WIBSEY chairman Steve Brooke says the 2020/21 rugby union season should be scrapped at community level, suggesting cup competitions should be played in its stead.

His side are due to play some touch and pass games against Halifax and Heath next Saturday, and he is grateful his players have something to do to stop them losing interest in the sport.

But with competitive leagues not due to get underway until January at the earliest, he feels the chance of playing a meaningful season of contact rugby has gone.

Brooke said: "Personally, I'd scrap it, just write off the season. There's 13 teams in our league (Yorkshire Three), so that means you've got four months tops to play 26 games. There's no chance.

"I'd say you could split the league in half, and we could play the teams closest to us, like Bramley and Halifax Vandals, with the top two having a play-off or something like that.

"But even then, historically, January and February are the worst months for getting games on, as it's often snowing or the pitches are waterlogged.

"That could see things running into May or longer, and we've got quite a lot of lads here at Wibsey that play rugby league or cricket, so there's that crossover with their seasons.

"It would mean juggling issues at the beginning and end of the season."

Brooke added: "We need to keep the club bar ticking over and matchday sponsors are a big thing for us too. That helps us get money in the coffers to help pay for training for example.

"If we could have some sort of round robin cup competition, with four or five home games, eight to 10 overall, running from January until the end of April, that would be great.

"It's not just the players, everyone who helps out at the club and everyone on the sidelines is missing their rugby.

"Hopefully any cup competition would be full contact by then, as we all like to see a bit of biff."

For now, touch and pass will have to do. A six-team tournament involving the likes of Bradford Salem and Baildon is already underway, while Wibsey have games of their own arranged.

Brooke said: "We're hoping to play Halifax and Heath on November 7, just for some touch and pass.

"I'm conflicted about it all really. I do want the lads doing something as you don't want to lose people.

"We've not played since March, and there's some 50/50s, who'll be thinking of playing football or joining a golf club, so these little rugby tournaments that are being set up will be good for getting them back.

"But there were a couple of teams I know that played recently and their game ended up descending into contact rugby, so it had to be abandoned.

"Everyone wants to see a bit of biff and it will be good to have full contact rugby back at some point.

"But I don't want our games at Halifax and Heath to turn into that, as we have to adhere to the regulations that have been set out."

Asked how Wibsey have been preparing for action, Brooke said: "We've been having training once a week on a Thursday for a while now.

"We've been training with (rugby league side) Wibsey Warriors, as it just benefits both teams, rather than us having to pay to use the facilities separately.

"It's obviously just touch and pass, there's no rucks or mauls, and obviously they've scrapped scrums in rugby league at the moment too.

"It just maintains some interest for the lads, and some banter, as they've missed that."