Next month's planned inaugural challenge match between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres has been called off by the International Rugby Board. The game was to have taken place at Twickenham on November 30 but it has been plagued by problems since it was first scheduled and will now take place on another date yet to be announced.
England's international and club coaches and the players themselves were concerned that it was set to take place just a week after a busy November Test programme involving all the major countries, and the leading clubs were refusing to release their players for the fixture.
Southern Hemisphere giants Australia, South Africa and New Zealand had also expressed concerns about the tie, which was arranged by the IRB to generate substantial funds for the development of rugby in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Romania and Georgia.
However, Dr Syd Millar, Acting Chairman of the IRB said in a statement today that there has been widespread enthusiasm for this fixture which has been backed by very substantial commercial interest and he was sorry that it would now have to be put back.
"It is regrettable that a postponement has become necessary. However, a combination of various practical difficulties and a narrowing time window means that we can not now realise the full potential of the match on the date originally planned," said Millar.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
