Lifeline for Grassroots Rugby

Those involved in grassroots rugby might just permit themselves to get a little bit excited by the confirmation from the RFU that we will soon be able to return to 15-a-side contact rugby, albeit with some adaptations. 

We await further details with bated breath, but it appears that the game we will be allowed to play will involve no scrums or mauls, with the scrum being replaced by a free kick.

From this Wednesday 2^nd December, therefore, clubs can resume adapted training for 15-a-side contact rugby and begin playing friendly fixtures from Friday 18th December.

There will no doubt be purists who throw their hands up in horror at the thought of no scrums, but we are where we are and, to be honest, I was beginning to think that there would be no full contact rugby at all this season.

How this fits with the general restrictions imposed on the populace in Tiers 2 and 3 in England is anyone’s guess, but for grassroots rugby this is a huge step in the right direction.

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