Butcher praying for a big May Day turnout

WELSH Rugby Union chairman Rob Butcher admits he cannot be sure if the country’s rugbymad population will come back to the game once lockdown is lifted.

With coronavirus cases falling in Wales, the WRU recently published a series of steps for community rugby to gradually return to action.

The pathway back to participation showed plans for all teams to return to modified contact training by May 1 although there are real fears large numbers may have already been lost from the game.

Butcher told TRP: “What is untested is, will the participation be the same within clubs when we get back compared to when we came out in the first place?

“That’s the imponderable we’ve got at the moment.

“All I can say is we’re doing our level best. People are champing at the bit to get back and I think people understand what we’re trying to do. We’ve involved them at every stage.

“The positive I take out of it is that we’re 12 months in and we’ve heard nothing to suggest a club that was there last March isn’t there at the moment. I’m optimistic.

“At this point in time, I’m unaware of any club having gone to the wall.”

Butcher has spoken to representatives from Wales’ 320 member clubs to inform them of the scheduled return-toplay proposals.

While the reaction was positive, there remain concerns the periods of lockdown will mean players and coaches at all levels won’t return to rugby once it is over.

“I don’t think there is much more we could do in terms of trying to ensure those 320 clubs will be with us at the end, but it is a challenge we really are facing,” Butcher said.

“You wouldn’t get 300odd people to a meeting unless the will was there to be able to get those clubs moving again.”