After the Pro 14 announced their rearranged schedule today, there's even better news for rugby fans because the World Rugby Executive Committee have announced their provisional calendar for the international window for the end of the 2020 season, and it has big ramifications for Ireland.
In terms of the Six Nations, both the men's and women's competitions are being scheduled to recommence at the end of October. The rest weekend is provisionally slotted-in for November 7. Ireland still have to play their fixtures home to Italy and away to France to complete Andy Farrell's maiden Six Nations.
It also appears the traditional November internationals will be scrapped this year and replaced with an eight-team tournament between the teams in the current Six Nations plus ‘invited teams’. Fiji, Georgia, and Japan are the leading contenders.
These fixtures are set to take place in the window from November 14- December 5.
As stated by the IRFU: "In the north, this window will accommodate the postponed men’s and women’s Six Nations matches at the end of October, a rest weekend on 7 November and a programme of international matches involving the Six Nations and invited teams hosted in Europe from 14 November through to 5 December."in hand, are on nine points.
In terms of the original Autumn schedule, prior to the impact of coronavirus, Ireland's were scheduled to play Australia (Nov 7), South Africa (14 November), and Japan (Nov 21) in the autumn.
With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to impact international travel and borders across southern hemisphere unions, on an exceptional basis The Rugby Championship 2020 will be hosted in full, with all games in in New Zealand, over a reduced six-week period between 7 November and 12 December.
With the GAA season set for a resolution in November and December, it's really shaping up like a memorable winter of sport.
#TeamOfUs @WorldRugby recommends revised schedule:
- postponed @SixNationsRugby & @Womens6Nations end of October.
- rest weekend Nov 7.
- internationals with Six Nations & invited teams hosted in Europe from 14 November through to 5 December.https://t.co/VfPVSjon5N— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) July 22, 2020
