The women’s World Cup in New Zealand has been postponed until 2022. Scheduled to take place in two cities, Auckland and Whangarei, between September 18th and October 16th, World Rugby have stated that their “recommendation is based on the evolution of the uncertain and challenging global Covid-19 landscape”.
The IRFU have supported the decision. The postponement still needs to be ratified by the governing body’s executive committee on March 9th.
Last week Auckland went into a snap seven-day lockdown after a single case of the virus was discovered. Also, two weeks of supervised hotel quarantine to enter New Zealand is expected to stay in place during 2021.
“It has become clear in recent discussions with key partners including New Zealand Rugby, the New Zealand government and participating unions, that, given the scale of the event and the Covid-19-related uncertainties, it is just not possible to deliver the environment for all teams to be the best that they can be on the sport’s greatest stage,” said Alan Gilpin, the chief operating officer of World Rugby who also oversaw the Japan 2019 tournament.
“The challenges include uncertainty and the ability for teams to prepare adequately for a World Cup tournament both before and on arrival in New Zealand, and challenging global travel restrictions.”
There is also a concern over players – who are mostly amateur – having to take additional time off work to quarantine while many of them will also be competing in Sevens at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics in July and August.
Ireland, who have yet to qualify for the World Cup after finishing eighth at their own tournament in 2017, were due to face Spain on March 13th to begin the process of reaching New Zealand. The date for that fixture could now come under review.
“We’re obviously disappointed.” said Anthony Eddy, the IRFU women’s director of rugby. “We want to play rugby. The Rugby World Cup deserves every opportunity to showcase the best that our sport has to offer and that’s not possible in the Covid-19 environment.”
The reset Six Nations is due to start when Ireland travel to Wales on April 10th before France come to Dublin on April 17th.
Currently all club and interprovincial matches in Ireland are cancelled with the only Irish players getting regular, competitive games are those based in England, like London Wasps quartet Claire Molloy, Ciara Cooney, Cliodhna Moloney and Edel McMahon.
World Cup organisers have yet to agree a new date in 2022 but the hope is that widespread vaccination of players and staff would allow the New Zealand government to relax current quarantine rules.
