International Rugby Board relocates Pacific Nations Cup 2011 matches to Fiji
International Rugby Board has ordered Japan to shift Pacific Nations Cup matches to Fiji after deadly quake and Tsunami the north-east areas on March 11, 2011.
Japan was scheduled to host six matches of the Pacific Nations Cup 2011 in July but IRB took the decision for the security measures of players and officials in a meeting today morning.
The International Rugby Board announced today that five matches of the Pacific Nations Cup would be shifted to Fiji as there were great threats of Tsunami and nuclear crises in the proposed areas. IRB has taken the step with the consent of Japan Rugby Football
Union and agreed that only one fixture would be played in Japan.
After the declaration of IRB, Japan would now host only the opening match of the Pacific Nations scheduled on 2nd July. The tournament will be played in accordance to the pre decided dates and there will be no change schedule.
IRB’s Chairman Bernard Lapasset made announcement this morning and said that decision was taken in the best interests of Japan. He admitted that it was a decision to take but there was no other option. He told in a press briefing that decision was made after
taking the Japan in to confidence.
IRB Regional General Manager for Oceania and Tournament Director William Glenwright also responded to the situation and said that IRB shares the grief of Japan and Tsunami suffered families. He added that relocation of the matches would help them in the
rehabilitation process. He argued that such a big tournament requires huge logistical and operational adequacies that were not possible in Japan after the Tsunami.
The Japanese coach John Kirwan has called the decision disappointing for his country as the Pacific Nations Cup 2011 was expected to provide some entertainment to the suffering people. He argued that, “There was probably some fear involved (behind the decision),"
the former New Zealand All Black told Reuters. I think it would have been better to play the games in Japan and help the Japanese people get back to normal as quickly as possible.”
The Pacific Nations Cup 2011 would kick off on 2nd July in Japan and rest of the matches will be played in Fiji.
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