WRB suspend tournaments

Sports Reporter
THE World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series, where Zimbabwe had a fine run, have been put on hold. This was announced by World Rugby in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic yesterday.

Zimbabwe beat Brazil in their opening match before they came from 7-10 at the break to beat Mexico 24-15 in their second match of the all-new World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series in Chile.

The Cheetahs began their campaign on a high note in Chile last month.

The top eight ranked teams, after the two rounds in Chile and Uruguay, are guaranteed a spot at the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series qualifier at the Hong Kong Sevens in April.

Yesterday’s announcement means there will be a long break before they take part in any tournament.

“After detailed and constructive dialogue, with the respective host and participating unions, and with the wellbeing of the global rugby family at heart, the following events have been postponed.’’

• The men’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series tournaments in London and Paris will be postponed, provisionally, until September.
• The women’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series tournament in Langford has been postponed until later in the year.
• The final men’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series event has been postponed until later in the year.
• Some Rugby World Cup 2021 and 2023 regional qualifying events have been postponed.

In addition, the following event has been cancelled:

• The World Rugby U20 Championship 2020, scheduled to be hosted in northern Italy in late June and July, has been cancelled following detailed consultation with the Federazione Italiana Rugby

‘‘The Olympic Games Repechage qualification tournament, scheduled for June, is under review and World Rugby continues to be in close consultation with the International Olympic Committee regarding the implications for the qualification process in the event that the Repechage is unable to be hosted due to the COVID-19 outbreak.’’

‘‘The World Rugby Hall of Fame, located in Rugby, UK, will be closed until the end of May in line with public health authority directives.’’

World Rugby chairman, Bill Beaumont, said they stood in solidarity with the prople affected by the pandemic:

“We stand in solidarity with the global rugby family, and people around the world, at this exceptional and difficult time,’’ he said.

‘‘And, I will ensure we continue do everything in our power to protect the wellbeing of the global rugby family and the wider public.’’

“Taking the appropriate measures that mitigate the spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus, in line with government and public health agency responses and advice, is paramount.’’

‘‘This has underpinned our decision, taken in consultation with our unions, to suspend these World Rugby tournament activities with immediate effect, including the cancellation of the World Rugby U20 Championship, following conversations with our friends at the Italian federation.’’

“At this extraordinary time, we are united in our commitment to finding ways of ensuring that on-field activity can resume as soon as it is safe and possible to do so.’’

All World Rugby staff based in their Dublin headquarters have been working from home for more than a week now.