As we approach the halfway point in the calendar for the delivery of Scottish Rugby’s Tennent’s league competitions for 2021/22, Scottish Rugby wish to provide clubs with an update on the progress of the season thus far.

As clubs will recall, details agreed by the Board and Council following consultation with the Championship Committee and our member clubs, included details of how fixture rescheduling as a consequence of any future restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic would be resolved.

Therefore, an amendment was included into the National Competition Rules (NCR) for the 2021/22 season which stated that providing at least 65% of a league structure’s fixtures have been resolved, promotion and relegation within that league structure will be applied.

A ‘resolved fixture’ refers to a fixture which has either been played and fulfilled, or a fixture which has been subject to cancellation or postponement by means other than covid circumstances, and has been dealt with as they would have been in previous seasons under the applicable NCR.

There are three distinct league structures that each need to meet the 65% threshold. They are; 1) The Men’s Tennent’s National and Regional leagues, 2) The Women’s Tennent’s National and Regional leagues and 3) the Men’s Tennent’s Reserve leagues. In the event that the total number of resolved league fixtures in a league structure is less than 65%, the season for that league structure would be concluded and declared null and void.

Scottish Rugby is pleased to confirm that as of Sunday 14 November, the Tennent’s league competitions have reached the following completion percentages:

Women’s Tennent’s leagues: 61.6%
Men’s Tennent’s leagues: 42.7%
Men’s Tennent’s Reserve leagues: 46.3%

The leagues’ season may be extended to allow for the maximum number of fixtures possible to be resolved to obtain the most complete outcome for each league, i.e., the goal is to reach 100% of resolved fixtures in each league and all the available weekends needed will be used to maximise the number of completed fixtures, up to the start of the close season starting.

A cup season will only be considered should the leagues become resolved in a timeframe that allows the cup to take place before the start of the close season.

Head of Rugby Development, Gav Scott said: “On behalf of Scottish Rugby, I share my utmost thanks to our clubs, players, coaches, match officials and volunteers for enabling us to continue our league competitions successfully, but most importantly in as safe a manner as possible.

“The continued support and understanding of those across the game throughout the season so far is why our competitions continue to fare well and remain on track to reach the 65% threshold for promotion and relegation to be applied.

“For now, our priority remains delivering the Tennent’s leagues, and we will keep clubs updated on progress of the competition into 2022 and provide detail on whether or not Cup competitions will be delivered in the new year.

“I continue to reiterate my thanks to all those involved in the grassroots game for helping the sport we all love to return as safely as possible whilst we as a society continue to navigate through the pandemic, and I share my best wishes for the remainder of the season.”