At what age do girls' and boys' rugby separate?
Rule- England
- RFU
- Women's and girls' rugby
- Girls Under 11-Under 18 and adult women
- Regulation 15
- Gender Participation Policy
- 2026/27
- Players
Under RFU Regulation 15 (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 not permitted. Girls play in girls' age bands and boys in single age grades.
- New for 2026/27: the girls' Under 12/11 dual age band means Under 11 girls (Year 6) can choose girls-only rugby with Under 12 girls (Year 7). Mixed Under 11 rugby is still available.
- A girl playing in the Under 12/11 band can't play with boys; for example, Under 12 girls can't play with Under 11 boys.
This applies to contact rugby. In non-contact rugby, such as T1 Rugby and tag, players of all ages, both sexes and all genders can train and play together if the activity has been risk-assessed.
Added 21 Oct 2026