Epidemic throws Six Nations into doubt

The Six Nations Championship was in jeopardy last night as rugby and racing bore the brunt of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Saturday's Six Nations match between Wales and Ireland in Cardiff has been postponed with the probability of further matches being cancelled.

Racing was also hit as the Irish government banned the import of all horses, and Irish fears over the spread of foot-and-mouth from Britain lay behind the decision to postpone the rugby international in Cardiff.

The Irish Rugby Football Union bowed to a request from their government not to travel because of the 'significant consequences' of thousands of supporters travelling to Wales, possibly carrying the disease back across the Irish Sea.

Six Nations organisers hope to rearrange the game for late April or early May, long after the scheduled April 8 finish of the tournament, though other postponements could follow.

France are due to host Wales in just over a fortnight and, with thousands of British livestock being slaughtered on the Continent, there must be a real chance that the French will seek postponement if the situation hasn't improved.