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| - Rugby Union's Pro14 is set to resume on August 22, officials announced on Thursday. In common with many other rugby tournaments the Pro14, which features clubs from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales, was suspended in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. But, having been in contact with the various governments involved, Pro14 chiefs hope they can now conclude their 2019/20 campaign, albeit in an abbreviated format. This will consist of two rounds of derby matches that will count towards final table positions, two semi-finals on September 5 and the final on September 12, with the venues for the knockout games still to be decided. PRO14 tournament director David Jordan said: "Safety has been, and will continue to be, the highest priority as we look to activate our plans to restart the 2019/20 season. "We are very fortunate to be in a position where everyone involved is confident that we can conclude the season on the field of play." But South Africa Rugby chief executive Jurie Roux was more cautious. "We hope to see the Toyota Cheetahs and Isuzu Southern Kings play in the end of this season's Guinness PRO14, but there are many factors to take into consideration before we know how it will work," Roux said in a separate statement. "The COVID-19 pandemic is still rife in our country and the health and safety of South Africans remains the most important priority... We'll only be able to play in local derbies, but nothing can happen before we can travel internally." England's Premiership previously announced plans to return on August 15 and see out its season in full but, unlike the Pro14, it does not have the health and travel problems associated with a multinational competition. jdg/jw/lp
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