South African rugby teams to resume training
Eight professional South African rugby teams will resume training on Monday, ending their COVID-19 lockdown, SA Rugby announced on Friday.
Chief executive Jurie Roux said the initial training would exclude contact but that it was expected that the eight teams would be able to play in domestic competition and that the world champion Springbok national team would also be able to play before the end of the year.
No dates for a return to competition were specified.
South Africa had more than 324,000 coronavirus infections by Thursday and rugby in the country is several weeks behind fellow southern hemisphere countries, New Zealand and Australia, which have both resumed competitive matches.
ALSO READ:
British and Irish Lions tour to SA to go ahead
The British & Irish Lions have toured South Africa on 13 previous occasions, with the first Tour taking place in 1891. In that time, the Lions have won four Test series, lost eight with one drawn. Their overall record against the Springboks is played 46, won 17, lost 23 and drawn six.
Super Rugby teams, the Sharks, Lions, Bulls and Stormers, are among those that will resume training, as are the Cheetahs and Southern Kings, which play with European sides in the Pro 14 competition, and domestic teams Griqualand West and Pumas. All other rugby had been cancelled for the season.
"Contact training will not be permitted for the moment but the players will be allowed back onto the field with a rugby ball and back into the gym – while observing strict protocols in both areas – which comes as a great relief to the sport," said Roux.
Roux said various formats were being discussed for domestic competitions because it was unlikely that air corridors would be open soon enough to enable the teams to play in international competitions such as Super Rugby and Pro 14.
He said all other rugby not involving the eight teams had been cancelled for the 2020 season.
Roux did not specify when the Springboks might be in action again but the national team usually undertakes an end-of-year tour to Europe.