playing out of age grade

Regulation 15 contains the regulations governing the circumstances under which a player is permitted, with the approval of the Sussex RFU and in some cases the RFU, to play out of their age grade.

Any club considering making an application to play an individual out of their age grade is strongly advised to read the relevant sections of Regulation 15 before making any application. 

The relevant sections are

15.1: General Regulations and Playing Principles

15.2: Combining of Age Grades

15.3: Playing Up

15.4: Playing Down

15.5: Playing Out of Age Grade Table

In accordance with Regulation 15.6: Playing Adult Rugby, Regulation 15.7:  England Academy, Centre of Excellence and England U18 Players and Representative Rugby Playing Adult Rugby and Regulation 15.5: Playing Out of Age Grade Table a male or female player can take part in Adult Contact Rugby when they reach their seventeeneth birthday. In order for a 17-year-old player to take part in adult training sessions and/or matches clubs need to follow a two-stage process.

STEP 1: COMPLETE THE CLUB APPROVAL FORM.

Before any 17-year-old player can take part in adult matches and/or training sessions the club needs to submit an on-line Playing Adult Rugby Club Approval Form to the SRFU.

KEY POINTS:

• Clubs are not allowed to submit Playing Adult Rugby - Player Approval Forms until the Playing Adult Rugby - Club Approval Form has been signed off by SRFU

• Clubs should allow up to 6 DAYS for a Club Approval Form to be signed off. 

• Clubs need to complete separate Club Forms for male and female players.

• Clubs must identify at least three  Key People, with DBS certification, who are associated with the adult squads that the player will be involved with. At least one of the Key People must be present at every training session or match involving a 17-year-old player.

STEP 2: COMPLETING THE PLAYER APPROVAL FORM.

Once the Club Approval Form has been signed off by SRFU clubs can submit the on-line Playing Adult Rugby Player Approval Form to the SRFU to seek approval for individual 17-Year-old players to take part in Adult training sessions and/or matches. 

KEY POINTS:

• No players is allowed to take part in adult training sessions or matches until their Playing Adult Rugby Player Approval Form has been signed off by the SRFU

• Clubs should allow at least  6 DAYS for an application for a player to take part in adult training sessions and matches to be processed and signed off. 

• Clubs should only put forward players to take part in adult training sessions and matches in order to develop their skills, not just to make up number in the adult squads.

• Clubs are required to carry out a comprehensive assessment of each 17-year-old player to demonstrate that they will benefit from and are capable of playing adult rugby. 

• If approval is given for an individual to play adult rugby, the club must notify the opposing teams and match officials at least 24 hours in advance of a game that there is an under 18-year-old in the side.

Certain age grades are permitted to play up one of two age grades for training and playing if recommended by the player’s club and in  accordance with Regulation 15.3: Playing Up and Regulation 15.5: Playing Out of Age Grade Table.

Before any player can play up the club needs to submit an on-line Playing Up or Down Out of Age Grade Approval Form and get it signed off by the SRFU. 

KEY POINTS:

• No players is allowed to Play Up until their Playing Up or Down Out of Age Grade Approval Form has been signed off by the SRFU
• Clubs should allow at least 6 DAYS for an application for a player to  Play Up to be processed and signed off. 
• Clubs should only put forward players to play up in order to develop their skills, not just to make up numbers in another squad.
• Clubs are required to carry out a comprehensive assessment of each player to demonstrate that they will benefit from and are capable of playing up. 
• A player who has been signed off to play up an age grade is still allowed to take part in training sessions and matches with their chronological age grade.

Certain age grades are permitted to play down one of two age grades for training and playing if recommended by the player’s club and in  accordance with Regulation 15.4: Playing Down and Regulation 15.5: Playing Out of Age Grade Table.

Before any player can play down the club needs to submit the on-line Playing Up or Down Out of Age Grade Approval Form and get it signed off by SRFU. 

KEY POINTS:

• No players is allowed to Play Down until their Playing Up or Down Out of Age Grade Approval Form has been signed off by the SRFU
• Clubs should allow at least  6 DAYS for an application for a player to Play Down to be processed and signed off. 
• Clubs are required to carry out a comprehensive assessment of each player to demonstrate that they need to play down.
• Once a Player is signed off to Play Down, they are NOT permitted to play in their Chronological Age Grade for the whole season (e.g. an U15 Player who is signed off to Play Down with the U14 squad must play with the U14 squad for the whole season).  
• If approval is given for an individual to Play Down, the club must notify the opposing teams and match officials at least 24 hours in advance of a game that there is a player(s) Playing Down out of their age grade in the squad.

