Delay in Start of Season

[Fredsbar]

Grass-roots rugby season delayed because of drought
RFU pushes back start of campaign by more than two weeks owing to injury risks on parched pitches

Parched grass on the rugby pitches at the Braywick Sports Ground in Maidenhead as the heatwave and ongoing drought
Prolonged dry weather this summer has affected rugby's playing surfacesCredit: Maureen McLean/Alamy
Gavin Mairs
Gavin Mairs
Chief Rugby Union Correspondent
Show biography
Published 14 August
The start of the grass-roots club rugby season has been delayed across England because of an increased risk of injury caused by the drought.

The national leagues – below the Prem and Champ – were due to begin on Saturday, September 5, but with two thirds of England now declared to be in drought, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) was concerned about the potential for an increased risk of injury for players on hard and dry pitches.

It informed clubs on Friday evening that there would be a blanket directive to delay the start of the new season until the week commencing September 21. The decision came after gathering feedback from representatives across the regions and consultations within competition committees.

"We know this decision will be disappointing for the clubs, schools and colleges, players, volunteers and fans looking forward to the start of the season, and we do not underestimate the impact it will have across the game," Sir Bill Beaumont, the president of the RFU, told the clubs.

An aerial view of Cambridge Rugby Club's pitch last week
An aerial view of Cambridge Rugby Club's pitch last weekCredit: Geoff Robinson/Shutterstock
"This has been a carefully considered decision. After listening to views from across the community game and weighing up the options available to us, we believe that delaying the start of the competitive season nationwide is the right course of action. While we recognise that not everyone will agree with this decision, making it now provides greater certainty for clubs, schools and colleges as they prepare for the months ahead.

"On behalf of everyone at the RFU, I would like to thank all those who have shared their views and contributed to discussions in recent days. Player welfare and readiness have been central to our thinking throughout, alongside our desire to give the season the best possible opportunity to begin on a fair and consistent footing across the country.

"We also wanted to provide clarity as early as possible to help the volunteers, staff and organisations who work so hard behind the scenes to plan and prepare for the season."

The RFU has already given permission for clubs to postpone opening-day fixtures, including those scheduled to start their Regional and Counties League seasons on September 12, because the extended dry spell has left many pitches unsafe to train on.

"Several clubs have expressed concerns that pitch conditions have meant that players are currently unable to prepare adequately for contact in league matches," the RFU said in a statement.

"This is the fourth time in five seasons that this issue has occurred, with the added challenge that pitches may be determined as unfit for playing on opening weekend 12th September for Regional and Counties Leagues."

Alamy Live News. 2JKFGJY Brighton UK 2nd August 2022 - The grass is bone dry and parched on the pitches at Hove Rugby Club as the dry warm weather is forecast to continue in the South East over the next few days
There are concerns for players if forced to play on rock-hard surfacesCredit: Simon Dack News/Alamy
"Drought guidance" has also been issued by the RFU to clubs in the community game. This guidance includes reducing the number of full-contact sessions, urging clubs to assess whether a pitch is safe to use before training or matches and asking players not to dive when scoring tries.

"Incidents causing injury tend to be higher during the first few weeks of the season, and it is possible that harder pitches combined with physical readiness may contribute to this," the RFU told clubs.

"When pitches are hard, the focus should be to reduce/modify impact exposure while still developing contact skills.

"Avoid practices that involve players regularly going to ground, only practice full tackling on crash mats and focus on body management, footwork, tracking and replace full contact with wrestling/grappling.

"On very hard ground consider removing/reducing the number of diving to score and full tackle-to-ground practices, repeated tackles, falls, rucks or any instance where multiple bodies hit the ground and high numbers of contested lifted line-outs."

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has issued a similar warning to its clubs, urging coaches, officials and volunteers to use their judgment to put player health and wellbeing first. Clubs have cancelled training and pre-season matches.

Geraint John, the WRU community rugby director, said: "This summer has seen exceptionally warm weather across the country, resulting in high temperatures and unusually hard playing surfaces in many areas.

"While clubs are understandably keen to maximise training opportunities and prepare for the season ahead, these conditions present additional challenges and potential risks that must be carefully considered."

[cynic]

If they put idiots in charge running the community leagues this will happen

[cynic]

Soft southerners calling the shots once again at the expense of the poor northerners. Need to get Burnham to set up a Twickenham of the North. I choose Stocksbridge.

[bobtheguilder]

Only a very narrow minded person would question this decision. Already had a broken ankle in training with player landing from a concrete pitch at our club.

[looseygoosey]

Stocksbridge a sh** hole I want to go home

[Ribbflagman]

Surely common sense should prevail (I know its in short supply nationally), clubs that have "Rock Hard" grounds will not want to expose their players to unnecessary injury risk. A blanket postponement seems narrow minded to me and yet another example of all clubs being told "When we want your opinion we will ask for it" .
Until then do as we instruct you!!!!!