Rugby teams must not jump the gun
SARU: CAUTIOUS REACTION TO LATEST PROTOCOLS
National rugby body eager to get started in long-term attempt to relaunch the game.
The South African Rugby Union (Saru) has cautioned local Super Rugby franchises not to pop the champagne corks just yet.
While a call was made by government at the weekend that local Super Rugby sides could return to reduced, non-contact training as of today, protocols would need to be introduced in small, selected groups, while testing would have to take place before training sessions.
Strict safety measures included the ban of massages, ice baths and saunas will be in place, while physiotherapists would be able to work only on injured athletes.
Saru, which suspended all rugby on 18 March, warned that details had not yet been released during a 14-day period in which sport bodies had to provide government with proposals to ensure safety measures were in place.
And while lockdown regulations had been eased to Level three, allowing non-contact professional sport to resume competitions, rugby matches were not expected to commence until Level one was reached.
Saru nonetheless welcomed the announcement by sports minister Nathi Mthethwa on Saturday that professional sports teams could begin the process of returning to full training.
With the rugby industry struggling, as players, coaches and administrators continued to take pay cuts, the national federation was eager to get started in a longterm attempt to relaunch the game.
In reaction to Mthethwa’s announcement, the federation said it “welcomed” the news.
“We submitted a comprehensive, staged return-to-play protocols document to the department five weeks ago and we are ready to begin medical screening of players immediately,” said Saru chief executive Jurie Roux.
“We will seek further clarity from the department [of sport and recreation] on the application of the guidelines as they apply to contact training.”
With players returning to the field, it would allow teams to start implementing the 10-point experimental laws suggested by World Rugby last week.
Saru was also relieved that players would be able to expand their training regimes after being restricted to indoor exercise during the lockdown.
“This is an opportunity for our players to enhance their lockdown training regimes by increasing their fitness work for an eventual return to play,” Roux said.