Changes create framework for Phase 4 planning, allow in-person education in Phase 3

BC Rugby have announced updates to their ‘Return to Rugby in BC’ Plan which allow for in-person education, as well as paving the way for inter-club leagues for a 2021 spring season. The changes incorporate updated Return to Play guidelines from viaSport and Rugby Canada, as well as updated BC Public Health Orders.  

BC Rugby remains in Phase 3 – all in-person rugby activity will continue to be limited to club in-house touch and flag rugby leagues, as well as training. Contact rugby is not permitted until the move to Phase 4 is made.  

The updates provide a framework for what a 2021 spring season could look like, adopting the viaSport cohort approach. In Phase 3, cohorts are limited at 50 people for in-house rugby activity. When the move to Phase 4 is made, clubs can continue to operate in 50-person in-house cohorts, or move to 25-person cohorts for inter-club competitions which will consist of four-team divisions.   

“While we will remain in our third phase for now, Rugby Restart, these changes allow us to plan inter-club spring leagues with plenty of time to allow clubs to plan their team cohorts, and we will factor in lead time for players to prepare for contact rugby matches,” said BC Rugby CEO, Annabel Kehoe. 

The updated plan includes modifications to contact areas of rugby in Phase 4, including limited numbers in scrums, rucks and lineouts. To reduce the risk of community transmission, mauls and tackles above the waist will not be permitted.  

Changes have also been made to the current phase of Return to Rugby, allowing for in-person education sessions and the use of indoor facilities for rugby programming. However, BC Rugby encourages rugby activity to remain outdoors wherever possible. Any in-person education sessions must adhere to the COVID-19 restrictions established by the Return to Rugby plan, including attestations, physical distancing, and sanitization measures.  

viaSport BC’s expanded high-performance programming guidelines have allowed BC Rugby to resume support for identified high-performance athletes. At this time, BC Rugby will prioritize support for BC-based women’s rugby players preparing for the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, but plans are under way to deliver high-performance programs for both male and female athletes at both the senior and age-grade levels.  

The updated version of the Return to Rugby in BC Plan is available at bcrugby.com/returntorugby.  

More information about BC Rugby

The British Columbia Rugby Union, commonly known as BC Rugby, is the governing body for Rugby in British Columbia and is a Provincial Union of Rugby Canada, the national governing body. Representing over 7,500 individuals registered through around 60 Member Clubs and Associations across the Province, BC Rugby leads and manages the sport with the aim to grow participation and develop excellence in all games of Rugby and in all facets of the sport.

Web: bcrugby.com

Twitter: twitter.com/bcrugbyunion

Facebook: facebook.com/bcrugbyunion

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For further information, please contact:

BC Rugby Marketing & Communications Assistant
Eric Thompson
media@bcrugby.com