Age Grade Rugby is a fun and enjoyable game for all players aged six and over in clubs, schools, and colleges. Girls and boys younger than six years of age can participate in Early Year’s activities. These have a multi-sport and multi-movement focus, rather than solely focusing on movements and skills present within the game of rugby union. Sessions should have a blend of child initiated ‘free play’ activities as well as adult initiated activities, with the aim being to nurture each child’s Physical development & Movement; Emotional, Social and Personal development; and Communication and Language development.
The Early Years Provision Guidance shares good practice to approach the development of children participating in rugby between the ages of 18 months to 5 years.
As children reach six years of age (school year 2), they can take part in U7 Age Grade Rugby, which is tag and non-contact rugby. This will develop their personal and social skills as well as a wide array of transferable multi-sports skills. This results in their personal development as well as their lifelong involvement in rugby and other sports. Both U7 and U8 Age Grade Rugby is tag or non-contact, and anyone wanting to deliver U7 and or U8 Age Grade can attend an England rugby Tag course to upskill their coaching knowledge. While the default is always for young people to play in their own year group with their peers, players can play out of their age group in specific circumstances and with defined approvals in Regulation 15.
