From U9 Age Grade Rugby (school year 4), players can start to be introduced to contact. For those players not wanting to progress to contact, T1 Rugby is an alternative way to play.
The England Rugby First Contact course develops coaches who deliver U9-U11 Age Grade Rugby, and the First Contact course, England Rugby Coaching Award (ERCA) and England Rugby Referee Award (ERRA) all support coaches involved in delivering to players in the U12 band and upwards.
Age Grade Rugby is mixed up until U11 (school year 6). At U12 (school year 7), girls transition to girls only rugby, where there are dual age bandings. Boys progress through Age Grade Rugby with single age bands U12 and U13. 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.
