| Coronavirus (Covid-19) update Please find below the thirty-eighth edition of our coronavirus (Covid-19) update. We have provided an update on the move to Stage D on the Return to Community Rugby Roadmap and, as promised, the latest update (Tuesday 1 September) on adult and age-grade competitions. Community Rugby – moved to stage D  With the exception of clubs impacted by local lockdown restrictions, effective today, Tuesday 1 September, we have moved to Stage D on the Return to Community Rugby Roadmap. Clubs are now able to organise non-contact fixtures with other clubs using Ready4Rugby and other touch rugby activity. Limited and restricted contact rugby training is also now allowed. Varied training conditions will allow the return of tackling, lineouts and rucks, ensuring that players are prepared to perform these skills safely and effectively with some restrictions. Mauls, scrums, opposed lineouts or upright tackles are still not permissible as the transmission exposure risk remains high. Contact training sessions have to be carried out in small groups of no more than six players. Detail of the permitted training activity is available in the return to contact training guidance. To read the rest of the update please click on the link. Please visit our dedicated web portal on the England Rugby website to access coronavirus information and updates here. Past editions of these weekly updates can be found on this part of the website. Click here if you need to find a previous edition. |
Community Rugby Roadmap to move to Phase D from 1st September
Clubs will be able to start limited and restricted contact rugby training and organise inter-club non-contact fixtures. This follows the reintroduction of intra-club non-contact rugby union activity at the beginning of August.
The reintroduction of limited contact training has been approved by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (‘DCMS’) and moves The Return to Community Rugby Roadmap from Stage C to Stage D.
The reinstatement of some contact activity is important to ensure players can continue to practice core skills and are able to start preparing and conditioning themselves appropriately as the game starts to return to normality with regular training and matches.
Varied training conditions will allow the return of tackling, lineouts and rucks, ensuring players are prepared to perform these skills safely and effectively with some restrictions. Mauls, scrums, opposed lineouts or upright tackles are still not permissible as the transmission exposure risk remains high. Contact training sessions have to be carried out in small groups of no more than six players.
Detail of the permitted training activity is available in the return to contact training guidance.
RFU Community Game Update – 25th August
| Coronavirus (Covid-19) update Please find below the thirty-seventh edition of our coronavirus (Covid-19) update. We have provided a reminder that in September the NatWest Rugby Force weekend will take place on the 5th/6th, followed by the Pitch Up for Rugby weekend on the 12th/13th. We have also provided an update regarding the impact of various local restrictions on rugby activity. RFU headlines  Community Rugby – current position With the exception of clubs impacted by local lockdown restrictions, we remain at Stage C on the Return to Community Rugby Roadmap. The rugby community can, if they wish, recommence some larger group rugby activity, initially non-contact, subject to adherence with RFU guidance and also continuing to follow Government Coronavirus (Covid-19) Guidelines. The return is initially through Ready4Rugby, a non-contact game, and other touch rugby activity (including O2 Touch). To read the rest of the update, click on the link Please visit our dedicated web portal on the England Rugby website to access coronavirus information and updates here. Past editions of these weekly updates can be found on this part of the website. Click here if you need to find a previous edition. |
Return to Rugby Team Sport Risk Exposure Rationale – Video
A good explanation as to the process the game is following.
RFU Community Game – Covid 19 Update 18th August
| Coronavirus (Covid-19) update |
| Please find below the thirty-sixth edition of our coronavirus (Covid-19) update. We have provided a reminder that we are at Stage C on the Return to Community Rugby Roadmap, of our advice to clubs in local lockdown areas and that in September the NatWest Rugby Force weekend will take place on the 5th/6th, followed by the Pitch Up for Rugby weekend on the 12th/13th. There’s also a last call for the rugby community to take part in our Diversity and Inclusion Survey. We remain at Stage C on the Return to Community Rugby Roadmap. If they wish to, the rugby community can now recommence some larger group rugby activity, initially non-contact, subject to adherence with RFU guidance and also continuing to follow Government Coronavirus (Covid-19) Guidelines. The return is initially through Ready4Rugby, a non-contact game, enabling two teams of up to 10 players to engage in training and match activity in their own club environment. Other touch rugby activity (including O2 Touch centres) will also be able to recommence.  To read the rest of the update please click on the link. Please visit our dedicated web portal on the England Rugby website to access coronavirus information and updates here. Past editions of these weekly updates can be found on this part of the website. Click here if you need to find a previous edition. |
RFU Community Game Update – August 2020
| Community Game Update – August 2020 Content |
| 1. Update on the return to community rugby 2. Join the NatWest Rugby Force and Pitch Up for Rugby events 3. Local lockdown guidance 4. Adult Male Future Competition Structure 5. Safeguarding update 6. Diversity and Inclusion – complete the survey 7. Register for an Eddie Jones webinar 8. Running your Club – Virtual Workshops – Sept to Nov 2020 9. 2020 Annual General Meeting – Draft Minutes 10. Share your Ready4Rugby stories and videos To read the full update click on the link |
Recommendations for adult male competition structure published
The RFU Future Competitions Structure Group has released a recommendation paper on the adult male competitions structure (English Club Championship Level 3 and below) for implementation in the 2021/22 season.
