WRU’S plan for the return of club rugby
THE Welsh Rugby Union has unveiled its plans for Welsh community rugby to resume, with full contact games returning in August.
Players under the age of 18 are set to return to organised training from Saturday, March 27, pending final confirmation from the Welsh Government this week.
Announcing its Pathway to Participation yesterday, the WRU said tag and touch rugby fixtures for U18s could be sanctioned from April 1 within their own districts if public health conditions allow.
All levels of the game, including youth and senior teams (male and female), are set for a phased return of “modified, limited contact training” from May 1. There will be no scrums, and further details will be announced at a later date.
From mid-june, the WRU says players of all ages can look forward to a month of summer sevens and 10s rugby under modified laws.
Midweek and weekend matches can be agreed in modified formats to ease players back into competitive contact rugby.
This period will lead into the phased return of 15-a-side rugby and will incorporate full contact training.
The governing body said a set of modified laws had been agreed so that friendly 15-a-side matches could be sanctioned from midjuly, with format WRU competitions set to kick off in August .
The format of these is being finalised, although the WRU said it could include some form of knockout competitions for all ages (male and female).
December to mid-january will see a planned winter break, which has been “identified as potentially a high-risk period from a public health perspective”.
If Welsh Government guidelines are flexible at this time, clubs may choose to play friendly matches during this window.
WRU league rugby for male senior and youth teams is set to kick off from mid-january and
run through to May 2022.
The new season for the female game will start at the same time – mid-january.
Seven steps to return of Welsh community rugby:
April 1: Return to tag and touch fixtures for players under the age of 18
May 1: Youth and senior teams permitted to return to modified contact training (no scrums)
From mid-june: Return of competitive contact rugby at 7 and 10-a-side for all ages and full contact training (male and female
From mid-july: Friendly 15-a-side matches sanctioned under agreed set of modified laws
August-november: Return of some 15-a-side Wru-organised competitions at all levels (male and female)
December Winter break
Mid-january: Return of WRU league rugby (male game); start of new female hub season.
WRU chair Rob Butcher said: “We know there is a strong desire within the community game to get back on the field. Rugby clubs are at the heart of our communities and we all miss the social interaction they provide.
“As soon as Welsh Government guidelines allow, we will sanction to mid-january:
the gradual and safe return of rugby activities, provided the clubs have all the necessary protocols in place.
“We will continue to support the hundreds of community rugby volunteers in doing this. They have played such an important role over the past year as always.
“We had around 300 WRU clubs when the pandemic hit us and our priority is to come out of this with all those clubs and other community teams in a position to welcome back their players, coaches, volunteers and members to their facilities.
“We are confident this can be achieved having worked closely with clubs on all matters, including funding streams, Welsh Government and local authority support, help accessing additional equipment, including PPE, and guidance in putting appropriate systems and protocols in place to keep everyone as safe as possible.”
WRU operations director Julie Paterson said: “We hope this plan provides reassurance that we are on the right track.
“We are grateful to our partners within Welsh Government, Welsh Sports Association, Sport Wales and Commonwealth Games
Wales for their support in getting to this point and we acknowledge the patience and hard work of all our rugby volunteers who have implemented our safety protocols throughout the past year to allow some rugby activity to take place whenever it has been permitted.”
WRU community director Geraint John added: “With competitive community rugby having been on hold for 12 months, enjoyment is key now and the activity planned over the next few months should help all clubs, female hubs and all other teams get back on their feet and start enjoying rugby again, providing they feel they can provide a safe environment for all.
“After more than 12 months without contact rugby, it is very important all players complete at least six weeks of modified return to contact training before engaging in full contact training or matches in any format.
“We will be on hand to provide support on a number of levels, from coaching plans to help with managing facilities safely, and our community team is looking forward to delivering competitions again, safely, as we move towards the return of the 15-a-side game.”