What are the RFU Age Grade Rugby Progressions And Rules?
| Age Group | Rules | Progressions |
| U7 | Max numbers – 4, Max Pitch Size (m) – 20×12, Max mins per half – 10, Max mins per day – 50 | Tag games only |
| U8 | Max numbers – 6, Max Pitch Size (m) – 45×22, Max mins per half – 10, Max mins per day – 50 | Tag games only |
| U9 | Max numbers – 7, Max Pitch Size (m) – 60×30, Max mins per half – 15, Max mins per day – 60 | Contact game starts. Tackle including hold. |
| U10 | Max numbers – 8, Max Pitch Size (m) – 60×35, Max mins per half – 15, Max mins per day – 60 | 3 player uncontested scrums. Rucks and mauls (1 support player per team). Tackle not hold. |
| U11 | Max numbers – 9, Max Pitch Size (m) – 60×43, Max mins per half – 20, Max mins per day – 70 | 3 player scrum – strike, no push. Rucks and mauls, 2 support players per team. Kicking allowed – no fly-hack. |
| U12 | Max numbers – 12, Max Pitch Size (m) – 60×43, Max mins per half – 20, Max mins per day – 70 | 5 player scrum – strike, no push. Rucks and mauls – unlimited fend-off below armpits. |
| U13 | Max numbers – 13 (girls 12), Max Pitch Size (m) – 90×60 (girls 60×43), Max mins per half – 25, Max mins per day – 80 | Boys 6 player scrum – strike and push. Boys kicking – fly hack allowed. Girls as for U11 but with 5 player scrum – strike, no push. |
| U14 | Max numbers – 15, Max Pitch Size (m) -100×70, Max mins per half – 25, Max mins per day – 80 | 8 player scrum. Number 8 pick up and run. Kicking at goal. Uncontested lineout. |
| U15 | Max numbers – 15, Max Pitch Size (m) – 100×70, Max mins per half – 30, Max mins per day – 90 | Boys & girls uncontested lineout – lift permitted. |
| U16 | Max numbers – 15, Max Pitch Size(m) – 100×70, Max mins per half – 35, Max mins per day – 90 | Contested lineout – lift permitted. |
| U17 | Max numbers – 15, Max Pitch Size(m) – 100×70, Max mins per half – 35, Max mins per day – 90 | |
| U18 | Max numbers – 15, Max Pitch Size(m) – 100×70, Max mins per half – 35, Max mins per day – 90 |
A pdf of the above Rugby Age Grade Progressions table is available for printing here.
Note: Boys play single age band rugby. Girls play joint age band rugby at U13, U15 and U18.
Age Grade Rugby FAQs
Personally, I started playing rugby at U7s level for my local club. At that time over twenty years ago, whilst there was a mini junior system and there were law progressions, they were not widely known and they certainly weren’t applied consistently between clubs.
This did, unfortunately, lead to issues resulting in dangerous rugby on the pitch and also sparky conversations between parents on the touchline. Fortunately, it is far easier for us all to be aware of what the rules are and it is our collective responsibility to ensure they are known between players, coaches, and everyone else involved, this will allow the players the safest and most satisfactory on field experience possible.
Recommended reading: What Size Rugby Ball Should We Be Using? (Table)
What age can you hand off in rugby?
Hand-offs, or fend-offs are allowed at U12 level in rugby union provided they are below the armpit level. From U14 upwards players may hand-off to any part of an opponent’s body. However, the referee can penalise any play that they deem unsafe or dangerous and that excessive force is not used.
To clear up any misunderstandings, it is good practice for mini junior coaches to talk to each other and agree with each other exactly what the interpretation of the rule they wish to play too, and of course, include the referee in with the conversation.
This might be a good time to take a look at: UK Rugby Insurance Policies Compared
How long is an under 15 rugby match?
An Under 15 game of rugby union should be 60 minutes long of two equal halves according to the rules set out by the Rugby Football Union in England. Under 14s play for just 50 minutes per game and Under 16s play for a total of 70 minutes per game.
There is also an additional requirement for players of different ages to play no more than a certain amount of minutes per day. AT under 15 level the maximum allowed playing time per day is 90 minutes.
To be honest, a more useful guideline might be the number of minutes allowed to be played per weekend. My big problem was that at age 16, I would play for a school team on Saturday morning, my club’s under 19/Colts team on Saturday afternoon, and then for the club U17 team on Sunday morning.
Needless to say I was tired at the end of the weekend and my performance on the Sunday morning was usually nowhere near as good as it could have been had I been fresh. Still, I loved it and probably wouldn’t change it looking back.
Recommended for you: What Are Rugby Union Half Time Rules?
What age can you tackle in rugby union?
Full contact rugby tackling is introduced at the under 9 mini rugby age group. Overwhelmingly, emphasis is placed on correct tackle technique: tackling below the waist and with the head in the correct position. The introduction of tackling is when the game really comes alive for many and is a great outlet for children with lots of energy.
Parents often worry about their child getting hurt whilst tackling but they need to remember that in younger age groups, player body weights and speeds mean that the perception of rugby tackling is far worse than the reality.
Personally, I played all through the age groups and never saw one bad injury in mini/junior rugby until I hit Colts level when there were the occasional broken bones which were never pleasant but nothing serious in the long run. Rugby clubs are far more alive to the possibility of injury these days and there will almost certainly be qualified medical help at hand to attend any more serious looking injury.
What age can you kick in rugby union?
Kicking is allowed in under 11 mini rugby games but fly-hack kicking is not. Fly hack kicking is when the ball is loose on the floor and players simply run through and kick the ball along the floor. This is not allowed until under 13 age grade rugby.
Fly hack kicking is not permitted until under 13s due to the fact that it prevents skill development. Imagine, if every time the ball was dropped everyone just kicked it along the floor, this would stop children developing the correct instinct to fall on the ball and lay it back, or to pick it up and run with it in two hands.
In other words fly hacking should be left to be an opportunistic part of the game when all else has failed in older agree groups and should be prevented in being a tactic in and of itself.
Recommended reading: Red Cards Explained (Sorry Kyle)
What age can you scrum in rugby?
At the under 10 age group scrums are permitted but feature just three players from either side and are uncontested, so no pushing. At under 11s, the strike is introduced but there is still no push. At under 12, scrums are five a side with two players in the second row, but there is still no pushing. At under 13 level there is now a five man scrum with a strike and a push. Finally, at under 14 level, full eight man scrums are permitted.
At under 14 level number eight pick-ups are now allowed whereas in earlier age groups there were only second rows in the five man scrums and they are not permitted to pick the ball up and run at the base of the scrum.
Honestly, I think the progression in the rules here is about right. The no shoving rule ensures that both sets of backs should receive some decent ball in the games which should allow skill development and enjoyment for the players.
What age do you start kicking in rugby?
At under 14 level, kicking in open play from hand, or fly hacks off the floor is allowed, including drop goals and box kicking. Penalty and conversion kicking for goal is also allowed. Toeing or hacking the ball through when it is loose on the floor is allowed at under 13 level but box kicking and drop goals are not permitted at under 13 level and below.
Just for fun: 14 Rugby History Facts Everyone Should Know
Information Source
Please note, the source all of the information on this page is taken from EnglandRugby.com. If you want to view a break down of the full rules for each of the age groups then please go here. For more information and opinion age and rugby, please go here.
Photo Credit: Nant Conwy under 11s under the supervision of coaches Wyn, Martin , Paul and Gavin LigmaBallss, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
