SA Rugby
Schools and club rugby received a massive boost on Thursday as SA Rugby granted permission for the players to return to the field in April following a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While club teams received the go-ahead to return to play on Monday, 12 April, schools rugby will be able to resume with matches a little later, on Friday, 23 April.
In accordance with SA Rugby’s return to play protocols, which places player safety and welfare as key priorities, clubs have received the green light to advance from contact training back to playing matches.
SA Rugby said this is based on the provision that all COVID-19 protocols are strictly adhered to and that every club player must have completed the compulsory four-week non-contact training and four-week contact training window.
Schools rugby players, meanwhile, may resume contact training for four weeks – following six weeks of non-contact training – with the vision that they return to play at the earliest on Friday, 23 April.
“We were delighted to receive the news that schools rugby can recommence but we will not take any risks,” said SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux.
“Player safety is of utmost importance to us, and as the custodians of rugby in South Africa it is imperative that the return to play protocols that were followed by our professional teams be applied at schools and club level as well.”
SA Rugby
