Ireland cancel proposed summer tour to Fiji due to Covid uncertainty

Ireland have cancelled their projected summer tour to Fiji due to ongoing uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus outbreak.

The Irish Rugby Union said it was “no longer viable” to proceed with the tour, citing a recent outbreak of the virus and subsequent lockdown in Fiji.

IRFU performance director David Nucifora said: “A great deal of effort has gone into the planning of the tour which was predicated on a safety first approach.

“Fiji up until this point had been relatively untouched by the pandemic but that picture has quickly changed and unfortunately it is no longer viable to proceed with the tour.”

The IRFU said it would be speaking to other Unions with regard to arranging alternative Test matches during the July international window.

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell described the news as “incredibly disappointing”, and added: “It would have been a tough rugby challenge against an excellent Fijian side and a huge opportunity for us to develop as a group and build on the progress made during the past year.

“We will be looking to source alternative fixtures and we hope to have them nailed down in the coming weeks.”