Rugby Union season put under new structure

English domestic and international rugby will be played over an 11-month season under a new structure that will run for four years from 2019-2020.

The format has been agreed by the Rugby Football Union, Premiership Rugby and Rugby Players’ Association, building on the framework agreed during a meeting of global stakeholders in San Francisco last year.

The Gallagher Premiership, which has traditionally run from early September to the end of May, will now start and finish later.

Twickenham will host the finals on June 20, 26 and 18 for the years 202022 with the campaigns launching on October 20, September 12 and September 18 respectively.

England’s summer tours will take place in July rather than June to leave August as the only month clear of rugby either being played on these shores or by Eddie Jones’ men overseas.

On two of the four years, however, the World Cup and British and Irish Lions tours mean internationals will also be scheduled in August - resulting in seasons spanning 12 calendar months.

At a press conference staged to announce the new season, the RFU, PRL and RPA highlighted the initiatives introduced to improve player welfare.

England internationals will play a maximum of 30 full games per season, reduced from 32, and be confined to a limit of 35 match involvements of 20 minutes or more.

The majority of squad members involved at next year’s World Cup will be stood down from the tour to Japan in July 2020 and the 2021 British and Irish Lions have been guaranteed a week’s rest in the following autumn series at Twickenham.

Other elements of the agreement see guaranteed in-season breaks for all players and mandatory five-week post-season rest comprising of two weeks’ absolute rest and three weeks’ active rest.

Lions tours will shorten by one week to five weeks, and will feature eight matches.