Jersey Reds to begin season in March 2021

Jersey Reds finally have a start date for their 2020/2021 season - more than a year since they played their last competitive fixture.

The Greene King IPA Championship will get underway on the weekend of Saturday 6 March 2021, under a new conference system.

Each conference will have 10 competition rounds with teams playing home and away fixtures. The winners of each conference will then face off in a two-leg play-off final, with the winners securing promotion to the Gallagher Premiership for the 2021/22 season.

Conference ASaracens, Cornish Pirates, Ampthill, Jersey Reds, London Scottish, Hartpury University

Conference B:Ealing Trailfinders, Coventry, Nottingham, Bedford Blues, Doncaster Knights, Richmond

Reds' Chairman Mark Morgan says his players are raring to get going.

The season will return without adapted laws, following unanimous agreement between the clubs. Though it is unlikely that fans will be able to attend games for a portion of the season, it is hoped as many matches as possible can be live streamed.

The RFU says that as clubs have had little or no income since the beginning of the pandemic, many cannot afford to cover the cost of the Covid-19 testing needed under the elite sport framework set out by the UK government. As a result, conversations have been ongoing with the RFU about how the season might conclude.