Two more rugby grounds offer facilities to NHS to help fight coronavirus spread

Cardiff’s Principality Stadium and Belfast’s Kingspan Stadium have become the latest rugby grounds in Britain and Ireland to offer its facilities in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

With the pandemic continuing to spread, Welsh region Scarlets earlier this week offered a large part of its Parc Y Scarlets site and buildings for free to a local authority to cope with any hospital overspill in treating Covid-19. 

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Following discussions with Carmarthen County Council and the Hywel Dda University Health Board, various locations at the Welsh rugby ground were being converted for use by the NHS as an additional 500-bed to combat the growing health crisis. 

Now, WRU officials have offered up the Principality if needed, as have PRO14 outfit Ulster. Speaking to walesonline.co.uk, a WRU spokesperson explained: “We have approached the authorities and they are aware that our facilities will be made available if and when required.

“We have worked alongside the authorities over many years at our events and they are familiar with the stadium.

“This is an incredibly fast-moving and challenging time. The authorities were grateful for us getting in touch and we continue working together to monitor the situation.”

The Welsh national stadium has previous experience of being used as a temporary hospital. Previous New Year’s Eves have seen St John Wales set-up a treatment centre at the ground to cope with revellers whose celebrations take a turn for the worst.

Meanwhile, Ulster CEO Jonny Petrie said on Twitter that the department is free to use their Kingspan facility however they see fit as they tackle the pandemic. Ulster have not played at their Belfast ground since February 22.

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