Grassroots rugby ruled out for the full season

ALL National League rugby will not take place this season, it has been announced.

The Welsh Rugby Union said this affects all male and female senior and youth WRU National Leagues, so there will be no promotion or relegation this season and current league status will carry over into the 2021/22 season.

Wales’ rugby governing body is, however, “very confident” some form of competitive community rugby will resume in Wales before the end of the season, which they are extended to beyond May 2021 to boost the prospects of this happening.

All community sport is being suspended in Wales when the country enters coronavirus alert level four - the highest it can be - on December 28, for at least three weeks.

Looking ahead, when conditions allow the WRU plans to re-introduce an “element of contact rugby and some form of competition with modified laws and regulations, starting with Premiership and Championship clubs”.

This is, along with extending the season beyond May 2021, part of a series of recommendations made the WRU’s community board, which have been approved by the full WRU board.

Clubs in those two divisions would be given six weeks’ notice to train before competitive rugby would resume.

The WRU adds: “When Welsh Government guidelines allow, all other levels of the game in Wales will be able to resume touch rugby within the current guidelines and will be given six weeks’ notice before the contact rugby phase is rolled out further.”

With Wales being in alert level four up until at least mid-January, it is not yet known which alert level Wales would have to be in before some form of community rugby could resume.

WRU community director Geraint John said: “We are working hard with all partners to bring some form of competitive community rugby back before the end of the season and we feel this plan reflects that.

“We are acutely aware how much people are missing rugby. We also know that our clubs, who have been fantastic throughout this public health crisis, continue to face challenges. We have heard loud and clear their concerns about people potentially leaving the game during this enforced change to all our rugby lives.

“However, we need to bring the game back safely and sustainably when Welsh Government guidelines allow. We want to provide clarity to our clubs and the people who make up our game in Wales. Whilst we acknowledge this not a return to normal, it signposts a route back to competitive rugby.”