Glasgow and Edinburgh set for June 22 training return; SRU hope for Scotland autumn Tests with fans
Fans could return for Scotland autumn internationals, albeit with a reduced capacity at Murrayfield
Thursday 11 June 2020 23:29, UK
Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh players are scheduled to return for voluntary, socially distanced training sessions at Murrayfield on June 22.
They will be cleared to start back on that date if the Scottish Government has moved into its second phase of easing lockdown, with a review planned for June 18.
Scottish Rugby Union chief executive Mark Dodson confirmed that news on Thursday and also raised the possibility of autumn Tests going ahead in front of supporters at the national stadium, albeit with a reduced crowd in order to adhere to social distancing.
The PRO14 tournament remains suspended with no return date set, but the latest developments in Scotland will offer a further boost to its chances of resuming later in the year.
Dodson said: "The most welcome sign of change is the fact that from June 22 we have invited the players back to Murrayfield, subject to moving into phase two to commence individual training.
"Glasgow and Edinburgh players will be invited into voluntary fitness sessions, making sure we keep players fit for a potential resumption of contact rugby at the end of August/beginning of September."
Edinburgh were top of PRO14 Conference B when the competition was suspended in March, while Glasgow were third in Conference A.
As for the national side, Dodson remained confident some fixtures would be possible later in the year and although they are currently planning on playing matches behind closed doors, they remain hopeful some supporters could yet make it through the turnstiles.
The SRU estimates no more than 10,000 would be allowed into Murrayfield under the current 2m physical distancing rules, although a relaxation in the rules could allow around three times that many to attend.
Dodson added: "The issue around the autumn Tests is crucial to us.
"The reason everyone is talking so much about social distancing from [reducing] 2m to 1.5m to 1m to zero is that it has a significant impact on how many tickets we can sell, how many people can come through the door and enjoy whatever Test schedule we can put forward.
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"From where we stand at the moment, our presumption is that those Tests will go ahead behind closed doors until we are told different from the government.
"We're working really closely with the Scottish government - I'm talking to them all the time about what the parameters are for live sport.
"We are hopeful that we'll be able to play with crowds for the autumn schedule but we're not convinced and we've budgeted for the worst-case scenario.
"You've got a situation where everyone is at different points in the proposals. Inter-hemisphere rugby in the autumn is by no means a certainty.
"What we've got to find out is how the pandemic moves and as soon as we get clarity around that, it will give us certainty around what we can and can't do, but we're working on a number of scenarios.
"The more we can stick to the original schedule, the better. We're modelling all kinds of scenarios with our Six Nations colleagues to make sure can put some kind of Autumn Tests on.
"We're looking at what's easiest to develop and that may mean playing against the home nations given their proximity and the fact you would hopefully get more certainty around playing those games.
"It's under consideration - it wouldn't be a Six Nations but it would be a competition with the home nations and potentially Six Nations countries."
As for the chances of concluding this year's official tournament, Dodson said: "I'm very hopeful that we will be able to finish this year's Six Nations in the autumn.
"It's important to everyone, and to the tournament itself."
