Referee's Guide to Rugby Canada Community Rugby All Ages 2026

Under World Rugby Laws 2026 (Law 6):

• The match organiser appoints the referee. If none has been appointed, the two teams agree on a referee; if they cannot agree, the home team appoints one.
• If the referee cannot complete the match, the replacement is appointed according to the match organiser's instructions. Without instructions, the referee appoints a replacement; if the referee cannot, the home team does.
• The referee is, alongside the other appointed match officials, the sole judge of fact and of law during a match.

Rugby Canada's U13 and U14 (13 v 13) variations say every match should be controlled by a trained, registered and appointed match official where possible, and that if one is not available a coach from either team is to assume the role of referee. For U11 and U12 every match is controlled by a Game Manager.

Sources: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 6: https://passport.world.rugby/media/wnvjlxtb/2607en-world-rugby-laws-final-compressed.pdf and Rugby Canada U13 and U14 (13 v 13) Law Variations: https://rugby.ca/uploads/Community/Age_Grade_Law_Variations_2023/English/Rugby_Canada_-_2022_Law_Variations_Community_Rugby_Eng_U13_U14-13s_v2_Jan2023.pdf

Under World Rugby Laws 2026 (Laws 3, 4 and 6):

• Toss: you organise it. One captain tosses a coin and the other calls. The winner decides whether to kick off or to choose an end; if they choose an end, the opponents kick off, and vice versa.
• Clothing and studs: you and the other match officials inspect players' clothing and studs. You may decide at any time that an item is dangerous or illegal and order it removed. If a player is told before the match that an item is banned and is later found wearing it on the playing area, the player is sent off for misconduct (penalty). Banned items include jewellery, gloves, communication devices and shorts or leggings with padding sewn in.
• Front row: you check the availability and status of front-row players and the scrum engagement process. Each team must tell you its front-row players and replacements.
• Numbers: each team has no more than 15 players in the playing area. A team may object to you about the opponents' numbers; if a team has too many players you order the captain to reduce them, the score stands, and the penalty applies. A match organiser may authorise fewer than 15 a side.
• Replacements: the match organiser decides how many may be nominated, up to a maximum of eight. They are made only when the ball is dead and with your permission.

Source: World Rugby Laws of the Game 2026: https://passport.world.rugby/media/wnvjlxtb/2607en-world-rugby-laws-final-compressed.pdf

Under World Rugby Laws 2026 (Law 3):

• Scrums become uncontested if either team cannot field a suitably trained front row, or if you so order.
• A match organiser may stipulate the conditions under which a game may start with uncontested scrums.
• Uncontested scrums as a result of a sending off, yellow card or injury must be played with eight players per side.
• When a front-row player leaves the playing area (injury, yellow or red card), you ask at the next scrum whether the team can continue with contested scrums. If told they cannot, you order uncontested scrums. If that player returns or another front-row player comes on, contested scrums may resume.
• Only when no replacement front-row player is available may any other player play in the front row.
• It is each team's responsibility to make sure its front-row players and front-row replacements are suitably trained and experienced.
• Before the match, each team must tell you its front-row players and possible front-row replacements, and which front-row positions they can play. Only those players may play in the front row when the scrum is contested, and only in their designated positions.
• In elite rugby, or at the match organiser's discretion, a player whose departure caused uncontested scrums cannot be replaced.

Source: World Rugby Laws of the Game 2026, Law 3: https://passport.world.rugby/media/wnvjlxtb/2607en-world-rugby-laws-final-compressed.pdf

Under World Rugby Laws 2026 (Law 9), a player who commits foul play must be cautioned, shown a yellow card or sent off.

• Yellow card: the player is cautioned and suspended for 10 minutes. A second yellow-card offence means the player must be sent off. Play restarts with a penalty.
• Red card: the player is sent off and takes no further part in the match.
• Repeated team offences: when different players of the same team repeatedly commit the same offence, you give the team a general caution, and if they repeat it you show a yellow card to the guilty player(s).
• Dangerous tackling includes tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent that leads to head contact, or above the relevant sanction line (see Law 14.1) while either player is in open field play.
• Other dangerous play includes leading with the elbow or forearm, lifting an opponent and dropping or driving them so their head or upper body hits the ground, tackling an opponent whose feet are off the ground, and retaliation.
• A player who disputes your decisions or does not stop when you whistle is guilty of misconduct (penalty).

Rugby Canada's U11 to U14 age-grade games use different card rules, covered in a separate question.

Source: World Rugby Laws of the Game 2026, Law 9: https://passport.world.rugby/media/wnvjlxtb/2607en-world-rugby-laws-final-compressed.pdf

Under World Rugby Laws 2026 (Law 9 and Law 3):

• Yellow card: the player is cautioned and suspended for 10 minutes. If that player later commits another yellow-card offence, the player must be sent off. Play restarts with a penalty.
• Red card: the player takes no further part in the match and may not be replaced. The Laws add a separate paragraph marked "Elite rugby only" on when a sent-off player can be replaced after 20 minutes of playing time.
• Uncontested scrums: when a front-row player's departure (by injury, yellow or red card) means a team cannot contest the scrum, scrums become uncontested and are played with eight players per side.
• The Rugby Canada age-grade variations for U11 to U14 differ: a player removed from the field is replaced so teams stay equal in number.

