Vassar Photo: Carlisle Stockton of StocktonPhoto.com
PRESS RELEASE
Following a Zoom meeting last night, Sunday, February 28, 2021, of the Tri-State Rugby Conference membership, the Conference decided not to sanction any championship events this spring on account of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Each school representative briefly outlined their situation with regard to participation and practicing and it was clear that any kind of competitive season was not viable.
The majority of the teams are practicing with varying conditions applied (masks, social distancing and sanitation of equipment) and in most instances the hope is that intra-squad games can be played.
Importantly, the Conference did state that it would review this decision at the end of the month and if the situation allows for games to be played, i.e. lower infection rates, more vaccination coverage and accepted protocols employed by member institutions, then member schools could work with their Club Sport Directors and school administrations and set up games.
It could be that an in-state schools with similar protocols might be willing to allow the students to play a game. The risk of infection seems to be more likely as a result of gatherings of people in confined spaces for periods of time and not through the playing of rugby itself.
A recent study, admittedly of Rugby League not Union, addresses this issue: read more.The Tri-State Conference will publish the Fall 2021 Schedules in the next 10 days and is very optimistic that by September 2021 championship play will resume.For more information, contact Tri-State director Tony Brown at tobrown@vassar.edu or (845) 380-9052.