The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff has been converted into a 2,000-bed field hospital to help Wales fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to Wales Online, the stadium has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past two weeks. The process would normally take two years.

Now named the Dragon’s Heart Hospital, it will receive its first patients on Sunday, with 300 beds available for those suffering from the coronavirus.

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Giant tents will be erected on the field in order to help control the temperature inside the stadium, which has a retractable roof. Up to 700 patients could be treated on the field.

Wales will still be able to play all their Tests at the ground, once rugby resumes after the suspension of the season.

Meanwhile, Italian rugby bosses on Friday agreed to voluntary cuts in salaries while setting up a €1.65-million fund to help clubs in financial difficulty as a result of the pandemic.

All rugby in Italy has been cancelled this season as a result of the virus which has killed over 18,000 people in the country.

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The FIR Council met on Friday via video conference and unanimously approved the 2020 budget, promising to support ‘home rugby’ with a fund to be used from grassroots level up.

‘The governing body of Italian rugby has unanimously approved the 2020 budget, while deliberating at the same time the setting up a fund to support the movement, for a minimum share of €1.650 million, the criteria and methods of access of which will be communicate as soon as possible,’ FIR said in a statement.

Money will also be freed up from voluntary salary cuts by FIR management, with senior federation members agreeing to have their participation fees reduced.

Photo: MIKE HEWITT/All Sport