KENDAL Rugby has announced it can return to training after months of lockdown.

Kendal RUFC will be returning to the pitch on July 7 as government restrictions are eased around sport.

This is the latest stage laid out by England Rugby in a six-point plan to bring the sport back.

The plan goes from individual training to small group training, large group training, whole team training with increased contact, whole team training in reparation for matches and finally returning to match play.

Kendal is currently at stage two.

Chairman Stephen Green said: “Training will be done under strict conditions.

“The RFU has a six-stage progress plan taking us from ‘no rugby’ all the way to ‘playing again’.

“We are only at stage two at the moment which takes us to training in groups of six, using your own equipment and obviously no physical contact.

“At this time of the year it would have been fitness-based training instead of contact anyway.

“We will take that approach and work on getting fit for the season rather than playing.

“Training is back on which is a great start.

“Players will have to book and make sure it’s under those restrictions.”

“At the moment three potential start dates have been chosen, October 10, November 28, or Feb 6, 2021.

“They are doing some sensible things like splitting the league from 14 teams into two groups of seven.

“You’ll be playing home and away but we will divide the teams geographically, so no one has to travel long distance early in the season.

“For instance, Kendal might play Penrith and Vale of Lune as they are the closest to us in the league. They will certainly be in our group.

“Then you would switch round and play the second group in the next half of the season.

“Of course, this all depends on when we can return. If that is October or November.

“There is a reduction as you go on. It’s a good plan and seems very sensible and logical.

“The only missing piece of this is when we will actually get to play again.

“The dates have been published but they are all dependent. We don’t know if we will start in October. It all depends what happens with the virus and if things begin to improve.

“It depends on how we can lock it out of rugby, and indeed lock it out of everything so people don’t have to be socially distanced.

“That may be a big ask at the moment, we don’t know how things are going to go but it’s good to be prepared.

“It’s good to be able to say we have actually got a plan.

“We only have a few weeks before the fixtures are expected to be announced so it’s good, we can use this time to improve our fitness and train as much as we are allowed.

Details for the plan can also be found on the Kendal RUFC website at www.kendalrugby.co.uk.