Coronavirus causes change of plans for Irish women’s hockey team

China have also penciled in a trip to Belfast for a four-game series against Ireland in April.

For hockey, the coronavirus outbreak has seen an abrupt change of plans with a two-week Irish women’s training camp swiftly relocated from Malaysia to Durban in South Africa.

Coach Sean Dancer had hoped to bring a panel of 21 players to the far east as part of his side’s Olympic preparation, hoping to test out how his players reacted in temperatures and humidity akin to what his side will face at the Olympics.