Parent's Guide to RFU Age Grade Rugby Under 7-Under 12 2026/27

From the RFU Rules of Play (Regulation 15, Appendices 1 to 6):

• Every pitch size is plus a 5-metre in-goal area at each end.
• Teams must have equal numbers on the pitch.
• These are maximums: the referee and coaches can agree a smaller pitch if it's safe. Pitches side by side should be at least 5 metres apart.
• At Under 12, 5 players from each team form the scrum and the rest make up the back line.

Under 7 and Under 8 play tag rugby (RFU Regulation 15, Appendices 1 and 2). There is no tackling, kicking, scrums or lineouts.

• Every player wears a tag belt with two tags, one on each hip, outside the shirt. A player without both tags can't carry the ball or tag anyone.
• A "tag" is pulling one or both tags off the ball carrier's belt. Only the ball carrier can be tagged, and the ball can never be pulled out of their hands.
• The ball carrier can dodge, but can't fend off with the hand or ball, or guard their tags.
• Once tagged, the ball carrier must stop within about 3 strides and pass within 3 seconds. They're allowed one step to score after being tagged.
• The tagged player must collect their tag from the tagger and put it back on before rejoining play.
• Passes must go sideways or backwards. Infringements are restarted with a free pass; opponents must be 3 metres back at Under 7 and 7 metres back at Under 8.

Scoring tries:

• Under 7: players must stay on their feet and can't dive to score.
• Under 8: players are allowed to go to ground to score.

At Under 7, play also carries on after an accidental knock-on.

Contact is introduced step by step under the RFU Rules of Play (Regulation 15, Appendices 1 to 6):

Lineouts don't appear until Under 14 (uncontested at first), and Under 13 is the first age with a 6-player fully contested scrum.

Under 9 option: if both coaches and the referee agree beforehand, a team can be limited to 6 tackles before scoring; on the 7th tackle the ball goes to the other side.

In every contact age, coaches aren't allowed on the pitch during play; the referee guides the players instead.

At every contact age from Under 9 to Under 12, the RFU Rules of Play say:

• The tackler must grip and hold the ball carrier below the base of the sternum (the tummy or belly and below), and the tackle must include the use of the arms.
• Only the ball carrier can be tackled.
• The ball carrier must not go into contact with their shoulders below their hips, dip late and low, or put their head into the opponent's head space.
• Supporting players must not run either side of and close to the ball carrier to block tacklers.

Fending off: not allowed at Under 9 to Under 11. From Under 12, a hand-off is allowed but only below the armpits.

Sanction for a high tackle (contact above the base of the sternum):

The Half Game Rule (RFU Regulation 15.13) is mandatory: every player selected in a match-day squad must play at least half of the available playing time. It applies to all contact and non-contact age grade matches, including festivals and tournaments.

• The available playing time is the scheduled match time, not counting stoppages or time after the half has expired. For example, if the halves add up to 30 minutes, every player must get at least 15.
• At a festival, the minutes of all your team's matches that day are added together, and each child must play at least half of the total.
• Time off the pitch only counts towards a player's half if they were off with a temporary injury (up to 10 minutes) or a yellow card.
• The rule doesn't apply if a player is permanently removed because of injury, risk of injury, a red card or the referee's request, or the match is abandoned or shortened.

Rolling substitutions are used at every age from Under 7 to Under 12: players can come off and go back on at any time when the ball is dead, with the referee's permission.

There are also daily limits on how much rugby a child can play:

An extra 15 minutes a day is allowed for the RFU's Activate injury-prevention warm-up. No player may play more than 35 matches in a season.

The RFU's Competitive Menu (Regulation 15) sets which formats each age may play:

• Leagues and league tables are only allowed from Under 15 (boys) and the Under 16 and Under 18 girls' bands. Waterfall pool results can be recorded from Under 12 but must not be published as a league table.
• Knockout competitions start at Under 14.
• Mercy rule: from Under 7 to Under 13, a match must be stopped if one team leads by more than 6 tries. The coaches can then agree to carry on in a fairer format, but those results and minutes aren't recorded.
• No extra time and no place-kick shoot-outs are allowed to settle a draw.
• All tournaments and festivals need Constituent Body (county) approval.

Under RFU Regulation 15 for 2026/27:

• Under 11 and below: girls can play mixed rugby with boys, girls-only rugby, or both.
• From Under 12: mixed contact rugby is no longer permitted. Boys play in single age grades; girls play in two-year age bands.
• New for 2026/27: a girls' Under 12/Under 11 dual age band (Year 7 and Year 6), so Under 11 girls can choose girls-only rugby with Under 12 girls. Mixed Under 11 rugby still exists alongside it.
• Girls playing in the Under 12/Under 11 band can't play with boys (for example, Under 12 girls can't play with Under 11 boys).