This follows engagement with the game over the last nine months and evidence collection. The RFU acknowledges that players are playing less games each season due to lifestyle reasons and modern day demands on time.
The paper recognises the significant opportunity for rugby to develop an optimal playing offer and structure that protects the future health of the adult male game, meets the needs of current and future players, balances quality of experience and player welfare needs and limits travel, while protecting the sustainability of clubs.
The proposals include reducing league sizes, introducing league break weekends, and organising leagues that minimise travel, all essential to meet the game’s needs. Player feedback has also highlighted the importance of knockout rugby. Click here to read the plan.
Feedback is welcomed ahead of the RFU Council decision on Friday 2 October 2020. Please click here to share your views. You can also access FAQs here.
Additional documents
For any queries, contact Competitions-Development@RFU.com
Latest RFU Coronavirus Update – 11th August
| Coronavirus (Covid-19) update Please find below the thirty-fifth edition of our coronavirus (Covid-19) update. We have provided an update on the return to community rugby following a move to Stage C on the Return to Community Rugby Roadmap and advice for clubs in local lockdown areas . We have also announced two weekends of celebration in September – the NatWest Rugby Force Weekend on the 5th/6th, and the Pitch Up for Rugby Weekend on the 12th/13th. There’s also a call for the rugby community to take part in our Diversity and Inclusion Survey. To read the rest of the update click on the link Please visit our dedicated web portal on the England Rugby website to access coronavirus information and updates here. Past editions of these weekly updates can be found on this part of the website. Click here if you need to find a previous edition. |
RFU Community Rugby Road Map – Stage C
Today we can confirm that our action plan to commence a safe and phased return to grassroots rugby activity has been approved by the Government.
The Return to Community Rugby Roadmap has been updated to show a move from Stage B to Stage C.
The rugby community is now able to recommence some larger group rugby activity, initially non-contact, subject to adherence with RFU guidance.
Any return is a decision for individual clubs to make and they must continue to follow government Coronavirus (Covid-19) guidelines, along with any local government lockdown restrictions that may be introduced.
The return will initially be through non-contact rugby focused on Ready4Rugby, a non-contact game, enabling two teams of up to 10 players to engage in training and match activity in their own club environment. Subject to satisfactory operation through August we hope to then be able to move to inter-club Ready4Rugby in September. Other Touch Rugby activity (including O2 Touch centres) will also be able to recommence.
To read the rest of the brief click on the link
It is highly recommended that all involved with the game at a supervisory level should do the webinar and gain the certificate. Most certainly, coaches, DoRs and team managers at all age groups and genders must do the webinar so that clubs can demonstrate due diligence.
Community Game Update: Coronavirus update
| Coronavirus (Covid-19) update Please find below the thirty-fourth edition of our coronavirus (Covid-19) update. We are awaiting approval of the Return to Community Rugby Action Plan we submitted to the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (‘DCMS’). We have today provided a reminder that we currently remain at Stage B on the Return to Community Rugby Roadmap. We have also provided an update on adult league rugby and age grade national competitions. RFU headlines  Update on return to community rugby roadmap In line with many other NGBs of sport, we have submitted our action plan to government in an effort to accelerate the return of some rugby activity. We are awaiting approval of this and hence we currently remain at Stage B on our Return to Community Roadmap. This means the only activity permitted is socially distanced non-contact activity in maximum group sizes of 6. For avoidance of doubt, this means no scrum training, tackle training or any other form of contact rugby and also means that touch and tag activity is not permitted. Any breach of this may invalidate insurance and is in breach of both RFU and government regulation. Clubs in enhanced lockdown areas must also comply with any additional local restrictions…………………. To read the rest of the update click on the link Please visit our dedicated web portal on the England Rugby website to access coronavirus information and updates here. Past editions of these weekly updates can be found on this part of the website. Click here if you need to find a previous edition. |
