Yousef Savimbi – Page 33

Due to disruptions caused by COVID-19 restrictions, a new European Rugby Championship season has been scheduled for 2021. The new schedule is set for 2021, with a renewed rugby league premiership. Rugby seasons do not have a fixed start date around the world, but it usually begins during September and lasts until between April and June. Rugby seasons persist over the course of 18 weeks and contain 16 matches in total. Rugby is generally considered to be a winter sport. The 2022 Major League Rugby season is the fifth season of Major League Rugby, the professional rugby union competition sanctioned by U.S. Rugby. Major League Rugby is a professional sports league entering its fourth season, representing the highest level of rugby competition in North America. Dallas (Nov. 9, 2021) - Entering its fifth season, Major League Rugby (MLR) has announced its 2022 season, which begins play on Feb. 5, 2022. Dallas (September 22, 2020) - In anticipation of its fourth season, Major League Rugby today announced that it's 2021 season will start with matches on March 20, 2021, continuing through 18 weeks of regular-season action. In Australia and New Zealand, the Super Rugby's 26th season will kick off on February 21st and run through May 8, 2021. Rugby Seasons in Australia and Oceania Super Rugby will start a new Pacific Championship in 2022, featuring teams from New Zealand, Australia, and Pacific island nations. The Worlds Best Provincial Competition, set to begin to play in February 2022, welcomes the arrival of the Fijian Drua and the Moana Pasifika, which will join five Australian and five New Zealand sides. The world's best provincial competition is set to begin a new era in 2022 following the establishment of a new joint-venture partnership between Rugby Australia (RA) and New Zealand Rugby (NZR). Rugby Australia and New Zealand Rugby confirmed the next two years of new formats for Southern Hemisphere provincial rugby by announcing the creation of Super Rugby Pacific in both 2022 and 2023. The Northern Hemispheres Super Rugby season starts in February and runs through to August of that same calendar year. Most rugby clubs start their winter seasons in Northern Hemisphere countries in September-October in winter. Their South African and Australian counterparts begin the club's seasons in July or August in wet or dry seasons. Southern hemisphere clubs begin their seasons in July or August, which are also the wetter winter months in these countries. The Northern Hemisphere teams begin to play in September, with a colder season that can hurt the play. The rugby season is traditionally a winter sport, and club seasons begin in September or October in the Northern Hemisphere countries. Amateur club rugby in the US begins its season in September and plays through to May the following year. Different countries hold their professional and club rugby league championships at different times of the year. Rugby Seasons Around the World There is no standardized worldwide calendar, though calls are frequently made for seasons to be more uniform between countries playing rugby. World Rugby, the governing body, has approved windows during the year in which clubs are required to release players for selection for their countries. Professional players typically receive their rest time in the summer -- except if playing international rugby during the mid-year window of June. It is recognized that players in a high-contact sport such as rugby require extended breaks to heal and re-establish themselves for the following season. According to experts, a more solid game in the summer rugby season would result in more skill-set improvements from both experienced players and younger players. However, some exciting players are returning from last year's campaign, with head coach Kieran Moffat looking upbeat for the GPS Rugby season in 2021. Head coach Steve Kefu says that he knows that this will again be a tough season, but seems to have faith that his side can once again find themselves in contention towards the pointy end of the season. Churchie has a few days more waiting for the church kick-off following their first-round bye, but heads into GPS Rugbys 2021 campaign with plenty of confidence. Additional Notes on Rugby Seasons The 2021 GPS Rugby season gets underway on Saturday in Brisbane, where Brisbane Boys College look to defend its titles after winning their school's first-ever outright premiership in 2020. Brisbane Boys College won the school's first outright premiership in 2020, defeating Brisbane State High School in the last match of the season. Nudges came within a victory of another GPS premiership in 2020 but failed to match that against Brisbane Boys College in last year's biggest match of the season. Ipswich Grammar was one of the form sides during last year's testing period, but they were unable to replicate this form entirely when GPS Rugby finally kicked in 2020. The new 2022 and 2023 competitions featured an 18-week, 91-game season, with teams playing a total of 14 games during the regular season, and a best-of-eight competition for a three-week finals series. With all teams returning from 2021, and the addition of the Dallas Jackals, the 2022 season will have 13 teams competing across the East and West Divisions. Further changes were made following a decision to agree on the request of the 1st XV of Ayr Rugby to drop down from the Premiership into the National League Division 1, with their spot in the Premiership offered to, and accepted, the Heriots 1st XV, who were runners-up in the Premiership playoffs in 2019 season. League and team officials worked hard to establish a stronger squad and improve the fan experience in their fourth season. I look forward to introducing more fans to Major League Rugby and seeing the attendance numbers, broadcast ratings, and continued increase in worldwide acclaim for the competition's fifth season. Two sports disciplines are played during the winter season, Rugby Unions 15s (international rugby) teams and the 7s (sevens). As the historical birth season is the winter, this is generally known as rugby's historic birth season. Winter has historically been the season in which rugby began emerging in England. South African franchises playing in Europe in the Union Rugby Championship start their seasons in September. Returning players are expected to receive forms and payments from team managers during the sign-up period for the new season.