The expected return date of the Premiership and how the season will be played out - reports

English Premiership clubs are hoping to return to on-field action by 3 July with midweek games be needed to complete the current season.

A report by the BCC, says the plan is also set to involve a month of training before the first game is played in what would effectively be another 'pre-season' for the players/ 

Ideally the final would be at Twickenham if it is available on 15 August and the dates that are being worked towards would involve several midweek games and is understood to have the approval of broadcasters BT Sport and the clubs, who are keen to complete the season after it was suspended in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Clubs have also discussed different possibilities for where to stage matches in what will be a condensed schedule, but no formal conversations have taken place between Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Football Union (RFU).

However, one source suggested the contact nature of rugby, handling of the ball and presence of bodily fluids like saliva and blood could mean rugby takes longer to return than other sports.

During a recent World Health Organisation webinar, the director of medicine at the NBA said: ‘There are certain things that are going to be very difficult.

‘For example, in the sport of basketball, what about the basketball itself? How well can we disinfect the basketball? As soon as it comes back into play, people are handling it.’

Premiership Rugby bosses have been in regular contact with the government about drawing up a protocol that helps sport return safely without having an impact on NHS needs.