02
Fri, May

Coronavirus (Covid-19) update
This week’s edition of the Covid-19 Community Game Update has been delayed from Tuesday to provide up to date information on the revised coronavirus guidelines announced by the Government this week.

Most importantly, we have provided an update on the decision made today to delay the return to competitive play for the 2020/21 season until January 2021 at the earliest.

You may also want to read RFU CEO Bill Sweeney’s statement, issued on Tuesday, regarding the financial impact on the RFU and the wider game if matches at Twickenham Stadium are played behind closed doors. Read Bill Sweeney's statement.

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 Headlines
Return to competitive play in 2020/21 season delayed to January 2021 earliest
Under powers delegated by Council, the RFU Governance Committee today made a difficult decision that, with the exception of Premiership, Championship and Premier 15s rugby, no organised* RFU or non-RFU Leagues including merit tables, adult or age grade competitions will be played before January 2021 at the earliest.

With the increased uncertainly caused by Government’s additional restrictions to curb the increase in Covid-19 cases across the country, the decision has been made so that we can provide clubs with some certainty over the next few months.

The rugby community can continue to organise non-contact fixtures with other clubs using Ready4Rugby and other touch rugby activity. Limited and restricted contact rugby training can also be continued.

The RFU continues to be in active dialogue with government about moving to Stage E on the Roadmap should we reach this point at any time before Christmas, competitive friendly matches could commence.

The Adult and Age Grade Competitions Groups will be making recommendations to Governance on what they can do to ensure that any competitions from January are meaningful, including whether to make changes to the structured season.

Governance also agreed that any decision to suspend promotion and relegation for the 2020/21 season would be referred to Council once the nature of the competitions is known.

Further guidance will be provided in due course to support clubs, schools, colleges and universities in playing to the relevant stage of the appropriate Roadmap stage.

Jeff Blackett, RFU President, comments: “We are very keen to see competitive rugby being played again. However, given the introduction of further restrictions to curb the increase in Covid-19 cases, we will not be able to move to Stage F on the Roadmap until a later date. This announcement gives clubs clarity over the immediate term to help them with their planning. We will continue to liaise with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Public Health England to accelerate a return to competitive play as soon as it is safe to do so.”

Although social gatherings of more than six people were banned in England from Monday 14 September and a number of local lockdown restrictions put in place in some areas of the country, the Government has confirmed that organised sports and activities that have been through return to play protocols can continue. With the exception of clubs impacted by local lockdown restrictions, we continue at Stage D on the Roadmap.

Clubs in areas where additional local lockdown measures have been introduced may need to limit their activities in line with any local restrictions. All are advised to consult with their local authority should they be in any doubt.

*Organised competition in this instance includes any competition organised by the RFU, its delegated competition organising committees, or any other league or cup organiser.
Return To Play

1 All matches in the Competition shall be played under the laws of the Rugby

2 Football Union and shall comply with the Rules and Regulations of the R.F.U. Every Club in all League shall play its bona fide first XV.

3 In all matches in the Competition replacements and substitutes are permitted in accordance with Law 3 and the International Board Resolutions relating thereto.

4 Unplayed, Postponed and Abandoned Matches

  1. If weather conditions prevent a match being played or a match is abandoned because of such conditions with LESS than sixty minutes having been played, the match shall be played or replayed on a date directed by the Organising Committee of the League concerned.
  2. If a match is abandoned because of weather conditions where SIXTY OR MORE minutes have been played, then the score at the moment of abandonment shall stand and be deemed the final score in the match. The Referee's decision as to the necessity for abandonment and the number of minutes played at the moment of abandonment shall be final.
  3. If the Referee finds it necessary to abandon a match for any reason other than weather conditions, then irrespective of the number of minutes played, the result of the match may be determined by the Organising Committee of the League concerned or that Committee may order the match to be replayed.

