Premiership season may resume as late as end of August

PREMIERSHIP bosses are prepared to wait until the end of August to restart the season.

They have prepared several scenarios for clubs to consider about how best to finish this season depending on when the ban on rugby activity is lifted.

With the government announcing the country will be locked down for another three weeks, no immediate end is in sight.

Cash strapped clubs are desperate to finish the campaign to get much-needed money in the bank.

TRP understands as soon as clubs can resume training they will be given five or six weeks to get ready to start playing again.

The earliest clubs could be allowed back to training would be May 9, with the season resuming on June 27 and finishing on August 15.

Two options are to start from round 17 apportioning points, likely to be calculated on a best playing record formula, for missing rounds 14, 15 and 16. The other option would see the season restart from round 14 with three midweek fixtures played two weeks apart.

A June finish to lockdown would see the season restart on July 25, apportioning points from round 14 to 20, with one round of midweek games and an August 15 final.

Clubs have also discussed cancelling the season but playing a five-week warm-up tournament between August 8 and September 5.

If the lockdown ends late June, the season could resume on July 25 at round 16. The worst case being considered is the season restarting on August 29 at round 18 with two sets of midweek fixtures.

The final would then be played on September 19 or 26 with the 2020/21 season kicking off on October 17. The Premiership Cup would be scrapped, while the number of weekend clashes with Test matches would double from five to ten.

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