ALL community rugby in Wales has been suspended by the game's governing body.
The Welsh Rubgy Union (WRU) announced this afternoon it is suspending all community rugby from 6pm tonight up to and including Monday, March 30.
A statement from the WRU said: "The WRU, having considered expert medical advice has taken the precautionary measure of suspending all forms of rugby, including training and rugby-related courses, from 6pm on Saturday 14 March up to and including Monday 30 March 2020.
"The WRU has taken this decision in the interests of players, supporters, volunteers, referees, stakeholders and Welsh communities in general."The WRU will continue to assess this fast-moving situation and provide further updates in due course." The ban includes all games, training and rugby-related courses.The Pro 14 league, in which top Welsh professional clubs such as Cardiff compete, was suspended earlier this week with the competition involving teams from Ireland, Italy and Scotland where restrictions on public gatherings are all in place or due to come into force as well as two sides from South Africa.Yesterday the WRU followed most major sports organisations in Europe and America when it agreed to postpone the Wales v Scotland international in Cardiff which was set to go-ahead despite most major sporting fixtures suspended.Also yesterday the Football Association of Wales announced it was suspending all domestic football until April 4.Meanwhile a Brecon Youth rugby match called off yesterday was due to pitch maintainance and not coronavirus fears, the club has said.
Brecon RFC’s youth team was due to play Merthyr RFC at the South Wales club's home ground The Wern, Friday evening, which is an artificial 3G pitch.
Brecon RFC stated on its Twitter account the game had been called off as the Welsh Rugby Union ordered that all such pitches be steam cleaned before further use, in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
But the club has since said it was mistaken and the pitch was closed for maintainance.Brecon RFC said: "The 3G pitch at Merthyr is undergoing maintenance which was not requested by the WRU, and would have not been completed by this evening's match."