Community Rugby League Pilot

Warriors News · October 24, 2020

Wigan will host the first in a series of Open Age Pilot games this weekend as Community Rugby League continues its return after a seventh month absence.

A partnership working group, led by the Wigan Warriors Community Foundation – and including the RFL and community volunteers – is helping to allow the Pilot to take place during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Community Rugby League returned last Saturday, with youth and junior teams playing for the first time since March in the UK. Fixtures and festivals took place all over the country.

And there are more fixtures to follow this weekend – including a behind closed doors Open Age pilot match between Wigan St Pats and Orrell St James on Saturday 24th October (3pm kick off).

Fans wishing to watch the first Open Age fixture from the community game since March can see all the action live on the RFL’s OurLeague app from 3pm on Saturday.

Since the community game shut down in March due to the Covid-19 lockdown, a number of guidelines have been in place in recent months to allow the return to action, including socially distanced training (in June), touch/tag non-contact training (in July) and phased contact reintroduction (in September).

As part of the Open Age Pilot scheme, Wigan Warriors Official Technical Kit Partner, hummel, have provided face masks for all players and staff. In addition, players will be tracked via video and GPS to allow for track and tracing analysis, similar to that of the Betfred Super League.

Wigan Warriors Head of Community Martin McLoughlin said: “Despite the barriers, everyone involved has worked extremely hard to allow this pilot to happen.

“Sport and physical activity deliver immediate mental health and social benefits while having a long-term positive impact on people’s health and wellbeing. Our delivery is vital to help these people cope with the ongoing impact of the pandemic and the related restrictions as we head into winter.

“Despite current challenges, large parts of grassroots and community sport and physical activity have restarted, with minimal evidence of Covid-19 transmission.”

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