Return to rugby - a roadmap

For community rugby, all eyes are now on 29^th March.

Although schools can start rugby training again from today, 29^th March is the date when – at a community club level – we can get back to rugby.

Following the Government’s announcement last week that that organised outdoor sport can resume, the RFU has published a new Return to Community Rugby Roadmap which sets out the plan for a phased return to full contact rugby.

So, from 29th March, community rugby clubs may hold limited contact training sessions and host non-contact matches, and 4 weeks later will be able to play contact matches with adapted laws (no scrums or mauls) against other local clubs.

The season, such as it is, will now end on 31^st May.

For my son – who is in his last year of junior rugby as an 18 year old – it is hardly ideal, having missed half of last season and nearly all of this one. 

Still, it is what it is. Some rugby is better than no rugby. 

And – with fingers firmly crossed that all restrictions will be lifted in time to him start playing properly again (as a senior and/or student) in September - there is always next season.

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