Volcanic ash forces Malta to change travel plans

The Malta rugby national squad were forced to make last-minute changes to their travel arrangements after their flight from England to Holland was cancelled yesterday. Damien Neill's men this week had a training camp in England during which the 23-man...

The Malta rugby national squad were forced to make last-minute changes to their travel arrangements after their flight from England to Holland was cancelled yesterday.

Damien Neill's men this week had a training camp in England during which the 23-man squad for the European Division 2B qualifier against Holland tomorrow was announced.

The Malta contingent had been due to fly to Holland yesterday but all airports in the UK were closed temporarily as a huge ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano turned the skies into a no-fly zone.

With no time set on when the airports would re-open, MRFU team manager Danny Sacco quickly altered the team's travel arrangements. The squad took a coach trip to Dover where they were expected to take a ferry to Calais before continuing their journey to Amsterdam by coach.

The squad

D. Busuttil, J. Howland, M. Attard, M. Mirabelli, M. Camilleri, N. Gatt, T. Pace Moore, P. Bradley, J. Cutajar, M. Bonavia, R. Bonavia, M. Whitney, M. McArdle, O. Sacco, J. O'Brien, J. Finlason, C. Sammut, A. Livesey, M. Garrett, T. Holloway, R. Holloway, C. Cassar, L. Watts.

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