All non- pro rugby is postponed until 2021
All levels of rugby below the full- time professional game in Scotland have been suspended until next year.
It includes the semi- pro Super6 which was supposed to resume on the weekend of 31 October.
It comes after the Scottish Government announced this week that all outdoor contact sport for over- 18s, with the exception of professional sport, was to be paused until Sunday 25 October.
Super6isanewcompetition that was launched last season in an attempt to bridge the gap between the largely amateur club game and Scotland’s two proteams, Edinburghandglasgow Warriors.
The inaugural Super6 was curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic and the second season will not now start until spring next year.
Club and schools rugby could resume in January but the Scottish Rugby Union said over a dozen rugby clubs across Scotlandhavereportedpositive coronavirus cases in recent weeks.
A statement from the SRU said: “Scottish Rugby’s Board has today supported a recommendation bythe Scottish Rugby Council to delay the planned return to competitive rugby, at all levels of the club and school game, until January 2021 at the earliest.
“Thisweek’sannouncement by the Scottish Government to pause all outdoor contact sport for over 18s, with the exception of professional sport, until Sunday 25 October across five regional health boards, aligned with its previous decision to delay moving to Phase 4 of its COVID- 19 recovery Route Map until at least 15 October means Scottish Rugby’s timetable to progress its ownreturn to Rugby Roadmap will be further delayed.
“As a consequence the resumption of competitive rugby from the intended date of 31 October 2020 was deemed no longer feasible.
“The decision to pause the return to competitive rugby in the community game has been shared with Scott i s h G o v e r n me nt , wh i c h in turn has fully supported the move and its rationale. “Scottish Rugby’s Threat Management Group met twice this week to assess the impact of Covid- 19 on the sport and the wider societal implications and along with the Rugby Development department continue to keep all options under consideration.
“T h e F O S R O C S u p e r 6 Sprint Series, which had a scheduled start date of 31 October, will now not take place. Thefosrocsuper6teamswill now work towards a full fixture card in the spring of 2021.
“Over a dozen rugby clubs across Scotland have reported positive coronavirus cases in recent weeks. Recent government restrictions would also limit the ability of clubs to travel, with car sharing not permitted and buses only able to operate at 50 per cent capacity, alongside howchanging/ shower rooms can be used.”