5 Notification of match results

Each Club shall be responsible for correctly completing a match result card in accordance with regulations or the instructions set out in the Administrative Instructions applicable to such Club's League.

6 Referees

  1. The Referee for each match shall be appointed or provided by the RFU in respect of the Premiership, Championship and National Leagues 1 and 2 (North and South); and in respect of the Divisional Leagues by the Referees' Society to which the home Club pay a Referees' Society subscription, subject to any appointments made by the RFU.
  2. In all matches in the Premiership, Championship and National Leagues 1 and 2 (North and South) two  qualified Touch Judges shall be appointed by the RFU and the RFU Regulation relating to Law 6 shall apply. In all other matches each Club shall provide a competent Touch Judge who should not be a replacement. In an emergency a replacement may act as a Touch Judge.
  3. If the Referee appointed or provided under Regulation 14.1 has not arrived at the agreed kick-off time or if the Referee is unable to officiate for the whole of the match for any reason and a replacement Referee is available, the captains of the two Clubs concerned may agree that the replacement Referee can officiate and the result shall count in the Competition. Such agreement shall thereafter be binding upon the Clubs. If there is no agreement then that match shall not count in the Competition and it must be replayed in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 11(a).

7 Kick-offs and delayed arrivals

Kick-off times for all League matches shall in the absence of a requirement from the Organising Committee appropriate to the League concerned start at the home Club's usual kick-off time but shall be between 2.15pm and 3.00pm.

In the absence of a kick-off time being specified by the Committee an early or late kick-off time may be arranged by mutual agreement between the two Clubs concerned. Any delay from the specified or agreed kick-off time may be reported by the non-offending Club to the Organising Committee of the League concerned and may lead to the match being awarded to the non­ offending Club.

8 Clash of colours/Identification of players

In the event of Clubs having similar or clashing colours the home Club will be responsible for changing its colours, subject to the satisfaction of the appointed Referee. The jerseys of the teams competing in the Competition should all be numbered or lettered to ensure the correct identification of all players and replacements during a match.

9 Grounds

A home Club is responsible for correctly and clearly marking its pitch and it must make proper provision to ensure that (with the exception of the Touch Judges) all spectators, replacements and Officials are kept at a reasonable distance from the field of play. When a late decision as to the fitness of the ground for the playing of a League match is necessary, it shall be made by the respective captains of the Clubs involved but if the captains are not able to agree, the decision shall be made by the appointed Referee. A late decision is defined as one made within 3 hours of the scheduled kick-off time.

We still do not know when the new season starts.

Below are the new potential leagues, if we start before Christmas there could be play offs between the small divisions

Example is the 2 Midland 1 East leagues are set up for a late start and it is the same at all levels

 

LEVEL 6

 

LEVEL 7

LEVEL 8

   

 

LEVEL 9

 

 The new refereeing kit, from Olorun, has arrived and here it is being modelled by your Chairman! Socks are still being finalised, but will match the lime green on the shirts and have LSRUR, in black, down the back.

The base layer is in black, with the LSRUR Stencil on the right forearm.

The kit has, once again, been sponsored by Office Furniture Team GB Limited, Cadeby Homes and G&G Minibuses.

I have a full set of sizes in my possession and will be coming round to as many of the training sessions as I can to let members try on the kit to get the correct size for them. If you are anywhere near Loughborough and want to get sized up, then just give me a call and drop in. My contact details are on the Society website. To qualify for an issue of kit, a member is required to complete 10 appointments in the previous season. We do appreciate that the season was cut short and will take this into account, when looking at numbers of appointments taken. If in any doubt, please get in touch.

Our Match Observers and referee coaches will be issued with LSRUR winter coats.

We also have coming, a selection of LSRUR leisure wear for you to purchase. This includes Puffer Jackets, training pants, quarter zip soft shell fleeces, hoodies, gilets and polo shirts, all in the Society livery. These will be available on an online shop and I will have sample sizes for you to try. Details of all these will follow shortly.

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