It’s has now be announced that premiership and Championship can now proceed on non- contact training for now; which is called stage one.
Stage one training is non-contact and must be done in small groups, with each person at least two metres apart.
It is not known if, or when, rugby union clubs will be able to move to stage two or three, which is the resumption of matches behind closed doors.
Before players can return to training they must take an education module on Covid-19, while clubs will have to appoint both a Covid-19 manager and medical lead.
Clubs will also have to provide appropriate personal protective equipment, adhere to strict cleaning and hygiene standards and screen players and support staff on a daily basis for symptoms.
On another keg of powder, a ground-breaking overhaul of the Premiership salary cap has been unanimously approved by clubs.
Last month, Lord Myners made 52 official recommendation as part of his comprehensive report into the cap.
His recommendations for the English top flight also included:
- Greater sanctions for clubs in breach, including relegations, suspension, stripping of titles, and return of prize money.
- Greater accountability for players, and sanctions for players in breach of their obligations.
- Greater accountability for agents, and sanctions for agents in breach of their obligations.
- Greater accountability for club officials, and the introduction of a “fit and proper” test for club owners.
- Greater transparency and clearer regulations, with clearer definitions of what constitutes salary.
- Greater power and support for the salary cap manager.
“I am immensely grateful to Lord Myners for his thorough, diligent and robust approach to conducting this review,” said Premiership Rugby chief executive Darren Childs.
“It’s a credit to our clubs that they have acted so quickly to support these recommendations and take the Premiership Rugby salary cap into a new era. We want to create the gold standard for delivering sporting integrity, financial viability and competitive balance.
“The next stage is for us to consult with our clubs, the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Players’ Association and to enshrine these new regulations for the start of the 2020-21 season, which will be created for the long-term benefit of our sport.”
Former Harlequins and Saracens chief executive Mark Evans told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Rugby union weekly podcast that the Myners report was “undoubtedly” a step in the right direction, but warned a further governance overhaul at Premiership Rugby is needed.
“I don’t think our league is very well structured. I am a big fan of the salary cap, but the salary cap can’t do it on its own,” Evans said.
