Elite athletes have been given the green light by the Government to avoid mandatory hotel quarantine on arrival in Ireland.
That removes doubt over the Women's Six Nations match between Ireland and France, which is scheduled to take place at Energia Park on Saturday.
It also gives the go-ahead for Leinster's trip to La Rochelle for their Champions Cup semi-final in just under three weeks time.
France, Italy and the United States are among the countries that have been added to the new mandatory hotel quarantine list that comes into force from Thursday.
After his final round in the Masters last night, Shane Lowry expressed concern that his caddy Brian 'Bo' Martin and the rest of his team won't be able to return to the States in time for the PGA championship and US Open over quarantine issues.
He also feared for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, which is to take place in Mount Juliet at the start of July, but those fears now seem to have been allayed.
It remains to be seen if it will have a positive effect on the inaugural Rainbow Cup.
Reports over the weekend that the tournament would have to be scrapped this year as the four South African franchises were told travel play in the northern hemisphere in May was off the agenda.
Speaking earlier today, Ireland rugby star Beibhinn Parsons said that Adam Griggs' squad were not distracted by fears that the game - only their second in six months - would be cancelled.
"Look, we've been extremely flexible and adaptable over the last 12 months and that's not going to stop now," said Parsons, who scored two tries in the 45-0 defeat of Wales in Cardiff last Saturday.
"We're all preparing as if we're playing France at the weekend.
"I'm fully invested that I'm going to step out onto Donnybrook at the weekend and play a Test match."
