Rugby in Rotorua and the wider Bay of Plenty is one step closer to kick off this season.

The winter sports window for community rugby in the Bay of Plenty region can now officially take place between Saturday, June 6 and Saturday, October 3, 2020.

Bay of Plenty Rugby, along with other regional sports representatives from basketball, rugby league, football, netball, hockey, volleyball, athletics, tennis and badminton worked alongside Tauranga City Council, Rotorua Lakes Council, Whakatane District Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Kawerau District Council to co-design winter and summer seasons so that all sports could operate in the post-COVID-19 lockdown period.

Community Rugby manager Pat Rae says as clubs and schools start assembling teams and preparing their COVID-19 safety plans, they can also start thinking about what sort of competitions they wish to participate in.

'Congratulations needs to go to Zane Jensen at Sports Bay of Plenty for leading this project," Pat says.

"In difficult times, he stood up to lead all of our regional sports managers to work collaboratively on this important piece of work with all six councils.

"One of the positive aspects of this virus was to see the winter and summer codes working together for the benefit of all our players, both young and young at heart.

'During the darker times, we were wondering whether we would get any rugby played. Now we have a window. How good is that?

"The final piece in the puzzle is start dates and right now that's still up in the air with the Government to review the size of gatherings on Monday, May 25, New Zealand Rugby has already stated that no training or games can take place before then, but we are getting closer every day.”