Hi all, I know that you will all be looking ahead to the new season and getting back to rugby. You will all have differing views about the current situation and may or may not have been personally affected in anyway. Professional sport functions only because all concerned are tested at least twice a week with regular temperature checks. Unfortunately, we do not have that capacity. Track and trace is not "world beating" as we are told, the emerging evidence is that young people are not as immune as first suspected and they may inadvertently pass on the virus to those who are more vulnerable. Whilst we are slowly returning to some remnants of normality, we need to be vigilant. Whether it be asthma or other respiratory illnesses, many of us are potentially vulnerable.
The government recommends that we all undertake daily exercise and hopefully you will all be doing this in order to maintain your rugby fitness. In normal circumstances rugby pre-season would have been starting in August in preparation for Match Play in September. Based upon the current conditions, the return in September is extremely unlikely.
THE RFU have issued a roadmap for the return of community rugby. This is based upon 6 stages, A to F. The details can be viewed on the RFU website. We are currently at stage B, which allows small groups of up to 6 to train together using Government safe distancing guidance. You may be aware that some of the junior teams are returning to do some training from August. This will primarily be based upon fitness and it will not involve any rugby equipment, to include balls. As lead coach for the Colts, I have been assessing what is possible and practical in terms of training for us. I know that you may have been away from school or college for a while and are missing the activity. I am also very keen to get the squad together and discuss the plans for the season.
The assessment has primarily taken into account the health issues for all concerned, it also focusses on transportation requirement, supervision and parental attendance. As all players are under the age of 18, the club follows the current safeguarding guidance. I have held discussions with the current Colts coaching team, First team coaches and members of the club committee.
Having reviewed the recommendations and taken all considerations in to account, a plan has been formulated. In order to prepare for the coming season, it has been decided that the colt’s section will return to training once the RFU announce that we have reached stage C in their road map. This will enable us to recommence with meaningful activity and also give us plenty of time to get to know each other and understand the playing style and structures we will use in the coming season.
Numbers will need to be managed and certain processes put in place to satisfy the track and trace requirements. We are developing a specific plan to build up training activities to the point that where we reach stage F, return to Match Play. Having reached that point, it may well be several weeks before any actual games commence.
In order to fully understand the numbers of players who wish to take part in the Colts squad this year, I have set up an initial availability list on the teams Pitchero site. This is for players to indicate whether they plan to take part this season. Just to confirm that Colts Rugby fixtures will take place on Saturday afternoons. There is a full fixture list, but there will undoubtably be some alterations to this. This notification will be issued to those already on the system. If you know someone who does not get notification, please direct them to myself. I will cross reference the information with club registration information. It is important that you all respond to this so that we have an understanding of the player numbers. We can also then start to plan the training schedule. Training will initially take place once a week on a Tuesday evening and will commence at 6.30. Due to restrictions there will be a need to stagger the times that players arrive and also restrict the length of sessions. This will be made clear once we are in a position to start.
I hope that all concerned understand the position taken and appreciate that we all love rugby and want to get back to the game. I did here the comment that “life goes on” and actually, that is the most important consideration.
Any questions in relation to this or the coming season, please don not hesitate to get in touch. My mobile number is 07977 246633.
Regards Simon Jenkins.