ADDENDUM 1 of 2012:
SARU REGULATIONS FOR UNDER‐AGED RUGBY:
SCHOOL RUGBY AGE‐BANDING
The following document is an Addendum to the SARU Regulations for Under‐aged Rugby currently applicable to Adult rugby and are additional Regulations that apply to all School‐level Rugby played under the auspices of the South African Rugby Union, the South African Schools Rugby Executive, and the affiliated fourteen (14) Provincial Rugby Unions.
A ‐ Definitions:
“Primary School Rugby” – Refers to the Age‐grades or Divisions for Rugby played at a Primary School Level or Age‐grades U13 and below, applicable to the South African Rugby Union (SARU), the South African
Schools Rugby Executive, the relevant Provincial Rugby Union or Affiliated Rugby Body
“Secondary School Rugby” – Refers to the Age‐grades or Divisions for Rugby played at a Secondary or High School Level or Age‐grades U14 to U19, applicable to the South African Rugby Union (SARU), the South
African Schools Rugby Executive, the relevant Provincial Rugby Union or Affiliated Rugby Body
Potential School Age‐grades: (these are determined by the age that you turn during the specific year in question):
Under 6 (U6) = Players aged 4, 5, or 6, with these players turning 5, 6, and having turned 6 respectively during the year in question
Under 7 (U7) = Players aged 5, 6, or 7, with these players turning 6, 7, and having turned 7 respectively during the year in question
Under 8 (U8) = Players aged 6, 7, or 8, with these players turning 7, 8, and having turned 8 respectively during the year in question
Under 9 (U9) = Players aged 7, 8, or 9, with these players turning 8, 9, and having turned 9 respectively during the year in question
Under 10 (U10) = Players aged 8, 9, or 10, with these players turning 9, 10, and having turned 10 respectively during the year in question
Under 11 (U11) = Players aged 9, 10, or 11, with these players turning 10, 11, and having turned 11 respectively during the year in question
Under 12 (U12) = Players aged 10, 11, or 12, with these players turning 11, 12, and having turned 12 respectively during the year in question
Under 13 (U13) = Players aged 11, 12, or 13, with these players turning 12, 13, and having turned 13 respectively during the year in question
Under 14 (U14) = Players aged 12, 13, or 14, with these players turning 13, 14, and having turned 14 respectively during the year in question
Under 15 (U15) = Players aged 13, 14, or 15, with these players turning 14, 15, and having turned 15 respectively during the year in question
Under 16 (U16) = Players aged 14, 15, or 16, with these players turning 15, 16, and having turned 16 respectively during the year in question
Under 17 (U17) = Players aged 15, 16, or 17, with these players turning 16, 17, and having turned 17 respectively during the year in question
Under 18 (U18) = Players aged 16, 17, or 18, with these players turning 17, 18, and having turned 18 respectively during the year in question
Under 19 (U19) = Players aged 16, 17, 18, or 19, with these players turning 17, 18, 19, and having turned 19 respectively during the year in question
Age‐grade: An Age‐grade is determined by the maximum age, as determined on 31st December of that
specific year, of a player allowed to participate within the prescribed Age‐grade. For example, the oldest
player in the U13 Age‐grade, would still be 13 years old on 31st December of the specific year in question
Minimum Age: The minimum age allowed in an Age‐grade is determined by the age that you turn during the specific year in question. For example, if the minimum age is 11 on the 1st of January, then on the 31st of December of the same year, you would have to be 12 years old, having turned 12 years old during the specific year in question. You cannot have turned 11 on the 1st of January, as you would still be 11 by midnight on the 31st of December of the same year.
B ‐ Regulations:
In School Rugby in South Africa, schools may set their own Age‐grade divisions, but the following stipulations have to be implemented:
1. In “Primary School Rugby”, no player, who on the 1st of January in any given year, as defined under Minimum Age, is more than two (2) years younger, than the prescribed maximum stipulated age within an Age‐grade category, may participate within that Age‐grade during the year in question.
a. For example, if you turn 11 on the 1st of January or are younger than 11 (e.g. 10) on the 1st of
January, you cannot be allowed to play in the U13 division within that year, as the oldest player in
the U13 Age‐grade, as defined above, would be 13 years of age, and having turned 13 during the
year in question.
