Club Rugby Update For Northern Ireland

Given the latest COVID-19 restrictions from the NI Executive, set to take effect from Saturday 26 December, which will see the cessation of all grassroots sport in Northern Ireland until Saturday 6 February, the province’s Rugby Committee – in partnership with the IRFU – has issued the following update for NI clubs.

In-line with the latest NI Executive COVID-19 restrictions which will be introduced on Saturday 26 December from 0.01am, and remain in place until Saturday 6 February at 0:01am, Ulster Rugby and the IRFU would like to emphasise to clubs in NI that:

• All club rugby activity in Northern Ireland is to cease from 26th December onwards for a period of six weeks, in-line with NI Executive COVID-19 restrictions.
• Ulster Rugby remains committed to providing competitive opportunities for players across all levels of the game, when restrictions permit.
• Clubs are reminded players must undertake a Graduated Return to Contact phase before fixtures can resume. Further details on this will be released in due course.
• For clubs in Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan, non-contact training in pods of 15 is still currently permitted under the Government of Ireland’s Level 3 restrictions.

Ulster Rugby will continue to keep the situation under review.

Ulster Rugby and the IRFU remain committed to communicating the latest available information from government to clubs across the province – and will issue further updates in due course.

In the Republic of Ireland non-contact training in pods of 15 is still permitted under the updated guidelines issued today.