Competitive grassroots rugby games across Tayside and Fife have been called off until at least spring 2021.
On Wednesday afternoon, Scottish Rugby’s board confirmed that the 2020-21 season’s club and school fixtures would be pushed back due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The season was originally delayed until January, with this postponement now rescheduled until spring.
However some local friendly fixtures may be able to go ahead in the coming months, with the Super6 league aiming to begin with a full programme of fixtures at the end of March.
Scottish Rugby says friendly games and full-contact training cannot take place while much of the country remains under the government’s level three and four coronavirus restrictions.
This limits teams from preparing for the return of competitive fixtures in January 2021 which had originally been planned.
The rules currently in place across Tayside and Fife prohibit non-essential travel into and out of local authority areas, meaning clubs would be unable to travel outwith their own areas to play other sides.
Much of Scotland will be under level four restrictions from Friday.
On Thursday, November 5 Scotland’s Return to Rugby guidance was updated, with clubs in level three areas only permitted to take part in socially-distanced individual training.
A similarly-scaled back level of training was permitted under level four restrictions.
However this Return to Rugby guidance could be subject to future changes.
Scottish Rugby’s president Ian Barr said: “After much careful ongoing consideration by the Scottish Rugby Council, who received a detailed briefing by colleagues in rugby development and updates from Scottish Rugby’s threat management group on the impact of current government restrictions, we took the difficult decision as a council to recommend closing the 2020-21 domestic season, which the board then fully supported.
“We know many clubs and schools were looking forward to resuming competitive matches in the new year, but Covid-19 remains an active threat and we must act responsibly, putting the safety of our players, volunteers and their local communities first.
“We understand the decision will be disappointing, however it is important that we make the right choices to contribute to helping lower the infection rates and support public health guidelines, which can hopefully enable us to return to rugby fully at the right time.”
Scottish Rugby says its development department will be providing schools and clubs with “practical and financial support” following the announcement.
The 2020/21 domestic competitive rugby season at all levels of the club and school game in Scotland will close due to the on-going national impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) November 18, 2020
There will also be changes to the criteria of the Supporting Clubs Investment Programme. with teams potentially receiving “top-up” payments.
Scottish Rugby’s director of rugby development Sheila Begbie said she was “equally disappointed” at the loss of the club and school competitive fixtures.
She added: “Our focus is resolute on supporting our clubs. On a practical level, we are developing a new digital tool to enable clubs to canvas for friendly fixtures when it is safe to do so and in-line with the Scottish Government guidance and regulations.
“We hope that the practical and financial support on offer will reassure clubs and schools of our dedication to guide them through what continues to be a difficult time.”
