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The below article has been taken from the wales online website 

WRU has set out plans for return of Welsh community rugby as big announcement made.
The WRU has laid out its roadmap for the return of Welsh community rugby this year.

The Welsh Rugby Union has unveiled its plans for Welsh community rugby to resume, with full contact games returning in August.

Players under the age of 18 are set to return to organised training from Saturday, March 27, pending final confirmation from the Welsh Government this week
Announcing its Pathway to Participation on Wednesday morning, the WRU said tag and touch rugby fixtures for U18s could be sanctioned from April 1 within their own districts if public health conditions allow.

All levels of the game - including youth and senior teams (male and female) - are set for a phased return of "modified, limited contact training" from May 1. There will be no scrums, and further details will be announced at a later date.

From mid June, the WRU says "players of all ages can look forward to a month of summer sevens and tens rugby - under modified laws". Midweek and weekend matches can be agreed in modified formats to ease players back into competitive contact rugby. This period will lead into the phased return of 15 a-side rugby and will incorporate full contact training.

The governing body said a set of modified laws has been agreed so that friendly 15-a-side matches can be sanctioned from mid July, with format WRU competitions set to kick off in August - the format of which is being finalised, although the WRU said it "could include some form of knock-out competitions for all ages (male and female)."
December to mid January will see a planned winter break, which has "been identified as potentially a high risk period from a public health perspective". If Welsh Government guidelines are flexible at this time, clubs may choose to play friendly matches during this window.
WRU League rugby for male senior and youth teams is set to kick off from mid-January and run through to May 2022. The new season for the female game will start at the same time - mid January.
***************April 1: Return to tag and touch fixtures for players under the age of 18

May 1: Youth and senior teams permitted to return to modified contact training (no scrums)

From mid June: Return of competitive contact rugby at 7 and 10-a-side for all ages and full contact training (male and female)

From mid July: Friendly 15-a-side matches sanctioned under agreed set of modified laws

August-November: Return of some 15-a-side WRU-organised competitions at all levels (male and female)

December– mid January 2022: Winter break

Mid January 2022: Return of WRU League rugby (male game); start of new Female Hub season.***************

WRU chair Rob Butcher said: "We know there is a strong desire within the community game to get back on the field. Rugby clubs are at the heart of our communities and we all miss the social interaction they provide.

"As soon as Welsh Government guidelines allow, we will sanction the gradual and safe return of rugby activities, provided the clubs have all the necessary protocols in place. We will continue to support the hundreds of community rugby volunteers in doing this. They have played such an important role over the past year as always.

"We had around 300 WRU clubs when the pandemic hit us a year ago and our priority is to come out of this with all those clubs and other community teams in a position to welcome back their players, coaches, volunteers and members to their facilities.

"We are confident this can be achieved having worked closely with clubs on all matters including funding streams, Welsh Government and local authority support, help accessing additional equipment needed at this time including PPE, and guidance in putting appropriate systems and protocols in place to keep everyone as safe as possible."

Matthew Cook Webmaster