4. Age Grade Rugby (up to U18) – Player Registration, Forms and Record Keeping

The RFU regulations state : 15.15 Player Eligibility and Player Registration

15.15.1 Each Club must ensure all its Age Grade players are registered as youth players by completing the RFU Youth Player Registration Form and are registered on the RFU’s data system within 45 days of their first joining the Club (see section entitled RFU Young Player Registration Form)

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

15.15.3 Subject to competition regulations, a player may qualify to represent an Age Grade representative team in a Constituent Body for that season if the player meets one of the following criteria:

(a) he/she attends a School affiliated to that Constituent Body;

(b) he/she resides in that Constituent Body for any part of that season;

(c) he/she was born in that Constituent Body;

(d) he/she is a registered playing member of a Club affiliated to that Constituent Body;

(e) he/she played for that Constituent Body in a representative fixture the previous season.

15.15.4 Membership of a Constituent Body’s Developing Player Programme (DPP)/ Elite Player Development Group (EPDG) or an Academy does not entitle a Player to play for that Constituent Body if the Player does not satisfy one of the previous criteria.

15.15.5 Where a Player has not been selected for a Constituent Body the Divisional Chairman of Selectors may allow the Player to play for another Constituent Body for which the Player is not qualified if it is in the interests of the Player’s development.

Photo ID Cards
The RFU advice is that as young players change physically it may be appropriate to change the photograph from time to time and every 3 years is the suggested update point.

So that assuming a young player starts at U7 then the photograph would be renewed at :U10, U13, U16

Anyone joining the team at intermediate ages would catch up with a new photo in these changeover seasons.

Age Grade Regulations
Regulations in respect of playing out of age grade are set out in the regulations and can be found at

http://www.englandrugby.com/my-rugby/players/age-grade-rugby/playing-calendar/
http://www.englandrugby.com/codesofpractice
http://www.englandrugby.com/governance/safeguarding/

If a player leaves Club or moves permanently into Adult Rugby – then all their records can be destroyed under confidential conditions although it would be sensible to retain a record of the unique RFU ID Number as if they then change their minds and return their basic registration with the RFU can be recovered.

Storage of Photo ID Cards – this is a matter for individual club policy and Orrell RUFC only operates this policy from U13s upwards.

The Photo ID Card does contain some confidential information but mainly comprises a photograph, name, RFU I.D. Number and date of birth so there is no direct contact information on the card.

For further queries or questions regarding Age Grade rugby, please contact our Safeguarding Officer or speak to your Team Coach