Prem clubs agree to limit contact during training in a major breakthrough for RPA

All players are currently given mandatory rest periods during the off-season. For example, England players who tour with the national team in the summer get a mandatory five-week break before starting the pre-season with their clubs, and then a further five weeks before playing any matches.

However, when surveyed by the RPA, 36% of players said they were doing contact drills in the first week of the preseason. This means that an international player can participate in contact training for up to 47 weeks per year.

Under the new guidelines, which will be implemented for the 2026/27 season, players will now experience a gradual return to contact, with no contact at all in the first week and no full contact until the fourth week of their return. Clubs that do not adhere to the new regulations may face a fine or disciplinary case.

England’s most capped player, Ben Youngs, has presented a BBC documentary exploring the issue of safety in rugby, and believes regulating training represents a big step forward.

“Monitoring and limiting the amount of collisions and contact that take place during the training week is really important. This is the next step for elite rugby,” Youngs told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

Those involved in the agreement believe that these changes to contact training will place the Prem at the forefront of player welfare as a league.

“Prem Rugby’s vision of becoming the best league in the world can only be achieved by ensuring our players have world leading support off the field,” said Phil Winstanley, Director of Rugby at Prem Rugby.

“Working with the RPA and our clubs, we will continue to raise standards off the field so our players can perform at the highest level on the field of play.”

While these regulations apply to the men’s Prem, it is likely that similar guidelines will also apply across the women’s Premiership Rugby League.