The Rep 19 February 2021

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Hope for club and school rugby
Return to play must be under strict regulations
MAXWELL LEVINE
Clubs and schools around
the country have been
injected with renewed
hope that there will be some sort
of rugby action this year after SA
Rugby announced the
commencement of training,
with immediate effect last week.
Last year was one to forget
for clubs and aspiring schoolboy
players who dreamt of
representing their schools at the
highest level and obtaining
junior contracts at various
unions around the country.
Regarded as the most
successful sporting code in SA,
with the Junior Boks boasting a
World U20 Championship, the
Blitsbokke having won the
HSBC Sevens Series on
numerous occasions and the
Springboks boasting three
World Cup titles, there is no
doubt that rugby is the number
one sport in this country.
In a statement, SA Rugby
CEO Jurie Roux said that due to
the easing of the level 3
lockdown regulations “a
recommendation was made by
the working group of SA Rugby,
consisting of members from SA
Rugby, provincial unions and
the South African Schools Rugby
Association (Sasra), to SA
R u g by ’s executive committee
who subsequently approved
amateur rugby, including
schools rugby, could commence
training with immediate effect,
but under strict conditions”.
The return to training, with
the hope of returning to play,
must, however, be under strict
regulations with clubs following
guidelines and requirements
and certain documents having
to be submitted to the unions
before training commences.
The resumption of amateur
rugby will follow a structured
approach to ensure that the
safety of players is taken into
c o n s i d e ra t i o n .
● Phase one: A minimum of
four weeks of non-contact
training. The emphasis during
this time will be focused on
fitness and strength training.
● Phase two: Following phase 1
(and if permitted by relevant
authoritative bodies) a minimum
of four weeks’ g ra d u a l
integration of contact training.
● Phase three: Return to play.
“It remains our collective
responsibility to ensure that the
players and coaches who
participate in the game of rugby
do so in an environment that
does no harm and mitigates
against the risk of unnecessary
READY TO RUMBLE: The Breakers are waiting in anticipation for the new rugby season to
start Picture: SOURCED
illness and injury,” the statement
concluded.
The Border Rugby Union,
through the administrator Basil
Haddad, has also issued a
communique outlining its return
to training and requirements.
“Only once we have
received consent to play, in due
course, from SA Rugby, can we
finalise and circulate fixtures for
the 2021 competitions,” he said.
SUMMER FUN
COOLING OFF: Komani
resident and family man
Johnny Arseniou took his
family out to the Yacht Club at
the Bonkolo Dam for some
water activity during the
scorching weather peaking at
more than 30°C last weekend.
He praised the wonderful
sight of abundant water in the
dam after it had been dry for
some few years, and watched
Emmanuel Psarras putting his
jet ski through its paces
Picture: JOHNNY ARSENIOU