IRFU expected to lobby Government to reduce physical distancing to 1m

The England rugby union plans to lobby the UK government to reduce physical distancing from two to one metre, which would dramatically increase the number of supporters in stadiums, are expected to be replicated by the IRFU.

Under the current guidelines, Twickenham would lose £12 million (€13.4 million) during the November international window.

IRFU chief executive Philip Browne has repeatedly stated Irish rugby finances will fall off a cliff in a matter of months without supporters at the Aviva Stadium when professional matches return.

Last month Dr Tony Holohan, the State's chief medical officer, resisted calls from inside Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's cabinet to reduce social distancing in line with the World Health Organisation's advice.

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This is the precise pressure RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney intends to place on Boris Johnson’s government.

Stadium capacity

“If you are using two metres, you are talking about a four-metre distanced safe space,” said Sweeney. “With one, it is one metre all round which has the effect of increasing capacity fourfold. If you use two metres in an 80,000-seater stadium and factor in traffic flow, such as someone wanting to use the toilet without going past someone and touching them, it reduces your capacity to between 9,000 and 9,500.

“I was surprised, not thinking it would be that low. With one metre, which is the World Health Organisation’s guidance, you get close to 40,000, and we would like it to come down to that by the autumn. We would not increase the stadium capacity at the risk of safety, nor do anything contrary to government guidelines, but we want clarity on whether the two-metre rule is absolutely essential or is one metre possible.”

New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern could allow supporters to return to stadiums when Super Rugby restarts next weekend by removing the ban on mass gatherings.

The Aviva Stadium is planning to host Leinster versus Munster on August 22nd without spectators.

Britain is one of the few countries – Spain and Ireland are others – to insist on two metres as part of the measures to stop the spread of the virus, but England's scheduled November Test matches against New Zealand, Argentina, Tonga and Australia would see them lose income of £3 million (€3.3 million) per game if the two-metre rule is not reduced.

The southern hemisphere nations are not expected to travel north this year but preliminary plans are in place to host an “autumn Six Nations” if professional action returns on schedule.

Global calendar

Browne and Sweeney are part of a working group attempting to align the international season by moving the Six Nations to April. This would mean the club season runs into summer months.

“The timing of the Six Nations is part of the conversation around the global calendar,” said Sweeney. “If agreement can be reached as part of finishing off the 2019-20 season and then moving into the new campaign and it was the one landed on by everybody, it would be possible.”

This would also see the Lions tour to South Africa next year switch from July and August to October, leaving 19,000 supporters who have paid deposits for the trip having to rearrange holidays.

“It is a massive factor,” said Sweeney. “The sales for the tour have been the most robust ever, but you cannot have a conversation about the global calendar and not include the Lions. Next year’s tour has been looked at, along with the one in 2025, but it would be a logistical challenge with so many fans having committed themselves.”

On the possibility of a second wave of the virus breaking out, Sweeney said: “There would be tremendous damage for all of us; we would all be in a different world and it would not be very pleasant. We would survive it, but none of us wants to see that occurring.”