With rugby training back on for our minis and youth (on Wednesdays for some of the older teams, and on Sundays for all age grade sides), we wanted to let parents know that we are - as always - making safety our primary concern.
Coaches have met to discuss all the new guidance and will continue to do so.
U7s and U8s are now allowed to play tag rugby. Contact training is permitted again for older age groups but please be reassured that players will not simply be thrown straight back into full contact (or into contact for the first time in the case of some age groups) without a graduated build-up. Body conditioning & fitness will be the initial priority, before working on safe tackling techniques. This is something the club does in normal times after the off-season, but it is even more important when there has been little or no contact rugby for so long due to Covid-19.
MATCHES
Please note:
- We are looking to start matches for minis and younger youth age grades in January, with dates to be confirmed nearer the time.
- Those that have been doing contact at school or adults can arrange contact games (with adapted rules) after 18 Dec as permitted by the guidelines.
- Head coaches will assess what form of the game is appropriate for their team’s matches depending on their players’ levels of preparedness.
COVID SAFETY:
We are still far from the ‘normal’ rugby experience. There is still clarification to come regarding travel, food, changing, and matches, and we will keep you posted.
Remember:
- Parents must zap QR codes (NHS track and trace app)
And in line with government Tier level 2 guidelines:
- The rule of 6 applies outdoors for spectators
- Keeping socially distant is still a requirement
Coaches will still carrying out the following protocols:
- Sanitising & have drinks breaks (from own individual bottles) every 15 minutes
- Setting out cones for player bottles/bags
- Completing and sending a player register for track and trace purposes
- Ensuring parents/spectators follow the rules above- Continuing with our current risk assessment (and any adapted assessment we carry out), getting it signed by new players parents and handed in weekly.
Hopefully this information is all useful to you. There are a lot of rules, but two main things to remember: Stay safe and have fun!
