Downs Rugby stands united

Downs Rugby stands united during COVID-19 pandemic

Darling Downs’ Jovan Reveneau takes on the Capricornia line during last year’s Queensland School Sport 14-15 years Rugby Union State Championships.

RUGBY: Downs Rugby clubs have experienced their fair share of heartache in the past.

Many have battled the emotional and financial pressures of drought and stood tall.

Now they, like the rest of the world, face the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current season is on hold but Downs Rugby is prepared for nearly any eventuality should they be given the green light to kick-off.

“It is an unknown at this stage how long the pandemic postponement will continue,” Downs Rugby general manager Matt Hammond said.

“And we don’t known what the process of emergence back to normal life will be.

“We’ve have a few different models were working on constantly depending on how things shape up.

“It might be a shortened season or we might just have to resume in 2021.

“If we start any later than November it becomes difficult because we start running into other sports seasons.

“There might even be the chance of a summer season for the city clubs.

“In that case we’d welcome any player from the outlying regional clubs who wanted to come in and play.”

With social distancing rules in place, Downs Rugby have been forced to change the way they operate but the lines of communication remain open.

“Obviously the health and safety of everyone is the first priority,” Hammond said.

“The leadership and communication from Rugby Australia and Queensland Rugby Union during all this has been excellent.

“RA talks the QRU who then talk to us and we pass that information onto our member clubs.

“The only real change is we have our meetings online via Zoom.

“I think everyone is holding together well considering the circumstances.

“One of the great strengths of our clubs is their strong sense of camaraderie, they stick together and in a lot of cases are the gel that binds their communities.”

As well as communicating the latest “season updates” Downs Rugby is also providing other vital information.

“I have to thank all of our 17 affiliated clubs, presidents, committees and volunteers for all their work to sustain their clubs, players and communities throughout this difficult time,” Hammond said.

“The QRU is also currently working on securing grant moneys for grassroots rugby clubs.

“We (Downs Rugby) are also focused on providing our members with as much information as possible about the various subsidies and government support that might be available to them during this time.”

In good news for the region, Downlands College will host the QRU Teenage Boys State Championships next year.

The QRU gave the rights to the Toowoomba school after making the decision to cancel all state championships and representative fixtures are cancelled for 2020.

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