CLEVE DHEENSAW
Times Colonist
The pandemic-caused pause in scrumming, rucking, running and kicking will continue through the fall and winter. B.C. Rugby announced this week it has targeted the spring of 2021 for its return to club play. But it will be modified contact and won’t look the same in some areas.
While hockey has come back, with full contact allowed in circuits such as the B.C. Hockey League, the B.C. Rugby leadership is charting a more cautious route. Contact points in the sport will be adjusted and include limited numbers of players allowed in scrums, rucks and lineouts while mauls and tackles above the waist will not be permitted. “These changes allow us to plan inter-club spring leagues. We will factor in lead time for players to prepare for contact rugby matches,” said B.C. Rugby CEO Annabel Kehoe, in a statement.
Many of Canada’s top rugby clubs are located in B.C. The province is also home base for the national teams at the Rugby Canada Centre of Excellence in Langford, including the Tokyo Olympics-qualified men’s and women’s sevens squads.
Yet rugby activity in the province is currently limited to only training and practice sessions and in-house club touch and flag leagues.
Castaway Wanderers club manager Brent Johnston admits he has heard some grumbling in Island rugby circles about the go-slow approach, especially since full-contact rugby has returned in Newfoundland, and sports such as hockey are allowing full on returns to play in terms of hitting.
“There are going to be some adjustments to the rules but we are headed in the right direction,” said Johnston.
“The goal right now is to find a way to play next year and to get that process started.”
Johnston said the modifications aren’t forever. Full-contact play will be restored in the future as the situation allows.
B.C. Rugby is also expecting to take a cohort approach when league play resumes in the spring. Current provincial return-to-sport guidelines allow for team-versus-team exhibition or regular-season play in cohorts of up to four teams. A two-week quarantine break is required before teams can rotate into new cohorts of up to four teams each.
“[There is] plenty of time to allow clubs to plan their team cohorts,” said Kehoe.
Meanwhile, World Rugby announced it is fully intending to go ahead with the 2021 women’s World Cup, beginning Sept. 18, and that the draw will be held next month in Auckland on Nov. 20. Several of the players on world No. 3 Canada are from B.C. or based in this province.
“At this time, B.C. Rugby will prioritize support for B.C.-based women’s players preparing for the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand,” said B.C. Rugby.
“But plans are under way to deliver high-performance programs for both male and female athletes at both the senior and age-grade levels.”
Based on what he’s seen so far in other sports, Johnston said he is optimistic about rugby’s return.
“The Stanley Cup was brilliant and the World Series will be, too,” he said.
“There will be no need for asterisks.”
cdheensaw@timescolonist.com