15.1 General Regulation and Playing Principles

15.1.1 Regulation 15 applies to the playing, training and coaching of all variations of rugby for all age groups up until and including Under 18s, including Under 19s playing down into Under 18s rugby (‘Age Grade Rugby’). This Regulation 15 applies to both genders unless indicated otherwise.

15.1.2 A player’s age grade is determined by their age at midnight on 31st August at the beginning of each Season and that age grade applies for the whole Season. Players must play in their own age grade unless permitted to play outside their age grade in the limited circumstances set out in these regulations. Players move to their new age grade from 1st August each Season.

15.1.3 Players and Match Officials must comply with the World Rugby Laws of the Games, subject to any permitted Law Variations set out in Appendices of Regulation 15 and such other Law trials and variations as the RFU may adopt.

15.1.4 All Age Grade Club Players must be registered annually on the RFU’s online registration platform within 45 days of: (a) for new Age Grade Players at a Club, them first joining the Club; and (b) for existing Age Grade Players at a Club, them starting a new Season at the Club.

15.1.5 Constituent Bodies and/or event organisers may require registration cards and copies of any special dispensations issued to be taken to each match or festival. Team managers must produce these documents for inspection by the opposition or Match Officials if requested.

15.1.6 Disciplinary matters relating to Age Grade rugby shall follow the procedures set out in Appendix 6 of RFU Regulation 19.

15.2 Combining of Age Grades

15.2.1 Certain age grades are permitted to be combined together for training and playing as set out in the table at Regulation 15.5, save in respect of the combining of the male age grades from Under 14s to Under 19s which shall be permitted in respect of the 2023/24 Season only.

15.2.2 If age grades are being combined, the following conditions must be met:

(a) the school or club does not have a sufficient number of players to make up a team in the single age grade;
(b) the school’s principal or the club’s Constituent Body provides written approval (such approval to be valid for up to one season only);
(c) no more than half the players on the pitch at any time can be from the older age grade;
(d) the team plays to the rules of the younger age grade; and
(e) the provisions of Regulation 15.5 are followed in relation to U11 girls and the girls U12, 14, 16 and 18 age bands.

15.3 Playing Up

15.3.1 Certain age grades are permitted to play up one or two age grades for training and playing if recommended by the player’s club, school or college as set out in the table at Regulation 15.5.

15.3.2 If players are playing up, the following conditions must be met:

(a) in each case an appropriate assessment is carried out (and documented) by the club/school/college. Best practice on carrying out an appropriate assessment is set out in the Code englandrugby.com/participation/coaching/age-grade-rugby/codes-of-practice;

(b) in respect of club rugby, approval is obtained from an individual who has parental responsibility for the player and from the club’s Constituent Body;

(c) in respect of college rugby, approval is obtained from an individual who has parental responsibility for the player (who may be the principal in loco parentis) and from England Colleges RFU;

(d) in respect of school rugby, approval is obtained from an individual who has parental responsibility for the player (who may be the principal in loco parentis); and

(e) in respect of school or college rugby for U16s and above, the individual who has parental responsibility for the player (who may be the principal in loco parentis) is informed that it is possible that this dispensation may result in the player playing with and/or against one or more U19 players who are playing down in accordance with Regulation 15.

15.4 Playing Down

15.4.1 Certain age grades are permitted to play down one or two age grades for training and playing if recommended by the player’s club, college or school as set out in the table at Regulation 15.5 and only in the following circumstances:

(a) the player must be in a younger academic year at school/college than the player’s academic birth year; or

(b) the player’s safety may be compromised due to their small stature in comparison to other players in the same age grade or due to a developmental or behavioural issue; or

(c) for intra and inter-college matches only, the player is an Under 19 (Year 14) and must be studying in the second year of a full time, two-year level 3 course, as long as they have not previously completed a full level 3 qualification.

15.4.2 If players are playing down an age grade, the following additional conditions must be met:

(a) in each case an assessment is carried out by the club/college/school. Best practice as to how to carry out an assessment is set out in the Code available at englandrugby.com/participation/coaching/age-grade-rugby/codes-of- practice;

(b) in respect of club rugby, the approval of an individual who has parental responsibility for the player and the Age Grade Chair, and for all ages, the approval of club’s Constituent Body is obtained;

(c) in respect of college rugby, the approval of an individual who has parental responsibility for the player (who may be the principal in loco parentis) and the approval of England Colleges RFU is obtained;

(d) in respect of school rugby, the approval of an individual who has parental responsibility for the player (who may be the principal in loco parentis) is obtained;

(e) if approval is given, the club/college/school must notify the opposing teams and match officials at least 24 hours in advance of the game although an opposition’s objection may not prevent the player from playing;

(f) any permission to play down is valid for up to one season only and the player must remain in that lower age grade for the entire Season; and

(g) if playing down two age grades, the written approval of the RFU is required.