Coronavirus: Pro14 season targets August resumption with derby clashes

August 22 is the target date for the Pro14 season to resume with derby clashes, five months after the campaign was suspended due to the coronavirus crisis. 

It was agreed at a board meeting on June 9 that the aim should be for the action to resume in two months’ time. 

There are set to be two rounds of derby matches in all five territories late in August, with the final planned for September 12. 

The top two teams in Conference A and B will qualify for the semi-finals following a regular season that is to be reduced from 21 games to 15. 

Matches that were postponed before the indefinite suspension of the campaign in March will go down as 0-0 draws. 

Derby showdowns for teams in Ireland and Wales have not yet been confirmed. 

Here’s the headlines… pic.twitter.com/MYWVTCkpwB

— PRO14 RUGBY (at) (@PRO14Official) June 18, 2020

Tournament director David Jordan said: “Safety has been, and will continue to be, the highest priority as we look to activate our plans to restart the 2019/20 season.

“We are very fortunate to be in a position where everyone involved is confident that we can conclude the season on the field of play.

“The work and diligence of our leading medical personnel at our unions, our clubs, World Rugby and key stakeholders to get us to this point has been immense.

“Operating across five territories often brings different complexities to the Pro14 but our unions have worked hard to bring proposals to their governments so we may put plans into action.”

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