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Just hours after the zone's nine senior clubs unanimously decided to abandon the 2020 season on Sunday, the CNJRU met with the various club administrators and club coaches via Zoom to discuss the safe return to rugby.
It follows the news last week that the green light had been given to resume training, albeit with restrictions as per the guidelines of the Return to Play plan.
They include a maximum of 10 people to a group, keeping 1.5m apart where possible, and no contact so no lineouts, scrums, rucks, mauls or tackling.
The news the players, coaches and administrators, had been waiting to hear since mid-March when all rugby activities were suspended, it is a significant step towards playing some rugby this season.
Still a very fluid situation, no date has been set for a return, but the CNJRU are working closely with the various parties involved on plans for both the Sunday gala days (for players 12 and under) and the Friday night regional competition.
"Our view is that if we get given a window where we can play, we will do our best to put a competition out there that suits those modifications and those parameters," CNJRU president Renee Park said.
She said they have been working on a couple of models depending on when they are permitted to kick-off but are hopeful of playing through term three.
"When we get the green light and get to the level three, whatever restrictions or modifications are put in place we'll review those and see what model is best suitable," she said.
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Where they can, she added, they want "to give kids an opportunity to play and be active with a game of rugby".
There are still a lot of hurdles to be cleared and factors to be considered.
One of the big one's will be the provision for spectators.
"Obviously crowd numbers will determine the format of the competition we put in place," Park said.
"We've got a couple of options to work within what we think may or may not happen with restrictions."
But it is only early days from restrictions being eased.
Park is unsure at this stage what impact the pandemic will have on playing numbers.
Before everything was shut down, the Friday night competition was shaping up to be the biggest yet with The Armidale School joining and the addition of a girls competition.
"It all depends on the confidence of everyone when the competition does start up," she said.
"But everything is sounding very positive at the moment."
"The kids at that age are back at school now and as long as we're following safe protocols everyone's very keen to get active again."
