Leinster's Head of Rugby Operations, Guy Easterby, says they're preparing for playing matches behind closed doors when games resume after the COVID-19 pandemic.
He feels the reigning PRO14 champions competing without crowds in stadiums is "a realistic option" in trying to complete the current campaign.
Leinster's Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final against Saracens was postponed last month and there are reports that the PRO14 season may now move directly to a decider between Edinburgh and the holders. Easterby insists they're closely following government advice and are open to games without fans - though he admits that will have a financial impact on the province:
"For us filling stadiums is key to being a sustainable business," the former Ireland scrum-half told a video conference call this afternoon.
"Rugby isn't set up like soccer where broadcasting revenue far outstrips what comes in from people attending the games. Is the game the same without people there watching? Of course it isn't and half the fun is having people coming to matches and the way the players can feed off that energy.
"But we are looking at a slightly different world to what what we were looking at four to six weeks ago. And we have to consider all scenarios when we come out of this and how it might look for a period of time. When a vaccine is eventually found and distributed throughout the world, will that change the rules around social distancing? Do people then go back to normality? There's so much to consider.
"I don't think sport would be the same without crowds, that's the reality of it but, if for a period of time if we have to go about our business a little bit differently to ensure we are delivering a product, then it's important to say we'd be prepared to do that. We have to be prepared to do that because without us playing games then the finances become very difficult to put together. It's a professional sport at the end of the day and it's important from that end that we're able to deliver a product.
Easterby added that players are likely to be keen to return to action after the enforced break and he's hopeful that crowds will be allowed back in stadiums when it's safe to do so:
"There's so much conjecture at the moment but the plan is to return to some limited collective training in the middle of May but again that could change. It also wouldn't be us going back en masse as if nothing has happened, it would be carefully managing small groups coming in. From listening to (Health Minister) Simon Harris on the news, social distancing is not going to just disappear on May the 5th so everything we're doing is dictated by government advice. We're doing everything possible to keep everyone safe and mid May is a very soft date.
"We'd love to get this season finished and we've made it clear to the bodies involved that that's what we're hoping to do but there's plenty of challenges around travel etc and we'll adhere to any guidelines 100 per cent.
"It could start off behind closed doors and then as restrictions are lifted we can see what it looks like, but it's all a bit of a guessing game at the moment. From a Leinster perspective we're prepared to do whatever is asked within the guidelines. Nothing is ruled in and nothing is ruled out at this stage."
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