b. The player may not be older than the stipulated Age‐grade e.g. in the U13 division, a player may not
be 14 years old or be turning 14 years old during the year in question
2. In “Secondary School Rugby”, subject to Clauses 3 and 6, no player, who on the 1st of January in any given year, as defined under Minimum Age, is more than two (2) years younger, than the prescribed maximum stipulated age within an Age‐grade category, may participate within that Age‐grade during the year in question.
a. For example, subject to Clause 3, if you turn 16 on the 1st of January or are younger than 16 (e.g. 15) on the 1st of January, you cannot be allowed to play in the U18 division within that year, as the oldest player in the U18 Age‐grade, as defined above, would be 18 years of age, and having turned 18 during the year in question.
b. The player may not be older than the stipulated Age‐grade e.g. in the U18 division, a player may not
be 19 years old or be turning 19 years old during the year in question
3. In “Secondary School Rugby”, with the exception of Clause 6, the age band could be extended for a specific player(s) to a maximum three (3) year age‐band, but only in keeping strictly within the following very important stipulations, aimed primarily at limiting the risk of catastrophic cervical spinal injury:
a. The Coach, who shall have no less than an IRB Level 2 coaching qualification, wanting to select a
younger player to participate in a league or division above their current Age‐grade, as stipulated in
Clause 2, has to submit a completed and accepted SCHEDULE A, and SCHEDULE B where applicable,
to the appropriate Union’s offices, before selecting the player to train or participate in such a league
or division
i. For example in the U18 Age‐grade, the youngest player could be 15 years old, as per the
Minimum Age definition, turning 16 during the year in question, but must have submitted a
completed and accepted SCHEDULE A, and SCHEDULE B where applicable, to the Union’s
offices, before training or participating in an U18 division squad or league
b. The players as described in 3(a) may NOT train or participate in a division above their Age‐grade, in
any of the positions locks, loose‐forwards, scrumhalf, flyhalf, centres, wings and fullback, unless they
have submitted a completed and accepted SCHEDULE A to the Union’s offices
c. The players as described in 3(a) may NOT train or participate in a division above their Age‐grade, in
any front row position i.e. positions tight‐head prop, hooker or loose‐head prop, unless they have
submitted both completed and accepted SCHEDULE A and SCHEDULE B to the Union’s offices
d. Local research has identified the front row positions, especially the hooker, as having a higher risk
for permanent catastrophic cervical spinal cord injury, especially in the scrum
4. Teams within “Primary School Rugby” e.g. U10, U11 and U13, have to compete within the specific age-banding required of their league or division as stipulated in Clause 1.
a. For example an U10 team cannot compete in an U11 league or division, as the youngest player in the
U10 team could potentially be 8 on the 1st of January, as per the Minimum Age definition, and
therefore not be able to compete within the U11 team structure, as they would be more than two
(2) years younger than the oldest player in the U11 team.
5. Teams within “Secondary School Rugby” e.g. U15 and U16, subject to Clause 6 where applicable, have to
compete within the specific age‐banding required of their league or division as stipulated in Clauses 2 and 3.
a. For example an U15 team cannot compete in an U16 league or division, as the youngest player in the
U15 team, without having submitted a completed and accepted SCHEDULE A, and SCHEDULE B
where applicable, to the Union’s offices, could potentially be 13 on the 1st of January, as per the
Minimum Age definition, and therefore not be able to compete within the U16 team structure, as
they would be more than three (3) years younger than the oldest player in the U16 team.
