Harlequins shed light on first tentative steps towards a return to play
Harlequins have given a forensic insight into how Gallagher Premiership clubs are taking the first tentative steps towards a return to play with their players arriving in groups of six today to launch the return to play protocol.
Five Quins players have opted not to take part in the opening day training due to personal circumstances but the rest of the squad was allowed to stat training in six strong groups with one hour breaks between groups turning up at the training base in Guilford.
All players have to answer a medical questionnaire before leaving their homes and then wait in the training base car park before being asked to walk to a point where their temperature is taken. Any player who has a temperature over 37.8c will be sent home. The players were today allowed to use weights equipment which they clean after use and the whole area undergoes a deeper clean before the next group arrives. The players are also allowed to train on the pitch while following social distancing.
Billy Millard, the Quins general manager, set out the time scale saying: “We are looking at four weeks for stage one and five to six weeks for stage two which would get the boys in a place to compete.”
Mike Lancaster, the Quins head of medical, revealed that if one of a group of six shows signs of COVID-19 the whole group would then go into isolation for a week. Lancaster is confident the schedule the players are following will get them ready for matches in the middle of August. Testing for COVID-19 will not take place until stage two with Quins preferring it to happen for all clubs at the same time and be centrally organised.
While the players are concentrating on getting fit again, Laurie Dalrymple, the Harlequins CEO, has serious financial problems to solve and revealed the club would support a cut in the £7m salary cap and reducing the number of marquee players who are signed outside the cap limit.
The Premiership clubs will meet later today to discuss a cut in the salary cap and a reduction to just one – from two -marquee players to try an control costs although their plans for a 25 percent cut in player wages to remain in place for the foreseeable future will be opposed by the players’ union.
Both moves have gained majority support amongst the Premiership owners with only Bristol firmly against the current system which allows two players to be signed who are not included in the £7m cap.
Dalrymple also admitted Harlequins were “open to the discussion” of ring-fencing the Premiership to end the threat of relegation which has seen Saracens ejected from the top flight for breaching the salary cap regulations. However, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers Manager Director insisted that creating an untouchable elite in the English game was “not right at the top of the priority list at the moment.”
Dalrymple said: “We would be supporting a restructuring of the cap and it has to be lowered to make the clubs sustainable. I would support a change to the marquee player system and I am optimistic and everyone agrees we want to remain competitive. There is a general consensus that at the moment the system isn’t working.
“It is going to take us longer than we thought to come through this to get to anywhere near the financial income we had. Our forecast is that revenues could be down between 30-50 per cent over the next year and we may have to be in this position for some time.
Comments on RugbyPass
Sounds like quite a bit of development has occurred regarding Mo’unga’s situation. Either NZR has stepped up their offer (big time) or RMo has had a reality check on what it will be like to be outside of the high performance environment of AB rugby. Maybe both. It reads like there are only a few remaining details to be sorted out before it is a done deal.
1 Go to commentsCurrently, a prop that has been substituted can go back on field if his original replacement gets injured. Can a red carded prop go back if his replacement gets injured, or will it be uncontested scrums?
11 Go to commentsWhat about a free kick from a scrum? Can you call another scrum? Or are they just giving straight penalties now?
28 Go to commentsLoved that comment by Andrew that the ‘water boys’ rule was changed in 2020 just to stymie the Boks!
28 Go to commentsOne of the best the Boks have ever produced. PSDT has an engine that goes non-stop for the full 80 min.
5 Go to commentsThe real deal.
5 Go to commentsIt’s been said that Nienaber will head back to SA too before next World Cup , hoarding all the amazing IP gained in Irish system … get a grip … Irish system needs to Milk the likes of Barrett . First time a leading all Black in his prime has gone to Ireland for any period of time . Enjoy it .
20 Go to comments20 min RC is the only good solution of a bunch of bad solutions. Ridiculous that it has taken this long and caused so many uneven contests. In general these are all very good changes - one is surprised that NH brokers were able to see sense at long last.
11 Go to comments“While a red card will mean a temporary team disadvantage, the replacement system will focus punishment on the offending player instead of disrupting the game itself.” This might work for amateur rugby, where players just want to be on the pitch for as long as possible, but hopefully we’ve got to a point where top level professionals care about the success of their team much more than about whether they personally are on the pitch or not.
11 Go to commentsa lot of focus on the targeting of south africa, but aspects of this are positive. The croc roll; the offside law; and time limits on set pieces are all good. calling for a mark off kick offs is baffling, but I guess we’ll see how it plays out in practice
28 Go to commentsSpeeding the game up is great, but I think we will find that the increase in viewership this year mostly comes down to the competition being more competitive…the fall of the Crusaders has been a boon for viewership. This should be at the heart of super rugby changes - how to make the comp more even
23 Go to commentsThe fact that the press were largely to blame for his taking a break is nothing short of disgusting. He’s made a few mistakes but difficult to name a player of any substance who gives it a full go hasn’t also made mistakes? On behalf of a large number of Bokke fans, bring back Farrell !!!!!
1 Go to commentsPSTD is a fantastic flanker. He could benefit from a bit of self-promotion / flair and he is not quite the danger man that Ardie is. That said, he is my 1st pick to build a backrow around. His speed and hustle made up for Duane who got quite a bit slower at the 8.
5 Go to commentssurprised, disco lights haven't been banned by world rugby board
28 Go to commentsToo many changes. Too often. I’m tired of this WR administration. How do we vote these fockers out? Bill needs to go.
28 Go to commentsDu Toit, 2 time W.Cup winner yet rarely mentioned a “Great “…if one looks back on his stellar carrier perhaps someone will one day elevate him to “Richie” status…a quiet, polite yet devastating loose forward that knew action speaks louder than words..
5 Go to commentsI like the offside rule, but this won't affect my team because all their kicks gets chased and that putts everyone on side. Lekker manne!
28 Go to comments20 minute Red Card is untenable. If you don’t punish the whole team, coaches won’t be sufficently incentivised to pick players with, or coach better tackle technique.
11 Go to commentsI can only think of One time ever a team has opted for a scrum from a free kick… Why the law change I wonder
28 Go to commentsYeah, its not going to work. But we see you World Rugby.
28 Go to comments