Regulation 22 Covid – Postponed Matches

Dear MROC Reps and League Secretaries,

I am sure that I am just reinforcing something that you already know but I have been asked to circulate the following guidance to you from the RFU legal department. It will also be put on the RFU website so that it is publicly available.

Regulation 22 – Covid

During Covid, a new Regulation 22 was put in place to help the RFU and Organising Committees deal with the effects of Covid outbreaks.  The purpose of this note is to give Organising Committees guidance on how the Regulation operates as we enter winter.  That Regulation is still in place in case there is a need to implement any “Agreed Recommendations” around restricting rugby activity or dealing with requests to postpone matches.  As it stands, there are currently no “Agreed Recommendations” in place, so Organising Committees should not be using Regulation 22 to restrict rugby activity or in relation to non-fulfilled fixtures. This means that Organising Committees must use the provisions of RFU Regulation 6 for all non-fulfilled fixtures.

 Clubs seeking to postpone matches

The current principle is that if a side cannot fulfil a fixture due to any illness then they forfeit that match and the provisions of RFU Regulation 6 will apply. Covid should be treated no differently to any other contagious illness.  Should any Club then seek to appeal the decision of an Organising Committee not to allow them to postpone a game due to Covid, any appeal panel can take into account any relevant public guidance.

Please find the link to regulation 22 below.

Regulation 22.pdf (englandrugby.com)

Kind regards

Robin

Honorary Secretary of RFU Midlands ROC

Honorary Secretary of Staffordshire Rugby Union

R. J. Websdale

22 Cardington Close

Seabridge

Newcastle under Lyme

Staffordshire ST5 3LJ

07977592215

robin.websdale@hotmail.co.uk