Leeds Tykes and amateur scene delighted to return to amended game of rugby union

THE news that the Government has given 15-a-side ‘contact’ rugby union the green light to return at grassroots level is an early Christmas present for club players up and down the country.
Alex Humfrey of Yorkshire Carnegie battles for the ball with Oli Curry of Bedford Blues during the RFU Championship match between Yorkshire Carnegie and Bedford Blues at Headingley Carnegie Stadium on October 13, 2019 in Leeds, England. (Picture: George Wood/Getty Images)Alex Humfrey of Yorkshire Carnegie battles for the ball with Oli Curry of Bedford Blues during the RFU Championship match between Yorkshire Carnegie and Bedford Blues at Headingley Carnegie Stadium on October 13, 2019 in Leeds, England. (Picture: George Wood/Getty Images)
Alex Humfrey of Yorkshire Carnegie battles for the ball with Oli Curry of Bedford Blues during the RFU Championship match between Yorkshire Carnegie and Bedford Blues at Headingley Carnegie Stadium on October 13, 2019 in Leeds, England. (Picture: George Wood/Getty Images)

Admittedly, it will involve an adapted format, with a number of law variations to mitigate the risks of spreading Covid via close contacts.

However, given such a lack of competitive action for the community game – which consists of everything below the Championship – for so long, there will be no complaints.

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Clubs, in theory, could begin adapted training from yesterday in preparation for local friendly fixtures recommencing from Friday December 18, when those law changes – including no scrums or mauls – will come into effect.

Leeds Tykes – after Yorkshire Carnegie were relegated and re-named – are in National One next season, the top tier of the community game.

Director of rugby Phil Davies is hopeful they will be able to start training again after essentially being out of action since March and obviously seeing a largely new-look squad assembled in the interim.

The club, who have launched their new kit, is awaiting confirmation from the Rugby Football Union but Davies said: “We’ll hopefully have three or four sessions before Christmas and get the boys together over these next two weeks.

“We’re hoping to train, Covid-restrictions permitting.

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“We’ve had a couple of Zoom calls – one on Tuesday night and one last Thursday – where we finished talking about the culture of the club and the type of DNA we want to develop.

“They were really good meetings and the chairman came on on Tuesday night to speak to them all which was brilliant.

“Hopefully we can now get together as a squad and get on the field with the ball in our hands as we just haven’t done that before,” he said.

“We’re really excited about the potential of local friendlies in Leeds at some point – we won’t be playing before Christmas – and the opportunity to see players play in a Tykes shirt again.

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“I’m excited by that; seeing them run around in a Leeds Tykes jersey once more.”

Other law variations include instead of a scrum, the game will begin with a free kick which cannot be taken quickly, a minimum of five and a maximum of seven players from each team are required to form a lineout, a team awarded a penalty or free kick will no longer be able to choose a scrum option and a team awarded a penalty or free kick at a lineout can instead choose another lineout at the same mark.

The RFU says these alterations will limit the risk of prolonged face-to-face contact, allowing the community game to resume.

As a former Wales forward, it must be hard for Davies to comprehend rugby union with no scrums or mauls.

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However, rugby league ditched scrums to expediate its return to action at Super League level and he fully understands the reasoning.

Davies added: “At the end of the day, to be fair to everyone, there has been a real desire just to get some rugby played.

“That’s what people want to be able to do again.

“The good thing about it is we’ll be playing at West Park Leeds. It will be wonderful to see, on a Saturday afternoon, the team playing as Leeds Tykes again and hopefully – under the Covid rules – some people in there watching as well.

“We have to wait to see how it’s affected with Covid restrictions but we hope to be training maybe next week if we’re allowed.”

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Leeds yesterday announced five new signings, in Rahat Choudry, Harry Jukes, Josh Peace, Harry Whitfield and Tom Williams.

The 2020-21 season has already been cancelled due to Covid, the RFU announcing that decision last month, but the National Leagues continue to work towards starting a Cup competition in the new year.

That will be in mind when Tykes do start training.

Davies said: “Firstly, it’s about getting us back on the field for some contact work, ready to play.

“Then, when we play, it’s about experimenting with combinations and team organisation in readiness for September next year and the start of the 2021-22 season – while trying to win as many games as we can do in the Cup competition beforehand.”

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RFU rugby development director Steve Grainger said: “We are delighted our submission has been approved to return to a format of 15 a-side rugby and we thank Government for working with us to find a solution that enables the safe return of the community game.

“This is wonderful news for community clubs, their volunteers, players and supporters around the country, who can now look forward to playing contact rugby for the first time since March.”

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