Premiership clubs to resume contact training from 6th July

Premiership Rugby clubs are set to begin contact training from next week after the Professional Game Board approved move to stage 2 from 6th July.

The decision follows after the clubs successfully passed stage 1 that was announced last month where they underwent social-distanced training but stage 2 will now allow them resumption of close contact training where small groups and/or teams will be able to interact much closer to one another.

"The Premiership clubs successfully completed Stage 1 of the process so now we can move to Stage 2 ahead of the targeted resumption of Gallagher Premiership Rugby on the weekend of 14-16 August," said Professional Game Board Chair Chris Booy.

"I'm delighted to confirm that Rugby Restart is on track. The teams at Premiership Rugby, RFU and RPA and at our clubs have undertaken a huge amount of work to get us to Stage 2 and I commend them for their dedication and tireless commitment to resuming the League campaign when it is safe to do so."

Like the stage 1, the clubs will have to provide written declaration of all the procedures and directives to be followed as they head to resumption of sport that had been suspended since March due to the pandemic coronavirus.

• All players and support staff undertaking an Education Module which will inform a formal "opt in" process for moving to Stage 2.
• All players and designated support staff undergoing regular COVID-19 testing, and maintaining the high standards of hygiene introduced at training facilities.
• All clubs in conjunction with Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Football Union undertaking a rugby risk assessment to support the mitigation of risk in training.
• The continuation of a daily medical screening for players and support staff, which involves the completion of a symptom checklist and temperature check before entering the training facility.
• A contact tracing protocol which will be supported by GPS data and the videoing of training sessions.
• The provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) appropriate for the setting.