The Government announced on Thursday 9th July 2020 the restart of team sports, including the phased return of Community Rugby League once a Government-approved Action Plan and related guidance on playing safely are in place. This was something we briefed the Clubs on at our recent webinar.
Detailed below are the projected timescales.
Community Rugby League will have a phased return over several months
The return of sports is phased depending on the level of contact and risk in each sport (i.e. why low-contact cricket returns ahead of a sport like Rugby League). Phasing also applies to the formats within each sport where applicable.
The RFL’s detailed ‘Action Plan’ (as briefed to the community game on the 30th June) will be completed and sign off sought from the RFL’s Clinical Advisory Group (CAG), Sport England and Government by the end of July.
This Action Plan, together with detailed guidance, will then be shared in full across the sport as part of the ongoing communication with community clubs/leagues/volunteers etc.
The approval of Sport England and Government is required by all sports as the guidance for each sport will outline the mitigations which will allow social distancing to be breached in the narrow circumstances required for each sport during the activity. i.e. social distancing in every other respect remains – clubhouses, side lines, changing rooms etc.
The Action Plan outlines a return of full-contact Community Rugby League no earlier than September – and subject to the full range of approvals from CAG and Government.
The Action Plan outlines a return of non and limited contact Rugby League in August – subject to the approvals.
Indoor facilities including gyms may reopen from 25 July subject to a comprehensive range of hygiene protocols, social distancing, and other mitigations.
Community club activity at this time remains socially distanced outdoor activity in groups of no more than 6 (as per the attached infographic).
The RFL Participation and Development team work closely with Sport England, DCMS and other contact sports to inform the work on the detailed Action Plan and guidance for the safe return of all formats of the sport including Touch, Tag RL, Wheelchair RL, LDRL and PDRL as well as 13-a-side youth, junior and Open Age Rugby League.
The Government statement can be found at : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/recreational-team-sport-to-return-safely-this-summer
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