The PRO14 announced that it is targeting to resume the 2019/2020 Guinness PRO14 season on August 22 after a five-month suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The PRO14 was suspended indefinitely in March and the Final at Cardiff City Stadium, scheduled to take place on June 20, was cancelled.
In a statement, the PRO14 said that the decision was arrived at based upon information currently available from each region in which the Guinness PRO14 Championship is played.
“With rigorous protocols outlined for training, game-day logistics and match play, PRO14 Rugby is confident that proposals submitted by our unions to governments across the UK, Ireland, Italy and South Africa will allow our teams get back on the pitch,” the statement read in part.
“Discussions around these proposals will be on-going between each union and their respective governments.”
The PRO14 said that the season will be shortened from 21 games to 15 and will see regional derbies being played in succession before the competition’s playoff stage. The top two teams from Conference A and B will qualify for the semifinals, set for September 5.
According to the PRO14, games postponed before the competition’s suspension will be scored as 0-0 draws and the respective teams have two points added to their tallies.
The PRO14 is targeting to have the Final played on September 12 and, as such, have the season concluded in just about three weeks.
“PRO14 Rugby will consider the latest information in the territories that knock-out games could take place before making a final decision on the venue(s).”
It added that a provisional date of October 3 has been set as the start for the 2020/2021 season.
Two South African teams, the Toyota Cheetahs and the Isuzu Southern Kings, currently compete in the PRO14 Championship.
