Grassroots Rugby to grind to a halt

So it looks very much as if grassroots rugby, along with all other recreational sport in England, will be forced to shut down on Thursday as the country enters into at least 4 weeks of “lockdown” to combat Covid-19’s increasing rate of infection.

It appears to be irrelevant that there is next to no data to suggest that organised outdoor team sports have a particular problem with the spread of the disease, or that the same kids who would otherwise be involved with local club rugby will be mixing with other kids at school where they will be allowed to play sport. 

Maddening inconsistencies like these are what drive those of us involved with grassroots sport up the wall. 

At my rugby club, for instance, we have been working hard (as have the mini, junior and senior sections) with the Colts since June to develop their fitness, skills and game awareness, strictly following all Covid protocols and having no issues with infection whatsoever.  The improvement in the boys over the last few months has been incredible and having to interrupt that now is just so incredibly frustrating. If we are allowed to start again in December (and there are no guarantees) much of that hard work will have to be repeated. 

Also galling is the fact that last weekend we started an intra-club “Autumn Cup” competition, playing the RFU’s Ready4Rugby format. As a format it is by no means ideal, but it is good fun, and allows for some healthy competitive action and even for an old git like me to gad about a bit on a rugby pitch, so it can’t be all bad. Sadly that will also now be on hold.

According to the Telegraph, however, there may be light at the end of the tunnel as it is reporting that the RFU is “very close” to receiving governmental approval to allow the return of 15-a-side, full-contact rugby at community level, albeit a version of the game which, although allowing tackling and rucking, will not feature scrums or mauls.  Whilst obviously the loss of the scrum will be an anathema to many, in the short term it may be seen as a price worth paying just to get some rugby, any rugby, played.

I suspect, however, that we still are a long way from even this full-contact version of rugby being introduced. While the country may, for economic reasons if nothing else, come out of lockdown in time for Christmas, I foresee the government re-imposing restrictions in the New Year if the numbers aren’t good.

I fear that it’s going to be a long winter…

Total Flanker – the older I get, the better I was