Italy's rugby team won't tour New Zealand in July due to concerns around travelling during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Reuters reports Italy has officially cancelled the two test matches against the All Blacks.
It said the cancellation had left New Zealand Rugby "scrambling" to save its July test window, trying to line up games against Fiji and Samoa.
"After constructive consultations between our federations and health authorities, to our deep regret, the current conditions made it preferable to concentrate energies at home ahead of the autumn series," FIR President Marzio Innocenti said in a statement.
According to John Hopkins University , Italy has recorded a total of 4,116,287 Covid-19 cases and 123,031 deaths since the pandemic began.
This is the second highest death toll in Europe after the United Kingdom and the sixth highest in the world.
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