Sources: World Rugby Laws 2026: https://passport.world.rugby/media/wnvjlxtb/2607en-world-rugby-laws-final-compressed.pdf and Rugby Canada U13 and U14 (13 v 13) Law Variations: https://rugby.ca/uploads/Community/Age_Grade_Law_Variations_2023/English/Rugby_Canada_-_2022_Law_Variations_Community_Rugby_Eng_U13_U14-13s_v2_Jan2023.pdf

Rugby Canada's age-grade law variations (2023 editions) change the card rules:

• U11 and U12: a yellow card is a time out of 2 minutes when there is more than one match in a day, or 5 minutes when there is only one match. There are no red cards; coaches are encouraged to remove a player who is disrupting the game consistently or dangerously. A player removed with a yellow card is always replaced. Every match is controlled by a Game Manager.
• U13 and U14 (13 v 13): a yellow card is 5 minutes, and a player removed from the field is always replaced. A player sent off for foul play may be replaced. Every match should have a trained, registered and appointed match official where possible; if none is available, a coach from either team is to assume the role of referee. If a variation is not listed and there is doubt, apply the World Rugby Laws and the U19 variations where applicable.

These are the 2023 editions listed on Rugby Canada's community rugby page.

Sources: https://rugby.ca/uploads/Community/Age_Grade_Law_Variations_2023/English/Rugby_Canada_-_2022_Law_Variations_Community_Rugby_Eng_U11_U12_v3_Jan2023.pdf and https://rugby.ca/uploads/Community/Age_Grade_Law_Variations_2023/English/Rugby_Canada_-_2022_Law_Variations_Community_Rugby_Eng_U13_U14-13s_v2_Jan2023.pdf

Under World Rugby Laws 2026 (Law 3):

• Concussion: if at any point a player is concussed or has suspected concussion, that player must be immediately and permanently removed from the playing area. The Laws call this "Recognise and Remove".
• Other injuries: you may order an injured player to leave the playing area to be medically examined. A player is deemed injured if you decide, with or without medical advice, that it would be inadvisable for the player to continue; you then order that player to leave. In other matches a medically trained person's opinion can also count where the match organiser has given explicit permission.
• Blood injury: the player leaves and may be temporarily replaced, and returns once the bleeding is controlled and/or covered. If the player is not back within 15 minutes of actual time, the replacement becomes permanent.
• Replacements are made only when the ball is dead and with your permission.

Rugby Canada's age-grade variations say the same for injury: if a player is too injured to continue, the match official orders the player off, and a player with an open or bleeding wound must leave until it is controlled and covered.

Sources: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 3: https://passport.world.rugby/media/wnvjlxtb/2607en-world-rugby-laws-final-compressed.pdf and Rugby Canada U11 and U12 Law Variations: https://rugby.ca/uploads/Community/Age_Grade_Law_Variations_2023/English/Rugby_Canada_-_2022_Law_Variations_Community_Rugby_Eng_U11_U12_v3_Jan2023.pdf

Under World Rugby Laws 2026 (Law 5):

• A match lasts no longer than 80 minutes (two halves of not more than 40 minutes plus time lost). In non-international matches the match organiser may shorten it; if the organiser does not decide, the teams agree, and if they cannot agree you decide.
• Half-time is an interval not exceeding 15 minutes, as decided by the match organiser.
• You may stop play and allow time for a player injury for up to one minute (more if a player is seriously injured), and for consultation with other officials.
• When the ball is already dead you may allow time for replacements, repairing clothing, re-tying a boot-lace and retrieving the ball.
• In exceptionally hot or humid conditions you may allow a two-minute water break, midway through the half, after a score or when the ball is dead near halfway.
• A half ends when the ball becomes dead after time has expired, unless a scrum, lineout or restart kick awarded before time expired is incomplete, you award a free-kick or penalty, or a try has been scored (then time is allowed for the conversion).
• You may end or suspend the match at any time if you believe it would be unsafe to continue.

Source: World Rugby Laws of the Game 2026, Law 5: https://passport.world.rugby/media/wnvjlxtb/2607en-world-rugby-laws-final-compressed.pdf

Under World Rugby Laws 2026 (Law 6):

• If a player was sent off, you give the match organiser a written report on the foul play as soon as possible.
• If an assistant referee's verbal report to you led to a player being sent off, the assistant referee submits a written report to you as soon as possible after the match, and you provide it to the match organiser.
• You also communicate the score to the teams and to the match organiser.
• Any additional person (for example a non-playing team member) who fails to adhere to the Laws may be cautioned or sent off, and misconduct charges may be issued by the match organiser.

Rugby Canada's age-grade variations add that if a player's misconduct happens off the field of play, the match official reports it to the match organisers (U11/U12 and U13/U14 variations, section 6.3).

Sources: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 6: https://passport.world.rugby/media/wnvjlxtb/2607en-world-rugby-laws-final-compressed.pdf and Rugby Canada U13 and U14 (13 v 13) Law Variations: https://rugby.ca/uploads/Community/Age_Grade_Law_Variations_2023/English/Rugby_Canada_-_2022_Law_Variations_Community_Rugby_Eng_U13_U14-13s_v2_Jan2023.pdf

Under World Rugby Laws 2026 (Law 6):

• Every match has two assistant referees or two touch judges. Unless the match organiser has appointed them, each team provides a touch judge.
• They signal touch, touch in-goal and the success or otherwise of kicks at goal, and provide other assistance as you direct, including reporting foul play.
• You may consult them on their duties, on foul play and on timekeeping.
• You have control over them. You may tell them their duties and may overrule their decisions. You may change a decision after a flag has been raised for touch or touch-in-goal, or after foul play has been signalled.
• If a touch judge is unsatisfactory you may ask for a replacement. If you believe a touch judge is guilty of misconduct you may send them off and report to the match organiser.

Source: World Rugby Laws of the Game 2026, Law 6: https://passport.world.rugby/media/wnvjlxtb/2607en-world-rugby-laws-final-compressed.pdf