Friday 29 May 2020 10:46, UK
Premiership Rugby has confirmed it will not be taking part in World Rugby's trial of new laws to limit coronavirus transmission.
Temporary law trials relating to the scrum, tackle, ruck and maul were approved along with a package of best-practice match hygiene measures.
Among the planned measures are limiting the number of scrums with no scrum resets, limits for players joining rucks and mauls, time to play the ball at the base of scrums, rucks reduced to three seconds and only one movement permitted for a maul.
Premiership Rugby, however, will not be partaking in the trial, and a spokesperson said: "We are undertaking a review of all aspects of the game to ensure the safe return of Gallagher Premiership Rugby, but don't anticipate any law changes."
The Premiership clubs remain in talks over a return date to training, with several issues outstanding relating to testing for coronavirus infection and installing bio-secure training and playing environments at club training grounds.
There is disagreement over how long players will need to train before being able to start playing matches again.
The PRL has targeted a four-week return programme, but Leicester director of rugby Geordan Murphy believes they will need two months.
A decision on the venues for hosting remaining fixtures is also yet to take place, Twickenham is out of the equation with it being used as a COVID-19 testing site, while Bristol's Ashton Gate and Wasps' Ricoh Arena are also now being considered.
