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Premiership and Championship clubs allowed to resume non-contact training

Professional Game Board - Getty Images Europe 
Professional Game Board - Getty Images Europe

Professional rugby players can return to their clubs after the sport was given permission to resume non-contact training, albeit on a socially-distanced basis.

Premiership and Championship sides will take tentative steps for their return, which include all players and staff having to undergo education on safe return to training protocols, as well as daily temperature checks. Personal protective equipment will be used where necessary.

There is yet to be a fixed date for the return of the Premiership, which has been paused since March 16 because of coronavirus, but today's announcement that clubs will be able to move to Stage 1 in the elite sport return to training guidance set out in Government guidelines, will be viewed as a step in the right direction.

It is hoped the campaign can still be played to a conclusion with the consensus among clubs that players would require eight weeks to regain fitness before playing professional matches. No timescale has been set for a move to Stage 2 or Stage 3, which involves the safe return of contact rugby and then competitive Premiership Rugby.

Getty Images Sport  - Getty Images Sport 
Getty Images Sport - Getty Images Sport

The Professional Game Board, which includes representatives of the Rugby Football Union, Premiership Rugby, Championship clubs and the Rugby Players’ Association has given “provisional authorisation” for Premiership and Championship clubs to allow their players to come back into the club environment while adhering to “strict social distancing.”

Before commencing Stage 1, which “allows for individual conditioning or groups of individuals conditioning in a performance environment” with strict social distancing maintained at all times, clubs will need to provide a written declaration to Premiership Rugby and the RFU that they have met a number of key criteria.

That includes all players and support staff undertaking an education module which will inform a formal "opt in" process for return to training, the appointment of both a Covid-19 manager and Covid-19 medical lead and clear guidance regarding cleaning and hygiene standards for training facilities.

There will also have to be the provision of PPE appropriate for the setting and confirmation of a daily medical screening for players and support staff, which involves the completion of a symptom checklist and temperature check before entering the training facility.

Chris Booy, Professional Game Board Chair said: "The welfare of the players, management and staff is our only priority, and we look forward to the season resuming when it is safe to do so. We continue the huge amount of work being undertaken to enable a safe return to training.”

Rob Baxter, director of rugby at Premiership leaders Exeter Chiefs, welcomed the news.

“Obviously, I am very pleased that we are now at the stage where we can meet all the necessary minimum standards to ensure we can return to Stage 1 of training,” he said.

“A huge amount of work has gone on behind the scenes at the club to ensure all of our players and staff will have the highest standards of care on their return.

“Initially, all of our training will be carried out in an outdoor environment in small groups, after which we then review the situation and make the appropriate decisions based on the assessments and information we have at hand.”

Although the 2019-20 Championship season was concluded with finishing places calculated on a best playing record formula, Telegraph Sport understands that the second tier has plans to commence the 2020-21 season in September.

Like in the Premiership, it is viewed that it will take a minimum of eight weeks for players to be able to play competitive rugby.