Rugby-Condensed women's Six Nations to be played in April

REUTERS: The women's Six Nations Championship originally scheduled to begin on Feb. 6 will now be played in April, tournament organisers said on Wednesday.

The tournament was postponed last month for logistical and safety reasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic, although the men's 2021 Six Nations is set to begin on Saturday.

The women's event will begin on the weekend of April 3-4 and finish on April 24, using a condensed format similar to last year's Autumn Nations Cup.

"A significant challenge we faced in rescheduling the women's tournament was the limited available window due to World Cup qualifiers, domestic leagues, rest periods and World Cup preparations for qualified teams," Six Nations CEO Ben Morel said in a statement.

"Following consultation with our unions and federations as well as other key stakeholders, it was agreed that April would be the best window in which to stage the championship."

Teams will be divided into two groups. Pool A includes England, Italy and Scotland, with France, Ireland and Wales in Pool B. Teams will play one match at home and another away, with the pool winners to contest the final.

The Under-20 Six Nations championship will take place in June-July in the same format as originally planned, with June 19 the scheduled start date.

(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)