6. The current school system has to cater for U19 scholars, or players aged 18 years old, turning 19, or players having already turned 19 years old, during the year in question, and legally these players cannot be denied participation within the school rugby system. To maintain higher rugby safety standards given this limitation, the following stipulations need to be upheld:
a. The recommended two (2) year age‐band for U19 level rugby, would normally field players aged 17
years old turning 18, and players 18 years old turning 19, during the year in question
b. Due to the small number of players aged 18 years old, turning 19, or players having already turned
19 years old, during the year in question, the U19 Age‐grade, applied at School level only, will be
expanded to accommodate a maximum three (3) year age‐band
c. The expanded three (3) year age‐band for the U19 School level Age‐grade, will therefore include 16
year olds turning 17 years old during the year in question
d. The naturalistic majority of players in the U19 School level Age‐grade, will come from 16 year old
players turning 17, and 17 year old players turning 18 years old, during the year in question
e. There is no room for expansion to a four (4) year age‐band under any circumstances
f. All front row players, tight‐head prop, hooker or loose‐head prop, within the U19 School level Agegrade,
who fall outside the recommended two (2) year age‐band, have to complete SCHEDULE A and
SCHEDULE B, regardless of their circumstances, before playing U19 School level Age‐grade rugby in
these high‐risk front row positions
g. The automatic three (3) year age‐band expansion only applies to the U19 School level Age‐grade and
cannot be applied at any other School Age‐grade or division
h. In keeping with Clause 5’s stipulations, should an U19 School team wish to play against an U18
School team, or vice versa, the U19 team, at no time, may select or field any players who are 18
years old turning 19, or players who have already turned 19 years old, during the year in question
i. At no given time, may any U19 level Age‐grade rugby team select or field players aged 19 years old
turning 20, or players older than 20 years old, during the year in question
7. As supported by the South African Schools Rugby Executive Committee, players should play within their
respective Age‐grade divisions, as per the age‐banding criteria stipulated above.
8. Rugby playing Schools have to cater for opportunities for all players to be able to play rugby, and with this in mind, an U16 Age‐grade division (or U17 in Schools playing in U19 leagues or divisions) should preferably be catered for, where possible, as it is not desirable for players more than two (2) years younger than their
prescribed Age‐band, even within the stipulations above, to participate in U18 or U19 divisions.
SCHEDULE A & B on page 5 & 6 here:
| http://schoolboyrugby.co.za/SARU Schools Rugby Age-Banding Regulations 06-12-12.pdf |
[…] From SARU regulation: “ For example in the U18 Age‐grade, the youngest player could be 15 years old, as per the Minimum Age definition, turning 16 during the year in question, but must have submitted a completed and accepted SCHEDULE A, and SCHEDULE B where applicable, to the Union’s offices, before training or participating in an U18 division squad or league” Full SARU rules here: http://schoolboyrugby.co.za/blog/?p=1907 […]
Grant Kretzmann from KES has been named as the new DHS head of rugby!
@QC86: thanks
@beet: beet sorry,i will let you know if it changes
@beet: 5pm game will be the elite players game and that will be the better of the 2,enjoy
@QC86: Thanks. I can make 5pm. Hope they don’t change it.
@beet: game 1 ,15h00 and game 2 at 17h00 on Friday
@QC86: What time is the game?
@Greenwood: as far as i know games will be played on Friday afternoon,elite players group are playing against KZN varsity shield side,should be a nice game,advanced players group i dont know
@GreenBlooded: have a look at this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=yrKzYRH9Nhg&feature=endscreen
i have always said that the best year GW had was 2008 ,only two blemishes for me ,
1. The Draw against MHS and the loss to Grey Last game of the season, had me in tears
However when you look at the game, and I contented it at the time, GW should have won, look at the Clip and the 2nd last try MHS scored form the Line out , NOT IN FRIGGING STRAIGHT REF,
Apart from the other infringements I saw
that settles it then, i think plenty of debate previously , but in theend its a good ruling
@ greenwood I will get the info and pass it on, it is a great course to do had the privilege of doing the courses.
Simply put, you can play 1 age group up with the exception of U16 (who can’t play up). At U17, you can play 2 age groups up (to U19).
ZnCoach
any more info on Investic matches Kzn when ?
@Greenwood: Jeez – me too. Can someone put this age group thing into simple language that us dof Glenwood okes can understand? At face value it seems like any agegroup can draw from 2 age groups below – more dangerous than the scrum hit if you ask me.
@QC86: Well everyone who’s been on it says its da bomb! Very good course.
@beet: you guys sleeping late today,baywatch is there, i was wondering if it is worth while,baywatch said cope and some of the sharks u19 players are also there,and his old school mate Fanta@ZnCoach: yes,thanx,do you know anything about it?
@QC86 its being held at UKZN this year
@QC86: It was up in Hilton last year. Costs a lot of tom.
@Greenwood: need a degree in maths to sort this out,do you know anything about that investec rugby clinic in durbs, that is being held at the moment??
QC86 I’m here
trying to take in this age thing
@beet,where is everyone,feeling lonely down here in the eastern cape,maybe i should fly to durban on friday and watch the investec rugby academy games