Referee's Guide to SA Rugby Community Rugby Senior 2026

SA Rugby's ball-carrier laws, in force for school and club rugby since 2024, apply in open play:

The ball carrier may brace for contact and lower their body position, and may pick-and-drive in a low body position. The ball carrier must not:

• run with the body fully bent or horizontal
• run with the head lower than the hips
• lead head-first into contact
• dip late and low with the head leading into contact
• use the "cannon-arm" technique (going to ground early to propel themselves forward into contact)

The ball carrier must keep the tackler's "safe zone" (below the base of the sternum) accessible.

Sanctions

• Denying the tackler a safe, legal tackle, without head-to-head contact: penalty kick.
• Head-to-head contact: the current Head Contact Process applies, and it can escalate to yellow or red cards.
• Apply the usual mitigation when the carrier slips, dips to catch a low pass, or loses their footing before contact.

A latcher may bind onto a pick-and-drive carrier only once the carrier has made contact with a defender.

SA Rugby's Scrum Law Modifications (updated January 2026), section for all other adult rugby, U20 and above:

• Engagement sequence: "Crouch" (ear to ear, spine in line), "Bind" (take a firm bind on the opposite front row but keep the ear-to-ear distance), "Set" (secure the bind and actively engage, with a reduced hit).
• Once the scrum is square and stable, the scrum-half puts the ball in.
• A full scrum contest within the World Rugby laws.
• Props must bind with their elbows no lower than their shoulder line.
• No deliberate wheeling, and no turnover when a scrum wheels through 90°.
• Uncontested scrums caused by a send-off, temporary suspension or injury must still be played with eight players a side.
• If the packs are mismatched or unsuitable, manage it under the current World Rugby laws.

U18 and U19 club teams follow the junior modifications instead: the push is limited to 1.5 m, and there is no turnover when a scrum wheels past 45°.

No. World Rugby's global law trial of the 20-minute red card applies to elite rugby only, which World Rugby defines as a professional level of rugby, determined by individual unions and competitions.

Under the trial, a player sent off for an intentional or highly dangerous act cannot be replaced; for other red cards the player may be replaced after 20 minutes of playing time.

In community and club rugby, the standard law applies: a player who is sent off takes no further part in the match and cannot be replaced.

From SA Rugby's BokSmart regulations and BokSmart's minimum ("Green") safety standards for club and community matches:

BokSmart certification

• Each coach must show you proof of BokSmart certification at least 15 minutes before kick-off.
• Your assistant referees must be certified.

Emergency action plan

• The home team management must present its emergency action plan to you before the match.
• You confirm that the requirements for a safe environment and the emergency plan are in place before allowing the match to start.

Minimum medical cover and equipment

• One or two people trained in emergency field-side care (a trained first aider or paramedic) per match or field in use.
• A spinal board and harness, and cervical collars and head blocks.
• The BokSmart Concussion Guide. A SCAT tool and a first aid bag are also required, except in certain under-resourced communities.

Medical staff

• Give qualified medical staff permission to enter the field, or agree it before kick-off.

Under SA Rugby's BokSmart regulations:

• Coach not certified: the match is abandoned.
• Coach claims certification but has no proof: the match goes ahead, but that person may not be on or next to the playing area. They must show the licence to the host on the first working day after the match.
• Referee or assistant referee not certified, or without proof: the match is abandoned, unless certified officials of the right level can take their place.

Sanctions on you as referee (minimum 3-match suspension each) if you:

• let an uncertified assistant referee officiate
• start a match when a coach has not shown proof of certification, other than by keeping a coach who claims certification away from the playing area as above
• allow an uncertified coach, assistant coach or official onto the playing area

A host club that lets a match go ahead with uncertified officials or coaches forfeits the match.

SA Rugby's Protocol for Medical Personnel Entering the Field of Play:

• Qualified medical staff need your permission to enter the field. You can give it before the match (for example in the change room), or stop play and call them on. If they haven't been given permission beforehand, they must ask you before kick-off, and you should not unreasonably refuse.
• Medics who go on while play continues must not interfere with play or endanger players or themselves.
• Stop play if it moves within about 10 metres of medical staff treating an injured player.
• Your assistant referees should alert you if you are unsighted.

Apart from players and qualified medical staff, nobody may enter the playing area unless they show BokSmart certification.

In community rugby, a suspected concussion is treated the same as a confirmed one. SA Rugby's Concussion Regulations and Blue Card system apply to all amateur rugby:

• Recognise and Remove: the player must leave the field immediately and permanently, and may not return in that match. The referee may decide this with or without medical advice.
• Show the Blue Card as the visible signal that the player has been removed for concussion.
• The off-field Head Injury Assessment (HIA) is not used in community rugby. It is only for World Rugby-approved elite adult competitions.
• The player must then have at least 24 to 48 hours of rest and at least 2 weeks with no contact rugby, follow a graduated return to play with a doctor's clearance, and may not play a match until 21 days after the injury.
• Record the event on the Blue Card Concussion Incident Report (bluecard.footprintapp.net).

Under SA Rugby's BokSmart regulations, for every competition, tournament or league match on an approved fixture list, the referee must submit an official referee's report to the province or SA Rugby, whichever applies, within 72 hours of the match.

It must include:

• the referee's full name, contact number and BokSmart certification code (in the form BS-0000001)
• the full names, contact numbers and BokSmart codes of all assistant referees

The host's match manager or secretary separately records the BokSmart status of the coaches and anyone else who entered the playing area.

For a concussion, also record the event on the Blue Card Concussion Incident Report (bluecard.footprintapp.net).

Under SA Rugby's BokSmart regulations:

• Every referee and assistant referee must be BokSmart certified to officiate. Ordinary touch judges who are not qualified referees and only monitor the touchline are exempt.
• Certification is valid for 2 years. Renew it by completing the latest BokSmart course; there is a 2-month grace period after the expiry date on your licence card.
• Officiating without certification brings at least a 3-match suspension, which lasts until you are certified.

SA Rugby's Rugby Safety documents describe referees and coaches as the first line of defence in preventing serious injuries, because many community matches have little or no medical support.