Certain age grades are permitted to be Combine Age Grades together for training and playing in  accordance with Regulation 15.2: Combining out of Age Grades and Regulation 15.5: Playing Out of Age Grade Table. 

Key Points:

• An application for squads to Combine is more complicated and it will take time to process. 
• Where a club has a non-viable age grade they need to:

1. Identify those players in the non-viable squad who are capable of Playing Up  an age grade and submit an on-line Playing Up or Down Out of Age Grade Approval Form for each player. The application must include a comprehensive assessment of each player to demonstrate that they will benefit from and are capable of playing up an age grade. No player is allowed to Play Up until their Playing Up or Down Out of Age Grade Approval Form has been signed off by the SRFU
2. Identify those players in the non-viable squad who are not able to Play Up  and will need to Combine (Play Down) an age grade.  
3. The club needs to complete a Combining Out of Age Grade Approval Form and submit it to the SRFU to get approval to combine squads. 
4. When approval has been given for the club to combine two age grades the club needs to submit an on-line  Playing Up or Down Out of Age Grade Approval Form for each player that they want to play down. The application must include a comprehensive assessment of each player to demonstrate that they are not capable of playing up an age grade and to identify any issues that might arise if they combine down with a younger age grade. Photographic evidence may also be required to show that the older players who are playing down are of a similar size to the players in the younger age grade. No player is allowed to Combine (Play Down) until the Playing Up or Down Out of Age Grade Approval Form has been signed off by the SRFU.
5. When a new player joins the non-viable squad they must be evaluated to see if they should Play Up or Combine (Play Down) an age grade. Clubs must follow the process outlined in sections 3 and 4 above and the player can't take part in contact rugby training sessions or matches until they have been signed off to do so by the SRFU.
6. How quickly the application can be processed will depend, to a great extent on how comprehensive the player assessments are. 

Below you will find guidance on the information that the SRFU will want to see covered in all player assessments.

ASSESSMENT FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO PLAY-UP:

An assessment for a player to Play Up needs to address the following points:

Skill Level & Ability.

1. Is the player one of the more skilful players in their team and are they going to be able to perform in an older team?
2. Will the player benefit from playing up an age grade?
3. How many years have they played rugby
4. What experience does the player have of playing with CB and/or DPP squads
5. What level of rugby are they playing at school or college?
6. Are they outcompeting against other teams and players?
7. Are they able to manage all aspects of contact rugby correctly?
8. Has the player been assessed as being capable of playing up an age grade in the past?
9. A coach should have observed them in training and match situations and be comfortable that they are capable of playing up an age grade.

Physical Development for their age.

1. How does the player’s height and weight compare to others in the team and to the team they will be joining? 
2. Is this player faster, stronger and more powerful than their current teammates and performing above average in contact situations?
3. Have they started maturation?
4. Does their physique match the position they will be playing in the new age band
5. Are there any skills needed at the age group above that haven’t been practiced and how will this impact on the positions they can play in?  
6. The coach carrying out the assessment should be confident that the player will be physically safe to play up an age grade.

Social & Emotional Development for their age.

1. Does the player know others within the new team? 
2. Is the player resilient, confident, and able to fit in to different age group? 
3. Do they have a level of maturity suitable to the team they are moving into? 
4. Is the player comfortable leaving their peer group and players of the same age? 
5. Are they able to demonstrate self-control when under pressure or a stressful situation? 
6. What month were they born – what is the age gap between them and others? 
7. Will they be able to cope with the challenges another age group brings, with new rules, new peer groups and a more challenging game?

ASSESSMENT FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO PLAY-DOWN:

An assessment for a player to Play Down needs to address the following points:

Physical Ability.

1. Is the player’s safety compromised by their small stature in comparison to other players in their chronological age grade or other individuals of their age?

Development issues.

1. Does the player have any developmental issues that will make it difficult for them to play in their chronological age grade?

Behavioural issues.

1. Does the player have any behavioural issues that will make it difficult for them to play in their chronological age grade?