Grassroots rugby is set to return at the end of this month.

The RFU has published a new ‘Return to Community Rugby Roadmap’ which coincides with the government’s easing of lockdown restrictions.

There’s a six stage process to go through which the RFU - the game’s governing body - hope will end with full contact matches being played in June. There are hopes that by June 21 - if Covid levels continue to drop - that all legal limits on social contact can be removed.

Clubs at grassroots levels have been devoid of any competitive action for a whole season. Plans for a regional competition were scrapped as the second wave of coronavirus led to the current national lockdown.

There is now a chance that the sport can resume soon, with a phased return.

RFU development director Steve Grainger said: “This is fantastic news for the community game and we are pleased to be able to publish our plan for a phased return to full contact rugby.

“It’s wonderful to see light at the end of the tunnel and we are as delighted as clubs and players across the country that they will soon be able to resume training and, subject to each step on the government’s roadmap being achieved, progress towards an exciting season of rugby for 2021/22 from September.”

At present, the only training that can take place is alone or with one other person from another household. An exception to this are age grade players involved in school or college organised activity.

From March 29, the RFU will roll out ‘Ready4Rugby’ alongside 02 Touch and tag matches against other clubs. Contact training will exclude scrums and mauls and be limited to 20 minutes a session maximum.

Ready4Rugby is a new non-contact game enabling two teams of up to 10 players to engage in training and match activity.

Matches with adapted laws (no scrums or mauls) will be permitted against other clubs from April 26.

When Step 3 on the government roadmap is reached (no earlier than May 17) it is planned that community rugby will move to full contact training, including scrums and mauls. Two weeks later full contact matches can begin. Community rugby will move to the final stage of their roadmap on June 21.

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