George Ford has backed the decision to postpone England’s Six Nations clash with Italy - saying there are “more important” things than rugby right now.
Up to 20,000 fans were expected to make the trip to a country hit harder by the coronavirus outbreak than any in Europe with more than 3,000 cases.
The Italian government recognised that was really not a good idea and ordered all sporting fixtures to be held behind closed doors until April 3.
But rather than lose ticket revenue from the 73,000-capacity Stadio Olimpico, Six Nations organisers decided to postpone to a later, as yet undecided, date.
The ruling throws the tournament into turmoil but Ford, who spearheads England’s attack against Wales at Twickenham tomorrow, accepts it had to happen.
“There are bigger, more critical, things than us playing in a rugby game,” said the fly-half.
“There’s rugby games and then there’s other things going on in the world that are a little bit more important. This needs to be dealt with.”
With no free date in this season’s rugby calendar it seems inevitable postponed matches will have to be pushed into the autumn, as they were when Foot and Mouth disrupted the 2001 Championship.
But tournament bosses insist they “fully intend” for all games to be played.
In the meantime England have issued advice for the 82,000 fans with tickets for tomorrow’s Wales clash at Twickenham.
The Rugby Football Union promised a “wide range of measures to protect public health”.
They added: “You should not attend the match if you have been advised to self-isolate by the NHS 111 online or phone coronavirus service or a medical professional.
“Anyone who thinks they may have contracted the virus or been exposed to it should not attend the match.”
