Excitement as Border Rugby plans return to play in June
Border Rugby leagues are set to start in June after SA Rugby gave the all-clear for school and club rugby to return to play.
The proposed date set for the Border Super and Premier League is June 19.
The 12-team Super League, the highest in the region, will play one round of matches, meaning each team will feature in 11 matches, home and away.
The league will run until September. The same scenario will apply in the Premier League, which also consists of 12 teams.
However, there are two university teams participating in the Super League, namely Fort Hare Blues and Walter Sisulu University All Blacks, and their participation in June could be limited, depending when the institutions have their winter break.
If these matches are postponed, they will be played at a later date scheduled by the fixtures committee.
There might be a delay to the start of the league due to clubs failing to adhere to compliance with regard to return to play protocols.
“Clubs have been informed to apply to the compliance officer of Border Rugby with all relevant documentation of players who had the minimum four weeks of non-contact training, the four weeks of gradual contact training and the return-to-play, for them to be eligible to take part in any league fixtures,“said Simphiwe Ntalantala of Border Rugby.
“The green light and permission will only be given to those clubs who have complied with all of these regulations.
“So far, nearly all the Super Leagues clubs have complied, with only two clubs outstanding.
“In the Premier league it is still a struggle to get their compliance in order.”
As per the SA Rugby statement, the following conditions are very important:
All the conditions for the return to training of contact sport must be adhered to.
No supporters are permitted to attend training or matches.
Changes and amendments published in any further Government Gazettes and directions must be implemented immediately.
All the relevant and applicable health and safety measures
SA Rugby are ’observed. s Covid-19 amateur rugby return to train and play guidelines must be observed, as well as the safety and health directives as per government regulations.
Non-contact development programmes, such as Get Into Rugby and Vuka, are allowed to continue, subject to the permission of the principal of each school.
Border Rugby is planning a tournament to be played by all 24 teams prior to the start of the league fixtures.
This tournament must be endorsed by Saru administrator Basil Haddad, with funding coming from donors/sponsors.