The return to full contact training couldn’t have come soon enough, according to the Lions’ Springbok flanker Jaco Kriel.

SA Rugby announced on Friday that the the nation’s top franchises could resume full contact training next week, pending final health and safety protocols and Covid-19 testing.

“It is understandable that the guys were left frustrated,” said Kriel, who turned 31 last week.

We haven’t played since March and it’s been the longest most of the players have been away from rugby, aside from injuries.”

While the national federation had hoped to launch a domestic competition in mid-September, it revealed a return to play had been pushed back by at least a couple of weeks.

The fixtures list, featuring seven teams after the Kings withdrew from the rest of the 2020 season, was expected to be announced soon, SA Rugby confirmed.

Kriel said they were nonetheless eager to take another step forward with full contact training.

“The guys are looking forward to being on the field again. We are all tired of running around in groups and doing fitness, and the guys just want to play rugby,” he said.