Vaccine - Corvid 19

Does anyone really think that Rugby League or Union will be allowed to be played until a global vaccine is established and freely available ? Bearing in mind the physical contact and exchange of close proximity exhalations a scrumage will produce for example, surely will stop our wonderful sport being re-engaged without a vaccine ?

I know this will sound a gloomy post and I wish I could be more positive about seeing live rugby anytime soon, but I can't honestly see the 20/21 season taking place at all. Maybe towards the end of the season, April 21, there may be some friendlies.

It is going to be very hard for clubs to survive because most of the income is socially based; no gate and no clubhouse takings will probably mean no sponsor money as they themselves struggle.

All Club supporters need to find whatever they can to help keep our Clubs alive enough to play strong again when the games resume as I am sure they will. Just it will be a long while.

[/QUOTE] I just posted similar thoughts in another thread - very dispiriting I know but sacrifices have to be made.[/QUOTE

A sign of a true leader is that he leads from the front so over you you Donald , if it works you are president for life , which would be 5 minutes if he did it.

The Don needs to have a re-think, just look at the mess bleach has made of his hair, what would it do to his innards?

tigerburnie wrote: https://www.planetrugby.com/long-delay-before-sport-resumes-scotland-team-doctor/

Interesting articles, most of which I agree with.

To pick up on a couple of points

1. Pro14 Rugby has more problems because teams are in 4 different countries with differing lockdown criteria.

2. Yes playing behind closed doors doesn't preclude injuries - however current UK intensive care beds are less than 50% full

3. Top level football is expected to start in Germany in May

4. Top level sport behind closed doors with all games televised - any other than the contracted matches should be free to air - will give many people something to distract them during lockdown which will be vital to people's mental health.

5. If lockdown measures are eased to encourage the economy to re-start people will expect to get back to some semblance of order very shortly afterwards.

office dweller wrote: Unfortunately I agree with John T. Imagine if we go back in say December and one person is then known to have had Covid 19 within the next 5 days. The whole League stops again for god knows how long. It is just not practical at a player level or supporter level. How do officials, many of whom are 70 + greet opposition for pre match meals in the Club house especially when either they or their partners have health issues Got to be the end of player payments for most clubs below level 3. Difficult enough to survive, and teams may be rather different when they come back with many players moving/ retiring etc. All food for thought. Stay safe

I am involved in club cricket at a reasonable level - at the moment the league is Currently due to start 1st Saturday in June, however an email I have just received refers to Dominic Raab stating he felt it would be difficult to see any sport outside of top professional level being played this year and even that would be behind closed doors.

The club cricket season has yet to be cancelled, however the signs are not good and I am expecting communication that the start date is 1st Saturday in July at best or totally cancelled at worst.

Bearing in mind the contact element of Rugby is far higher than that of Cricket, it is looking doubtful for a September start to Rugby - unfortunately.

Intouch wrote: I think that until there is a vaccine to this you will have no Rugby, not matter how long it takes! It's only my view but I cannot see rugby being played till  we have a solution. Let's look at what could happen.  This Virus has accounted for 21k + deaths and its climbing, there is nobody in their correct mind that will take a risk over this. So if the RFU says ok lets go back and play the game we all love. Two sides meet on a Saturday for a league game,unbeknown one player has COV19 or is carrying it.  Lets say he's a forward and its passed on at scrum time, from one player to another. You now have 20 players from each side plus officials who now need to spend 14 days in Isolation ( so neither club has a side for the next 2 Saturdays) Move this one step on, what if a player dies from this having contracted COV19 this during a game, the law suit against the club and the RFU will be massive.  More importantly, will a player risk his health by playing, you will not know that everybody you are playing against or with are clean. The last point, there is no way that the UK Gov will open bars at clubs when they have pubs shut, what is the difference between having a beer in a pub or at a rugby club bar, that just will not happen. Im sorry to say and I do hope hope I am very wrong, but club rugby below the Prem does not start till after we have a vaccine. There will be some very difficult choices that are going to have to be made by clubs very soon as they say we are 9/12 months away from getting a vaccine.

Perhaps the top level driven by the TV and sponsorship money could probably have the ability to test everyone involved on the run up to a game and more or less just before they run out on the pitch, so perhaps we will see games at that level. But with isolation of squads and coaches required and games played in empty stadiums is it really worth it. As for the lower levels can we really expect to see rugby until C19 is eradicated. Who on earth would take the risk before then.  

Edited by Wigwam - 28 Apr 2020 at 12:18