Can I play up or down an age group?

Q: Can I play up or down an age group?

Normally you play in your own age band. Teams can mix two neighbouring age bands, but there must never be more than a 2-year age gap between players on the pitch. The only exception is when a player with dispensation is on the pitch. Without dispensation: U16 players can mix and play with U17s, as long as 2-year banding is kept. If you were born in June, July or August, you can join your new age group for pre-season training and matches before 1 September. 15-year-olds into U18 rugby (exceptional cases only). All of these are required: your coach has completed RugbyRight and is suitably qualified evidence that you're on a strength and conditioning programme a physical maturity assessment (height, weight and a Sonic Bone skeletal maturity test) run by Scottish Rugby a tackle assessment video, filmed only after you've passed the Sonic Bone assessment an application through SCRUMS You can't play in the front row until you're 16. Decisions take up to 4 weeks. Playing down is for players who have matured later than their age group. You must be under (or close to) Scottish Rugby's height and weight trigger values and pass a physical maturity assessment. Applications aren't accepted just because your friends play in the younger group or your team is short of players. You can't play in a different age band until SCRUMS shows the approval.

Question

Accepted Answer

Normally you play in your own age band. Teams can mix two neighbouring age bands, but there must never be more than a 2-year age gap between players on the pitch. The only exception is when a player with dispensation is on the pitch.

Without dispensation:

U16 players can mix and play with U17s, as long as 2-year banding is kept.
If you were born in June, July or August, you can join your new age group for pre-season training and matches before 1 September.

15-year-olds into U18 rugby (exceptional cases only). All of these are required:

your coach has completed RugbyRight and is suitably qualified
evidence that you're on a strength and conditioning programme
a physical maturity assessment (height, weight and a Sonic Bone skeletal maturity test) run by Scottish Rugby
a tackle assessment video, filmed only after you've passed the Sonic Bone assessment
an application through SCRUMS

You can't play in the front row until you're 16. Decisions take up to 4 weeks.

Playing down is for players who have matured later than their age group. You must be under (or close to) Scottish Rugby's height and weight trigger values and pass a physical maturity assessment. Applications aren't accepted just because your friends play in the younger group or your team is short of players.

You can't play in a different age band until SCRUMS shows the approval.