The girls' bands then continue as Under 14/13, Under 16/15 and Under 18/17.

Non-contact rugby (such as T1 Rugby and tag) is different: players of all ages, both sexes and all genders may train and play non-contact together, provided the organiser has risk-assessed the activity.

Regulation 15 expects children to play in their own age grade with their school-year peers. Playing out of age grade is the exception and needs approval before it happens.

Combining age grades (team level, only when a club or school hasn't enough players for a team)

• Under 7 and Under 8 can play and train together.
• Under 9 can combine with Under 10, and Under 10 with Under 11: no more than 3 of the older players on the pitch.
• Under 11 can combine with Under 12 (boys' game): no more than 3 Under 12s on the pitch.

Playing up (individual)

• Under 7s may play with Under 8s only.
• Otherwise no child plays up before Under 12. From Under 12, boys may play up one age grade; girls can't play up outside their two-year age band.
• At Under 9 to Under 11, the only exception is a child permanently educated in the school year above their age grade, who can apply to play in that year's age grade.
• Under 11 girls can play in the girls' Under 12/Under 11 band.

Playing down (individual) is allowed only in limited, exceptional circumstances: the child is in a younger school year than their birth year, or their safety may be at risk because of small stature or a developmental or behavioural issue. It lasts for the whole season, in every setting.

How it's approved: a standard RFU risk assessment, the online POOAG application, and sign-off from a parent, the club's Age Grade Chair and the Constituent Body (county). Allow up to 10 days. The opposition must be told at least 24 hours before the match.

Kit must comply with World Rugby Law 4 and Regulation 12, which the RFU applies at all ages.

Basic kit: jersey (sleeves at least halfway to the elbow), shorts, socks and boots. At Under 7 and Under 8, players also wear a tag belt with two tags, one over each hip, worn outside the shirt.

Optional extras that are allowed: mouthguard (World Rugby recommends every player wears one), headgear, shin guards, fingerless mitts, approved shoulder or chest pads, ankle supports under socks, compliant base layers and leggings, and headscarves that aren't a danger.

Not allowed:

• jewellery
• gloves (full-finger gloves are only for non-contact rugby)
• shorts or leggings with padding sewn in
• anything sharp, or with buckles, clips, zips or rigid parts
• anything with blood on it

Boots and studs: moulded or replaceable studs are fine if they meet Regulation 12, including children's boots (there is no exception for age or boot size). Check studs for sharp edges or burrs; the referee can send a player off the pitch until a dangerous item is removed.

Glasses: glasses are allowed only in non-contact rugby. In contact rugby, only sports goggles dispensed by a GOC-registered optician or optometrist, with their written confirmation that they are needed and safe, are allowed (RFU Regulation 9).

England Rugby follows the UK Concussion Guidelines for Grassroots Sport through its HEADCASE programme and RFU Regulation 9. The rule is "If in doubt, sit them out".

On the day

• Any player showing even one sign or symptom of concussion is removed from the pitch immediately, in a match or training, and must not return to any activity that day.
• They should be assessed by an onsite healthcare professional, or you should call NHS 111 within 24 hours.
• If there are "red flags" (loss of consciousness, worsening drowsiness or confusion, seizure, repeated vomiting, severe or increasing headache, severe neck pain, new weakness, numbness or double vision), get urgent assessment at A&E, calling 999 for an ambulance if needed.
• For the first 24 hours they should not be left alone, and should rest and keep screen time low for at least the first 48 hours.

Returning to rugby (GRAS programme)

Every suspected concussion goes through the 6-stage Graduated Return to Activity and Sport programme, even if symptoms clear quickly. School comes before rugby.

So the minimum is 21 days. Anyone still having symptoms after 28 days should see their GP.

DBS checks (RFU Regulation 21, 2026/27)

Anyone aged 16 or over who works or volunteers with children in rugby union in England, paid or unpaid (coaching, training, teaching, care or supervision), must:

• apply for a DBS certificate processed through the RFU Safeguarding Team within 4 weeks of starting;
• until cleared, work only under active supervision of an RFU DBS-cleared adult who stays within sight and earshot;
• renew the DBS within 3 years, or keep it current through the DBS Update Service with annual status checks.

If a DBS certificate comes back with information on it, that person must stop working with children, even supervised, until the RFU clears them.

Adults in contact training (Regulation 15)

Adults must not join in any part of contact training with age grade players. That includes holding contact shields or tackle bags, demonstrating tackling, rucks, mauls, scrums or lineouts, and playing in semi-contact or opposed practices.