When is Ireland vs Italy rescheduled date and why was Six Nations rugby match postponed?

IRELAND'S Six Nations clash with Italy has been postponed, throwing the remainder of the tournament in doubt.

Andy Farrell's men are one of three sides in with a realistic chance of winning the competition but we may have to wait quite a while to learn who will be the 2020 champion.

When will the rearranged Ireland vs Italy game be played?

Ireland's clash with Italy is unlikely to be rescheduled before October.

The match was supposed to take place in Dublin today and no new date has been arranged.

The Champions Cup quarter-finals take place on the weekend of April 4 and games are not likely to be replayed on or before that date.

The Aviva Stadium will then be unavailable from the middle of May because three of this year's Euro 2020 fixtures are being staged at the ground.

And September is a rest month for the country's national squad following the summer tour to Australia.

Matters have been further complicated by the postponement of Italy's Six Nations game at home to England on the final weekend.

It had been suggested that the match could be played behind closed doors, but now it has been cancelled altogether and will require a new date.

Why was Ireland vs Italy cancelled?

Thousands of Italian supporters, many from the regions most affected by the coronavirus outbreak were expected to make the trip.
Ireland were also due to play Italy in an Under-20 Six Nations game and women's international that weekend - both have been cancelled.

There have been 1,694 cases of the coronavirus in Italy - the highest number of infections outside of Asia.

34 people have died from the virus.