Community rugby: States release return to play guidelines

Fri, May 22, 2020, 3:45 AM
AAP
by AAP
Australia's states and territories are working their way back to community rugby's return. Photo: Rugby AU Media/Stuart Walmsley
Australia's states and territories are working their way back to community rugby's return. Photo: Rugby AU Media/Stuart Walmsley

The ACT is the latest state to confirm guidelines around community rugby's return to play.

The ACT and Southern NSW Rugby Union on Thursday unveiled its region specific guidelines for teams to return to training in small groups from June 1.

Restrictions include splitting fields into up to six areas for groups of up to registered participants to train in for a maximum of 50 minutes.

Under their guidelines it is hoped that some form of contract training will be allowed from June 15 and full team training from June 29.

There is no set date for a competition return in the framework, with more clarity needed around government restrictions going forward.

The John I Dent Cup competition's start date will also depend on NSW guidelines with the Queanbeyan Whites part of the competition.

The ACT follows Tasmania, WA and Victoria in setting out road maps for return to play for community rugby.

Queensland and New South Wales have also pencilled in dates for community rugby's return but not released a detailed road map for all levels of rugby training, with different government barriers in each state.

STATE RETURN TO PLAY PLANS

All road map dates are subject to change should government restrictions be altered and players are encouraged to listen to their local clubs for more information.

WA

From May 18:

Non-contact training in groups of 20 people with 1.5m of social distancing.

Sharing of footballs but no other equipment.

From June 15 (tentative date)

Full contact training.

More information here.

Early July (Date TBC):

Possible start for community rugby competitions.

ACT & Southern NSW

Competition return date yet to be confirmed.

From June 1:

Maximum of one hour training sessions, with 50 minutes of training and 10 minutes of set up and clean up

Fields split into six separate areas, with maximum training groups of up to 10. No groups are able to cross over.

From June 15: 

Contact allowed within groups of 10.

From June 29:

All training allowed.

More information here.

Victoria

From May 18:

Non-contact training in groups of 10.

Fields split into two clear sections for training zones.

From June 1:

Contact training allowed in groups of up to 20.

Possible trial matches allowed from June 27.

From June 29: 

Full training allowed.

More details here.

Tasmania

From May 18:

Non-contact training in groups of up to 10.

More information here.

South Australia

From May 11:

Non-contact community sports training allowed in groups of up to 10.

From June 5:

Sports transition towards competition starts.

More information from Rugby Union South Australia here.

Northern Territory

From May 15:

Non-contact training allowed

From June 5:

Full training permitted.

Competitions can resume with spectators in approved seating arrangements.

For rugby, three weeks of contact training is likely required before competitions can resume.

More information here.

New South Wales

July earmarked as month for competition to resume.

June 26:

Shute Shield planned training resumption

July 18:

Shute Shield return

Queensland

QLD Community Rugby road map.

From June 1:

Possible training return

From July 1:

Possible competition return

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