PGB introduce player welfare measures for ‘most arduous playing schedule ever’

The Professional Game Board (PGB) has come to an agreement on initiatives to limit the exertion of Premiership players for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns.

With Harlequins and Sale Sharks marking the return of rugby last Friday in England, the culmination of the current season will come with a short turnaround coming into next season.

Before factoring in international and European club competitions, Premiership teams who reach the final at Twickenham could face having to play 34 matches between now and June 26, 2021.

For Exeter, Northampton, Saracens, Bristol and Leicester, the workload will be particularly taxing with their European campaign still alive.

Scheduling for the Premiership is short-horned around the upcoming quarter-finals in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, with midweek Premiership fixtures taking place for the first time ever.

As a result, the PGB, has announced the following measures agreed with clubs and in consultation with player union body, the RPA, for the remainder of the 2019-20 season.

• No player will play more than 180 minutes if selected in a match day 23 on three occasions in a week
• No player will start all three games in a week
• No player will be selected in more than six matches in the seven games between 14 August and 13 September
• A player's training load will be managed if they are selected in three match day squads in any given seven-day period

Damian Hopley, chief executive of the RPA commented: “The next 12 months will be the most arduous playing schedule ever undertaken by the players, Clubs and England.

“All stakeholders have worked collaboratively to agree essential player welfare initiatives in these extraordinary circumstances.

“We recognise the duty of care that the clubs and RFU have for the players and we will all continue to work closely with the medical and strength and conditioning experts to monitor individual player load throughout the challenging schedule that lies ahead.”

Startlingly, the framework allows to play two full matches within one week, with 20 minutes extra to spare under the initiative.

Conor O'Shea, director of performance rugby at the RFU: “All parties have approached this acknowledging the challenges we all face but also understanding everyone would need to compromise.

“We have had extensive discussions across the game but most importantly with the players, Eddie and a number of directors of rugby. Through this we have reached a really positive solution. We will constantly review and monitor all players especially those who carry the greatest load. We have managed to marry the scientific with the practicality of the challenge.”

The Premiership final of 2019-20 at Twickenham falls on October 24, in the midst of the international Test window.

A mere 27 days will ford the two seasons, with clubs back in action on the weekend of November 20.

The 2020-21 season will see the following initiatives introduced:

• All players are guaranteed a three-week rest period with maximum notice possible
• A game-wide mental health monitoring programme will be launched, and will be available for all players
• Premiership Rugby Shield cancelled for this season and will be reviewed

Phil Winstanley, the rugby director at Premiership Rugby said: “The COVID-19 global pandemic has created the biggest challenge we have ever seen to professional sport in this country and has placed significant operational and financial pressures on the sport.

“The effects of the pandemic have required a redesign of the rugby calendar and shift in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 Premiership seasons.

“Working closely with the RFU, RPA and a number of senior players and coaches we have collaborated to produce player welfare initiatives for both seasons. No two players are the same and we need to allow the Directors of Rugby to manage these individual needs but within a framework we're all comfortable with.”