Parent's Guide to SA Rugby Youth Weeks U13-U18 2026

Q: Will my child be drug tested?

Possibly. SA Rugby's 2026 tournament standards say drug testing for prohibited substances and methods will be conducted at all SA Rugby tournaments, especially at U18 Craven Week (and the Gold Cup). Testing is done independently by the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS), in a dedicated, lockable doping control room. For a player under 18, a parent or legal guardian, not the coach, must sign the Schedule I: SA Rugby Participation Consent Form, which allows SAIDS to test the player. Not completing this consent means immediate exclusion from the tournament. SA Rugby applies World Rugby Regulation 21 (Anti-Doping), and SAIDS handles any anti-doping rule violation.

Question 1

How is my child's age eligibility checked at a Youth Week?

Accepted Answer

All players must comply with SA Rugby's School Rugby Age-Banding Regulations (January 2026). The age group is set by the age a player turns during the calendar year: for example, U13 players turn 12 or 13 that year, U16 players turn 15 or 16, and U18 players turn 17 or 18. A younger player selected above the normal two-year band needs an approved age-banding exemption. For U16 and U18, this is Schedule A, plus Schedule B (and Schedule C where it applies) for front-row players. Primary school (U13) has no exemptions. Before the tournament, the team manager must give the tournament's medical and safety officer certified copies of the signed exemption, or a clearance certificate from the provincial union's BokSmart system (PRUBIS). Without this paperwork, the player is not allowed to take part. The officer can check exemptions with BokSmart's Age-banding Checker app.

Question 2

What consent form must I sign before the week?

Accepted Answer

Every player nominated for an SA Rugby Youth Week must complete, sign and comply with the Schedule I: SA Rugby Participation Consent Form, found in the SA Rugby Tournament Participation Agreement. No exceptions are made. If the player is under 18, the parent or legal guardian signs it, not the coach. The form and its supporting documents must be uploaded onto Footprint, SA Rugby's registration system, before the tournament. A player may only take part if this has been done. By signing, you consent to anti-doping testing by SAIDS, and to SA Rugby receiving the player's tournament injury and illness information, which may be used for research. Failure to complete the consent process means immediate exclusion from the tournament.

Question 3

Will my child be drug tested?

Accepted Answer

Possibly. SA Rugby's 2026 tournament standards say drug testing for prohibited substances and methods will be conducted at all SA Rugby tournaments, especially at U18 Craven Week (and the Gold Cup).

Testing is done independently by the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS), in a dedicated, lockable doping control room.
For a player under 18, a parent or legal guardian, not the coach, must sign the Schedule I: SA Rugby Participation Consent Form, which allows SAIDS to test the player.
Not completing this consent means immediate exclusion from the tournament.

SA Rugby applies World Rugby Regulation 21 (Anti-Doping), and SAIDS handles any anti-doping rule violation.

Question 4

What anti-doping education must my child complete?

Accepted Answer

Under SA Rugby's 2026 tournament standards:

Players must complete an education session on drugs in sport, presented by the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS), before attending an SA Rugby Youth Week. The provincial union organises it.
Players are also encouraged to complete World Rugby's online anti-doping education (Keep Rugby Clean) and to read the World Rugby Anti-Doping Handbook.

SA Rugby has adopted World Rugby Regulation 21 (Anti-Doping). SAIDS carries out testing and deals with anti-doping rule violations on SA Rugby's behalf.

Question 5

What medical cover is there at a Youth Week?

Accepted Answer

SA Rugby's Medical and Safety Minimum Standards for SARU Tournaments (2026) and BokSmart's "Gold" standard, which covers SARU Youth Weeks, require: A tournament doctor, ideally sports-medicine trained and experienced in rugby. An extra doctor is needed when matches run at the same time and injury data shows one or more time-loss injuries per match. If a Youth Week is played at two or more venues on any day, a doctor must be on site at each venue. Paramedics and an ambulance on site. A dedicated medical room at each ground, easily reached from the field. It must have spinal equipment (trauma board, head blocks, cervical collar, spider harness), resuscitation equipment and an AED, and a visible emergency action plan that includes the BokSmart Spineline (0800 678 678). Expedited access to suitable government and private hospitals. The tournament doctor has authority to remove any player with a blood injury, suspected concussion, or suspected head, neck or spine injury.

Question 6

Can coaches or team managers go onto the field to help an injured player?

