Head of Performance Johan Pretorius answers questions about what the players will be doing during their time at home.
Johan, what is the current situation at Sixways?
The rugby side of the stadium will be closed down except for the four players on long-term rehab so all other players and staff will be working from home for the next three weeks at least.
What will the players be doing for the next few weeks?
From a fitness point of view all the players have been given a speed and running programmes. The boys will be able to find a spot on a nearby field or park and keep to their schedules.
From a gym perspective we have given them home-based programmes which they can take anywhere. They don’t need equipment for these exercises, they can be done wherever there is space. It’s just to keep them fit and on track.
The speed work is the most important – it’s very hard to build muscles without equipment. It’s more of a toning and circuit routine. When it comes to running there are positional groups with tailored programmes but for the circuit training everyone follows the same plan.
Will there be any rugby training?
When it comes to skills and rugby work it is highly unlikely in the next few weeks unless players have balls at home. We aren’t able to be in groups of more than four or five at the moment so there won’t be much rugby.
Premiership Rugby has advised that everyone takes three full weeks off but hopefully we will then be able to open up the club again and do some skill and conditioning games – I’m sure at that point everyone will be so keen to get back to it because they won’t be happy sitting around and doing nothing.