in the long-term, an issue which would impact on the planned summer matches against Ireland.

Super Rugby, which involves teams from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Japan, was suspended earlier this month after the competition became untenable due to flight restrictions and border controls aimed at containing the spread of coronavirus.

Castle
Image: Raelene Castle, the chief executive of Rugby Australia, spoke to reporters in a conference call on Monday

"At the moment, we have got contracts in place around delivering a Super Rugby structure with four Super Rugby teams and that's the model that we will be working to," Castle told reporters in a conference call on Monday after the governing body's annual general meeting.

"But it would be crazy for us not to be thinking about other scenarios that might roll out."

Castle said the fact that Australia would be unlikely to be able to host Ireland and play Fiji during the international window would deal a further blow to the administration's finances.

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She added that she had taken a 50 per cent pay-cut to her RA salary and the rest of the RA executive team were taking 30 per cent cuts to reduce the administration's costs.

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