World Rugby releases return to play guideline

May 10, 2020 Sports

The coronavirus pandemic has affected sport in a major way with all activities being halted but it is expected that the world will overcome this deadly disease that emerged from Wuhan, China, but World Rugby; international authority for the sport, has noted that sport, especially rugby, will never be the same following the pandemic and they have set out guidelines for return

The Rugby World body is looking to limit the known normal level of contact that entails in top flight rugby until the COVID 19 virus in fully contained.

to play issued on their website earlier in this month.
The website noted rightfully that rugby is a contact sport, “To fully train and to play matches requires intermittent physical contact. High-risk physical contact, where players are in very close proximity (such as scrum, or face to face tackle), most likely poses a greater risk should one player be an infected person. In training, this type of contact should, whenever possible be limited, as should mixing of groups who have undertaken this type of contact. Should a team-mate from high risk physical contact or opposition player in a recent match develop an infection, all of those who have participated in the high-risk contact are likely to require isolation and testing.
While a date of return to playing will be dependent on each government of World Rugby members, the return to play guidelines notes that for the return to training, smaller groups will help to offset the risk of infection.
The World Rugby correspondence noted that, “Until a vaccine is developed for COVID-19 the team environment will be quite different. Every person involved in a rugby team or game will have a responsibility to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”
“Personal hygiene, self-isolation with symptoms, social distancing, group numbers and restricting travel are the most effective means of prevention of the spread. In the team environment you will need to be even more careful to avoid exposure and spread.”