Scottish Rugby announces the end of the season - so what happens now?

Issues of promotion, relegation and the awarding of league titles remain unresolved

End game: Watsonians and Heriot's finished first and second in the Super6 regular season but will not complete the play-off.

Scottish Rugby has announced the end of the domestic season due to coronavirus.

No more matches will be played in the current campaign in Super6 or any of the club leagues.

The options for promotion, relegation and the awarding of league titles will now be thrashed out at a meeting at the end of the month.

It means the inaugural season of the new semi-professional Super6 ends before the play-offs, with Watsonians finishing top of the standings ahead of Heriot’s.

In the Premiership, Marr top the table with two games of the regular season remaining. Currie Chieftains, who have played a game more, are two points behind in second place.

The Scottish Cup had reached the semi-final stage.

The SRU also said that a new cross-border competition between the Super6 sides and Welsh club teams has been scrapped.

An interim suspension of the Scottish game came into effect last Sunday. The SRU has now decided not to attempt resuming the current season due to the developing Covid-19 virus outbreak.

It said in a statement: “Scottish Rugby has determined the current (2019/20) domestic season will not be recommenced, and that the suspension of all rugby remains in place until further notice.

“Scottish Rugby’s preferred option to resume the season at an appropriate point is, regretfully, not a reasonable prospect in a safe and practical time frame, with further social restrictions on gatherings and travel an increasing possibility.

“At the date of the interim suspension, there remained 295 domestic adult male league fixtures outstanding, with additional Cup, Shield and Bowl matches still to be completed (all being at the semi-final stage).

“A number of age-grade competitions had also yet to be completed. For comparison, only 15 fixtures remained unplayed during the Foot and Mouth affected season of 2000/01.”

The Union will now attempt to resolve the vexed issue of settling the season’s issues of titles, promotion and relegation.

The statement continued: “A process is now underway to consider the implications of the early closure of the season on both league and Cup competitions.

“This process will involve the Championship and Competitions Committees and the Scottish Rugby Council, with the aim to present a recommendation to the Scottish Rugby Board by the end of the month (March) as to the implications of various options for promotion, relegation and the awarding of league titles. A range of options are being considered in this regard.”

A hardship fund designed to support struggling clubs through the lockdown has now opened for applications.

SRU president Dee Bradbury said: "I am extremely grateful to everyone who has contributed this week to enable us to give our clubs this important guidance on the 2019-20 season.

"Given the wider issues in society around Covid-19 we are conscious of the pressure our clubs and their staff will be under and I hope the decision today provides clarity.

"The Club Hardship Fund is a very welcome initiative and as promised the details and criteria are now published and applications can now begin.

"I'd like to pass on my best wishes to everyone connected to our sport at this difficult time and hope you can stay safe and well."