Portsmouth RFC ‘frustrated’ as RFU ban competitive action until January at the earliest

But the chairman says he was not surprised by the RFU decision’s to delay the start of the new campaign until 2021.

The governing body announced last week that all competitive rugby outside of the Premiership, Championship and Premier 15s will not return before January.

That means that clubs below the Championship - including London League clubs like Portsmouth - will face at least a 10-month break from league action with the previous campaign called to a halt in mid-March because of the Covid-19 outbreak.

In contrast, the new football season is up and running across the UK at all levels while cricket was also played from mid-July this summer, from international standard down to grassroots level.

But Whitehouse believes the RFU have been clear in the instructions for a planned playing return.

And he felt a rumoured restart for rugby in either October or November always looked 'optimistic'.

‘Everyone is frustrated and they would prefer to be playing rugby,' he remarked.

‘All the Covid rules are very inconvenient to the world, but we understand why they’re in place.

‘The long and the short of it is, we will do what we need to do to keep rugby going.

‘It’s pretty much what our training has been geared up for (January 2021 return).

‘There was an indication at one time it might start in October or November but that’s definitely gone.

‘We always thought that was optimistic.

‘We’ve been gearing ourselves to start up in January pretty much all year, so it’s not really a shock.

‘It’s obviously a disappointment, I would rather we were playing rugby now.

‘But you can’t, there’s nothing you can do about it, so let’s just get on with it and start playing in January.'

Portsmouth have been training in compliance with the RFU's return to rugby roadmap.

And the club might host a small-sided inter-club competition next month, although Whitehouse remains uncertain as to whether that will be given the go-ahead.

'We are considering an inter-club 10-a-side touch competition in October,' he explained.

'We haven’t ran through the final details of that.

‘We’re pretty sure under the current RFU rules we can play with that number on the pitch.

‘It’s more the logistics of how we run the changing rooms and any bar or club facilities at the same time.'

The RFU's planned January restart means grassroots clubs are facing at least 10 months without any matchday income.

Whitehouse revealed there is money available to access, if required, from the governing body.

Meanwhile, Portsmouth City Council have provided funding and other grants have been applied for.

But Whitehouse is hopeful the club can survive the crisis without the need for additional support.

‘There is money available,' he said.

‘We’ve done an exercise where at the moment we don’t believe we will need it.

‘We’ve had money from the council and there are other grants we’ve applied for.

‘The RFU and Hampshire have reduced the fees we pay.

‘We’re not paying for things like referees, cleaner changing rooms and expenses to travel, so a lot of our costs have been cut.

'Financially we’re okay, there is money available, but right now we don’t think we’ll need it.'