SPECIAL FEATURE: Rugby clubs coping with Covid-19 - Northampton Casuals

While other sports managed to return to action before again being put on hold for the current second lockdown, aside from organised training sessions, rugby has been in hibernation since early March due to the amount of close physical contact there is in the game.

It is nine months since teams were able to play any competitive fixtures, and clubs have thankfully been able to keep things ticking over thanks to grants from the Government and Sport England, as well as some RFU funding.

But it has still been a very difficult and concerning time, and there is still no date set in stone for when teams can start playing again.

So how has the pandemic, the subsequent lockdowns and lack of competitive rugby affected the area’s clubs?

Prior to Thursday's news of the Government will be providing a substantial and welcome bailout to the sport, sports editor JEREMY CASEY contacted clubs to find out how they have been coping, what they are doing to keep things ticking over, and their hopes for the next few months and the long-term future...

We continue the series with NORTHAMPTON CASUALS

Casuals’ Rushmills base is currently all quiet with grassroots sport across England put on hold as part of the national lockdown.

Prior to that, life was beginning to return to something like normal, with players of all ages regularly training every week - albeit unable to play - with no matches since March.

With competitive rugby now being cancelled for the rest of the season, the future remains unclear, which is a concern for the Casuals as with all clubs.

“It is a feeling of frustration that we can’t get guys playing rugby,” said Casuals spokesman Andy Dimmock.

“The club is well managed and through a combination of support from our members and our sponsors, as well as Government assistance, the club is in good shape - if the Covid situation were to carry on for two or three years that might be a different matter, but there are no concerns at the moment.“

"All at the Casuals have worked hard to follow Covid guidelines to enable players of all ages to train and members to see friends and enjoy the club. However, as with all clubs, the ultimate goal is to be back playing rugby and the call is for clarity.

“I do think cancelling the leagues was the right thing to do, because having promotion and relegation without a full league programme would not be fair.

“The RFU are looking to arrange some local fixtures, in whatever format they can, and if we can get some competitive matches by the end of the season to stop lads having to wait until next September to put a tackle in, I think that will help.

“It may not be the full format that we love but while I wouldn’t want to lose the scrum, the lineout, the ruck and maul in the long-term, if we need to lose some elements in the short term to help us play then I’m in favour.”

Casuals is a club with a strong youth section, and that is an area where Dimmock has genuine concerns.

“Our mini and junior section is very strong, the Sunday before lockdown we had kids of all ages training at the club, which was good to see,” he said.

“But I do have concerns. A lot of kids play a bit of rugby and a bit of football, some go for rugby and you keep them, while others go for football and you don’t.

“The concern is that football was far more available than rugby at the start of the season, with kids able to play competitive matches. That’s what concerns me about the kids who are 50-50 - if they can play football, but they can’t play rugby I think we’ll lose them.”

Last week’s news of a possible vaccine was obviously good news for everybody, but that is going to take time to come to fruition.

Until it does, Casuals will power on as best they can.

“This was nothing anybody envisaged, and we are doing everything we can to keep people engaged with the club, and to generate income,” said Dimmock.

“We will do the same as we did before on December 2 (when lockdown ends), we will open as best we can, to keep players and members involved and we will play rugby as soon as we safely can.”

The 2021/22 season is a big one for Casuals as they mark their centenary, and the club is confident they are in good shape to celebrate it.

“We are trying to put celebratory events and tournaments in place for that,” Dimmock said. “We will do all that we can to ensure players of all ages can enjoy rugby at the Casuals for our centenary season and for another 100 years to come.”