How would you phase back in rugby?

I got triggered from the chatter about getting rugby back sooner by removing scrums or going uncontested scrums.

How would you go about it?

Then it isn’t rugby

I'm not sure. Put if Rugby doesnt start looking at how NFL contract players as a prime example then they will leave themselves exposed exactly how rugby has been exposed this time.

In truth the only sensible thing here is to wait it out and pick up the pieces once the all clear is given. I dont see putting people at risk worth it.

I'm with the Mushroom.

Why should Rugby (and football) be given special treatment to every other profession out there?

Dentists cant work as they cannot "socially distance" from their customers.
Masseurs can't work as they cannot "socially distance" from their customers.
Offices/Manufacturers have been told only to reopen where you can keep individuals (colleagues) 2m apart.

In rugby and football, you can't keep everyone 2m apart so simply put, you shouldn’t be expecting the players to go back to work.

Doing so is wrong on two fronts.
1. It puts the players in danger of catching the virus
2. It puts players at an unfair advantage of being able to work/earn money over other professions that aren’t allowed to work

Edinburgh home games should be fine. Ample room for the crowd to socially distance (you can have a stand to yourself some games), and no-one has got within 2 metres of D'Arcy Graham all season.....

Seriously though, absolutely no need to be thinking of restarting rugby anytime soon.

Given that all lower level rugby has already been cancelled - and Saracens are down - cancel the domestic leagues - base European qualification on where the tables are at the moment - and restart in the new season September/October if possible.
Internationally as there's going to be no long haul travel finish the 6Ns in the Autumn window.

I don't think it will ever return, along with many other sports involving close contact among team mates and competitors.

We may see grassroots rugby return with modified rules to keep greater social distancing but the professional game will likely collapse as was already on the brink.

Sorry.

As much as it kills me to say this, all rugby needs to be cancelled until this pandemic is over. Rugby is not like any other sport, contact is a massive part of the game in rugby.

Also, how would you keep the European cups, and the Pro14 going when all the countries involved have all got different lock down and distancing laws ?

Perhaps the English and French could get things going again, and perhaps the domestic leagues in Wales, Scotland and Ireland could get going, but it will be hard to manage. If it were to happen, then perhaps the Pro14 players can sign temp contracts with the league clubs, but again, it is far too messy.

Sport is being rushed back for purely economic reasons. If the retail and hospitality sectors were to do the same they'd be shredded in the media. I would dearly love to see sports returning ASAP but in the interests of the players, support staff and more importantly the wider community I'd rather it was 100% safe first, something that won't happen without a vaccine.
When this first kicked off I remember the Ireland v Italy game being one of the initial casualties. However, the Italian fans descended on Dublin regardless and the Dublin pubs had postponement parties. How we chuckled at the time but now, with the benefit of hindsight we realise how ill-advised that was. Looking forward, there could be plenty of finger pointing and blame laid at the feet of sporting executives if rushing back to business had detrimental effects in the event of the expected 2nd wave. Hindsight's a wonderful thing but a little foresight is so much more valuable.
I'm afraid that rugby, by it's very nature should be one of the last sports to resume. Removing aspects of the game isn't the answer, is a scrum any worse than a tackle/ruck situation? Absolutely not so do we remove tackling too?
Sport will be damaged by all of this but financially all sport could be propped up if greed were to be removed. Soccer players aren't going to be on the breadline if they were to have their pay completely cut for a year. Formula 1 has many billionaire backers who could, if they would get out their wallets, prop things up for a short time. There's more than enough finance out there if it were to be offered but sadly it won't.
Sorry for being so negative but I do feel it's the sad reality of these times.

Tonight the Highlanders Play the Chiefs in Dunedin, and tomorrow afternoon the Blues host the Hurricanes at Eden Park.

P.S.: Games are broadcast live in Australia on Foxtel and in the U.S. on ESPN.

Watching the Aotearoa, how I’ve missed rugby.