Accepted Answer

No. Under SA Rugby's 2026 tournament medical standards, coaches, assistant coaches and team managers may never enter the field of play to help or remove an injured player. Breaking this rule can lead to a disciplinary hearing and removal from the tournament. On-field injuries are handled by the contracted tournament medical staff. A team's own doctor, or a physiotherapist with a current First Aid qualification, may roam the touchline in a "Medical" bib only if declared and approved beforehand, with their qualifications uploaded to Footprint. For a serious concussion, head, neck or spine injury, the emergency personnel and tournament doctor take charge. A team physiotherapist may only assist; a team doctor may manage the situation with the emergency staff. Off the field, the tournament doctor remains ultimately responsible for every injured player.

Question 7

What happens if my child is concussed during the week?

Accepted Answer

Players with a concussion or suspected concussion are managed under the SA Rugby and World Rugby concussion regulations:

The tournament doctor can remove a player with a suspected concussion from the field at any time.
Every injured player must be reported to the tournament doctor and independently assessed, even if a team doctor has already seen them. The tournament doctor must sign off any return to play during the tournament.
Under SA Rugby's Concussion Regulations, a concussed player has at least 2 weeks with no contact rugby and may not play a match for 21 days. In practice, this means no further matches at that week.
The off-field Head Injury Assessment (HIA) is not used. Players under 19 are managed by Recognise and Remove.

After the week, the player follows a graduated return to play and needs a doctor's clearance before full-contact training.

Question 8

Does my child need a mouthguard?

Accepted Answer

U13 provincial teams: yes. SA Rugby's Primary School Law Variations make mouthguards compulsory for all players in provincial teams. All SA Rugby tournaments: SA Rugby's 2026 tournament medical standards say it is advisable for every player to wear a mouthguard at practices and in matches. BokSmart's protective equipment guideline adds that a mouthguard should be checked regularly for splits and loss of shape, and that growing children should replace theirs at least every 6 months.

Question 9

What match rules apply at U13 Craven Week?

Accepted Answer

U13 is primary school rugby, so SA Rugby's Primary School Law Variations (2025) apply, including to provincial teams: Two halves of 25 minutes running time (the clock does not stop), with a 5-minute half-time. A size 4 ball. Players play barefoot, and mouthguards are compulsory for provincial teams. Up to 12 rolling interchanges, with three trained front-row replacements in the squad. Yellow card: 5 minutes, and the player may be temporarily replaced. A red-carded player may be replaced immediately. Tackles must be below the base of the sternum and above the knees, and sling tackles are banned. Scrums: no hit, the contest starts at the put-in, a maximum push of 1.5 m, and no turnover scrums. Lineouts must have all seven trained forwards (no short lineouts). A jumper who lands with the ball may not be sacked. No roaming coach is allowed at U13.

Question 10

What scrum rules apply at the U16 and U18 weeks?

Accepted Answer

SA Rugby's Scrum Law Modifications (updated January 2026) cover provincial school teams:

U16 (with U10 to U16)

Calls: "Crouch", "Bind", "Scrum". Passive engagement with no hit.
The ball goes in on the "Scrum" call and the contest starts then.
Maximum push 1.5 metres, then the contest stops.

U18 (school, club, provincial and national U18 and U19)

Calls: "Crouch", "Bind", "Set". Active engagement with a reduced hit.
The ball goes in once the scrum is square and stationary, with no signal from the referee.
Maximum push 1.5 metres, then the contest stops.

Both

Props bind with their elbows no lower than their shoulder line.
No deliberate wheeling. If a scrum wheels past 45°, the referee orders a new scrum with no turnover.
Uncontested scrums caused by a card or injury are still played with eight players a side.

Parent's Guide to SA Rugby Youth Weeks U13-U18 2026

How is my child's age eligibility checked at a Youth Week?Rule

Parent's Guide to SA Rugby Youth Weeks U13-U18 2026

How is my child's age eligibility checked at a Youth Week?Rule

What consent form must I sign before the week?Rule

Will my child be drug tested?Rule

What anti-doping education must my child complete?Rule

What medical cover is there at a Youth Week?Rule

Can coaches or team managers go onto the field to help an injured player?Rule

What happens if my child is concussed during the week?Rule

Does my child need a mouthguard?Rule

What match rules apply at U13 Craven Week?RuleU13 Craven Week

What scrum rules apply at the U16 and U18 weeks?RuleU16 and U18