Wary Kings not returning to group training yet
● Coach Kempson says players won’t be put in harm’s way
To protect their players from the Covid-19 virus, the Isuzu Southern Kings will not return to group training today despite lockdown being lifted to level 3.
It had been thought the Kings might return after SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux welcomed the announcement that professional sports teams could begin the process of returning to training.
However, Kings interim head coach Robbi Kempson made it clear there would be no hasty return to group training and his players would not be put in harm’s way.
“We will definitely not be returning to training on Monday,” Kempson said.
“The Kings will start and continue with phase two of our reintroduction to training, but with the players at home.
“So far phase one has been very productive.
“Even with lockdown the players have responded brilliantly.
“Phase two is just to ramp things up from a preseason point of view, with more freedom for the players to run outside.
“We will not put them in harm’s way unnecessarily, and therefore will follow our doctor’s instructions on the matter, who is in constant consultation with SA rugby and PRO14.
“A variety of things would need to be in place before we resume training in larger groups.”
Sports, arts and culture minister Nathi Mthethwa made the announcement that sports teams could begin the process of returning to training today.
He said teams had 14 days to submit proposals to the department on how they would ensure the safety of players and officials.
Mthethwa also announced that non-contact sports could return to play if they observed all the necessary regulations.
Roux said. “This is the news sport has been waiting to hear as it allows us to begin to ramp up preparations for an eventual return to play.
“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.
“We will seek further clarity from the department on the application of the guidelines as they apply to contact training.
“But this is an opportunity for our players to enhance their lockdown-training regimes by increasing their fitness work for an eventual return to play.”
SA Rugby announced the suspension of all rugby on March 18.
Sport, arts and culture director-general Vusumuzi Mkhize said contact sport in SA would resume at level 1 of the lockdown. Mkhize said this only applied to elite professional athletes who earn a living from their participation in sport.
Recreational sport is not included.
In the middle of last month, Roux suggested the return to play for both provincial and international rugby would be in the interest of all South Africans as it would boost national morale.
“We do not run hospitals or build ventilators, and we are not an industry that is critical to the SA economy, but we do believe we add huge value to national life in other ways,’ he said.
“The sight of the Springboks running out for the first time since winning the Rugby World Cup would be a powerful milestone on the nation’s journey to the other side of this crisis, as well as being a boost for national morale.
“The return to play of our provincial teams — even if it is behind closed doors — would similarly be hugely beneficial to a nation in lockdown.
“We understand that there are bigger agendas at play but believe the risk of transmission could be well managed by our protocols.
“We trust the minister and government will view our case seriously.”