Coronavirus: RFU boss hopeful fans can attend autumn internationals at Twickenham

Rugby Football Union (RFU) chief executive Bill Sweeney is hopeful England will not have to play autumn internationals behind closed doors at Twickenham.

England are due to host New Zealand, Argentina, Tonga and Australia in November but there are doubts over whether fans will be allowed in due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sweeney stressed the importance of supporters being able to attend for financial reasons and, with lockdown measures being gradually eased, he is optimistic Eddie Jones’ side will not have to run out in an empty stadium.

“Playing behind closed doors – for us – is not much different to the games being cancelled,” he told BBC Sport.

“By the time you fire up the stadium, pay for the players and the costs associated with preparation time and camps, when you play behind closed doors for us, there is not a huge difference between that and the games not taking place.

“Having attendance and having fans turning up is key.”

Sweeney added: “If things progress as they seem to be progressing now, hopefully we will see crowds at Twickenham in October and November.”

RFU boss Sweeney says alternative options are being explored if southern hemisphere teams are unable to head north.

“The preference from both the north and the south is that the original programme will go ahead,” he said.

“But there are two or three different options that feature more northern hemisphere competition around that autumn window.

“One of them is you’d play a Six Nations tournament in that autumn that would combine with fixtures next year and for the first time ever you’d have home and away.

“Every [plan] has pros and cons to it and those are being evaluated.”

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