Over the last two seasons the Northumberland RU Disciplinary Panel have had to deal with an increasing number of cases involving breaches of RFU Regulation 15.6. A number of our teams will start the new season subject to immediate or suspended points deductions imposed as a result of breaches. This is not just a local problem. The RFU Discipline Department have identified a rise in such cases nationwide. This is an important safeguarding issue and Disciplinary Secretaries have been advised that should an under 18 player playing with adults without authorisation sustain a serious injury it is likely that the RFU’s insurers will be able to avoid any claim.

Prior to this season RFU Regulation 19, Appendix 2 set out recommended sanctions for Regulation 15 breaches but allowed Disciplinary Panels flexibility to depart from these guidelines where deemed appropriate. In an attempt to address this growing problem the RFU have revised the sanctions table (Appendix 2) to provide for more severe sanctions most of which will be mandatory giving panels little or no flexibility to depart from them. The sanctions will be imposed on clubs in the form of league point deductions and on coaches (or the person with primary responsibility team selection) in the form of lengthy suspensions.

Claire has recently written to all clubs reminding them that authorisations are season specific so that fresh authorisations must be sought each season. Claire has also made clubs aware that the necessary authorisation forms are now available on the County website and you are encouraged to use the website link to ensure that the documentation reaches its intended destination speedily.

http://northumberlandrugbyunion.com/forms-documents/

I attach (below) a copy of Regulation 15 along with the revised Sanctions Table. The requirements for CB approvals and the criteria which must be met are set out in Reg.15.6. The sanctions in respect of Regulation 15 breaches are set out towards the end of Appendix 2 along with some important explanatory notes. In summary, the sanctions that will apply from 1^st August are as follows:

1. An under 18 player trains with adults but does not sustain an injury.

The club will receive a deduction of 5 league points which a disciplinary panel will have power to suspend in appropriate cases.

The coach (or the person with primary responsibility team selection) will be suspended for one month which may be suspended in whole or in part and he/she will be required to deliver a presentation to the club’s age grade teams on the requirements of Regulation 15.

2. An under 18 player plays with adults but does not sustain an injury.

The club will receive a deduction of 5 league points which a disciplinary panel will have no power to suspend. 

The coach (or the person with primary responsibility team selection) will be suspended for three months which may be suspended in whole or in part and he/she will be required to deliver a presentation to the club’s age grade teams on the requirements of Regulation 15.

3. An under 18 player trains with adults but doessustain an injury.

 The club will receive a deduction of 5 league points which a disciplinary panel will have no power to suspend 

The coach (or the person with primary responsibility team selection) will be suspended for three months which may be suspended in whole or in part and he/she will be required to deliver a presentation to the club’s age grade teams on the requirements of Regulation 15.

4. An under 18 player plays with adults and sustains an injury (or plays in the front row but does not sustain an injury).

 The club will receive a deduction of 10 league points which a disciplinary panel will have no power to suspend. 

The coach (or the person with primary responsibility team selection) will be suspended for six months which may be suspended in whole or in part AND

Any other sanction that is deemed proportionate by the Panel.

5. A player under 17plays without permission regardless of whether or not an injury is sustained

 The club will receive a deduction of 10 league points which a disciplinary panel will have no power to suspend. 

The coach (or the person with primary responsibility team selection) will be suspended for six months which may be suspended in whole or in part AND

Any other sanction that is deemed proportionate by the Panel.

6. Where more than one breach occurs (‘multiple offences’)

 The club will receive a minimum deduction of 10 league points which a disciplinary panel will have no power to suspend but will have power to increase.

Subject to clarification from the RFU ‘multiple offences’ will be interpreted as where an under age player trains or plays on more than one occasion and/or where more than one under age player trains or plays at the same time.

Clubs are also reminded of the provisions of RFU Regulation 2.1 which states as follows:

These Regulations shall be binding on all Members of the RFU and on persons over whom the RFU has jurisdiction, who shall be deemed to have full knowledge of the content of these Regulations. 

In short, this means that an offending club or coach claims not to have been aware of the provisions of Regulation 15.6 this will be considered to be neither a defence or a mitigating circumstances by a panel.