South Africa: rugby returns in April
Great relief for South African rugby fans and players. The South African Rugby Federation (SA Rugby) allows rugby clubs and schools to resume their activities.
It is the end of long months of ordeal. It has been more than a year since rugby schools and clubs in South Africa have stopped . The spread of Covid-19 had led the country’s authorities to stop everything. This will no longer be the case in ten days or so. The South African Federation (SA Rugby) has, in fact, given its green to the restart of competitions in the country. Thus, the clubs will resume on April 12 and school rugby on the 23 of the same month.
A great relief, both for the players and for the federal authorities. “We were delighted to hear that school rugby can start again as announced by the Department of Basic Education. And we share the enthusiasm of schools and club players to come back to the field ” , rejoices in particular the CEO of SA Rugby, Jurie Roux on the Fédé site . This decision follows the relaxation of the restriction measures related to Covid-19.
This return of rugby to South Africa will, however, be without spectators. And in strict compliance with current health protocols. “We will not take any risks. Player safety is of the utmost importance to us. And as the goalkeepers of rugby in South Africa, it is imperative that the return-to-play protocols followed by our professional teams are also applied at school and club level, ”said the South African leader.
The challenge is therefore enormous for those responsible for South African rugby. This return to competition promises to be very delicate in a country where Covid-19 is wreaking havoc in Africa. But the actors will undoubtedly show more rigor in the respect of the health protocols. The price to pay to keep playing. And it’s worth the effort, after more than a year on the diet,