As clubs begin to think about next season, one the main questions to be asked is:
What age grade rules will we play to in the 2021-22 season? Are players held back an age group?

Answer
We need to ensure players do not miss vital building blocks for a safe and manageable introduction to the full contact game. The shift to the next set of age group rules is delayed until 1 January 2022. (E.g. U10s in 2021-22 will play U9 rules before January and U10 rules thereafter. This will also be the case throughout the boys-only age groups at U12 onwards. Please note, all players still do move up an age group for the 2021-22 season as in any other year. The rules are the difference, not their age group.
Girls in U13, U15 and U18 multi-age bands will move as usual to that band and play those rules through 2021-22. We are providing specific training/playing guidance for coaches working in these age group bands. The first element of this is available within the Summer Activity Framework on the Return to Rugby page

This will also give you all the details you need for all age groups so worth a read – https://www.englandrugby.com/dxdam/93/93eb5665-7d0d-48f4-ad18-aaa2788b253f/210513%20RTP%20AG%20Changes.pdf

I am pleased to invite you to an online webinar where we will give all clubs attending some valuable insight into how to launch Walking Rugby at your clubs. With a rise in activity levels amongst our senior populations, there is no better time to attract new and returning members to your club to take part in this safe, non-contact format of the game. Diversify your revenue, make links with your wider community and assist members to get active as well as addressing loneliness issues that have been exacerbated by the pandemic over the past 18 months.

This will be a one hour session, with guest presenters from an established and a highly successful walking rugby team (50 new members to their club) who are more than happy to share what they did, how they did it and why, to help “grow the game” here in Leicestershire & Rutland. We are also working with a number of the Counties district councils who have small funding pots available to aid your club in setting up walking rugby sections. They will also be on the call to explain more.

Register for the session by clicking on the following link – https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJErdO6hrzkqHtxSVhIwPaxxUps7JXK-3-X3 – once you have registered, you will receive the meeting link. I hope to see lots of our clubs represented and looking to launch walking rugby later this Summer.

Meeting details
Monday 12^th July  7 – 8pm.

Kind regards,
Tim Westwood

RFU Club developer (Midlands)

Expressions of interest are invited for the role of Leicestershire Rugby Union (LRU) Rugbysafe Manager commencing in September 2021. This is a voluntary role.
This is a key role within the constituent body (CB) and we are looking for an individual who has a passion for promotion of player welfare. Player Welfare, and making rugby as safe as possible, is the joint responsibility of all involved in the game. This role covers all areas of the game including adult and age grade. You will be an approachable and organised individual, ideally with a background in healthcare or a good awareness of player welfare and first aid.
Support in the role will be provided by the LRU Safeguarding manager and the LRU Age Grade Chair.

Key responsibilities and tasks within the role:

1. LRU First Aid / Immediate Care Pitch-side provision for Representative Rugby
• Review the CB risk assessments and current first aid (FA) and immediate care (IC) provision for training and matches. Referring to the RFU’s recommended minimum levels, create a plan to ensure every training session and match is appropriately covered.
2. Training & Equipment
• Arrange training to ensure all appointed first aiders and immediate care practitioners within the CB’s representative rugby are trained and up-to-date with an appropriate level of qualification, in line with RFU guidelines (e.g. RFU Emergency First aid in Rugby Union and Immediate Care in Sport courses). Have a process in place for the management of FA/IC supplies and equipment.
3. Reporting
• Ensure there is process in place to keep records of player medical conditions, monitor injuries and report incidents/injuries as they happen in line with RFU regulations at a CB level.
• Receive and action information from the RFU in relation to injury reports, audits requirements and COVID-19 on behalf of the CB.
4. Funding / Local Rugby Plan (LRP)
• Review and manage budgets requirements for player welfare projects and FA/IC provision. Input into the LRP planning process, to provide funding and enable opportunities for CB and clubs to support player welfare across all levels of the game.
5. RugbySafe
• Utilise the RFUs RugbySafe scheme and guidelines (e.g. management of concussion), working with other key personnel (e.g. coaches and CB safeguarding manager) to support wider best practice and ensure that all volunteers and parents are aware of how to support player welfare.
6. Club Support
• Act as a contact for clubs on behalf of the CB. Work with clubs to gain an understanding of current compliance levels and provide support and guidance on FA/IC training, injury reporting and other player welfare issues.
• Act as a conduit between clubs to organise RFU approved FA/ IC training.
• Maintain good relationships with clubs on behalf of the CB and respond to queries in relation to injury reporting.
• Arrange, where appropriate opportunities for information sharing and networking across the CB in relation to rugbysafe.
7. Monitoring
• Undertake regular monitoring and audit of the Game Management System to ensure LRU member clubs have assigned rugbysafe leads.
8. Meeting attendance
• You will be required to attend and contribute to the LRU Operations committee which meets on a regular basis and also attend any meetings or seminars as proposed by the RFU in relation to rugby safe.

Please submit expressions of interest to shona.green@leicestershirerugbyunion.co.uk
If you would like to have an informal discussion about the role, please contact the e-mail address above.

From Monday 26 April we will return to Stage D2 on the rugby roadmap, which includes contact fixtures with adapted laws. Please familiarise yourselves with the guidance below. A video is also available here.

Age Grade

This move to Stage D2 also applies to age grade rugby, from Monday 26 April until the end of the extended 2020-21 age grade season on Monday 31 May 2021.

From Tuesday 1 June, we move to the out-of-season period through June, July and August, when activity will follow the Summer Activity Framework. For details, see below.

Age Grade Changes
Summer Activity Guide
Summer Activity Overview
Stage D2 Age Grade Match Guidance

The next #AskAgeGrade session on @AgeGradeRugby will be hosted on Monday 3 May.