PRO14 chiefs defend decision to suspend season

Guinness PRO14 chiefs last night decided to suspend the 2019-20 season indefinitely, with the cross-border league going as far as to cancel its grand final, which had been set to take place in Cardiff on June 20.

The five-nation competition, in which Ireland’s four provinces compete alongside clubs and regions from Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales, had initially responded to the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak by suspending play until April 10, which meant the cancellation of two rounds of games.