The following definitions apply to all RFU Regulations unless the context otherwise requires. References to the singular shall include the plural and vice versa.
| Term | Definition |
| Academy Player | An England Academy Player or a Player who is a member of one of the eleven RFU licensed Club Academies |
| Administrative Instructions | Instructions approved by the RFU produced by an Organising Committee which contain information to assist in the administration of RFU Competitions |
| Affiliated Organisation | A Club which is a member of the RFU |
| Age Grade Rugby | The structured progression to cover the introduction, teaching, playing and coaching of the Game in stages from U7 to U18 |
| Age Grade Players | All players participating in Age Grade Rugby |
| Agent Declaration | Such form prescribed by the RFU that a Principle and Agent are required to complete pursuant to RFU Regulations 8 and 14; |
| Amateur Declaration | A declaration provided by a Club (on the Registration Form) to the RFU that a Player is an amateur player being that they have (and will) not enter into any Contract with the Club and/or receive directly or indirectly Material Benefit in respect of playing rugby and for the purposes of the RFU Regulations an ‘Amateur Player’ will be construed accordingly |
| Appeal Panel | A panel, usually consisting of three members but may also comprise a Single Judicial Officer, appointed by the RFU Head of Judiciary to hear appeals against decisions made by a Disciplinary Panel. Appeal Panels will be chaired by a legally qualified person accredited by the RFU. |
| Application Documents | The documents to be submitted in accordance with RFU Regulation 14 to obtain Effective Registration of a Player |
| Artificial Pitch | A pitch made of artificial or synthetic turf |
| Assistant Referee(s) | Any person appointed by the relevant authority who is responsible for signalling touch, touch in-goal, the success or otherwise of kicks at goal and indicating foul play and who provides assistance to the referee in the performance of any of the referee’s duties as directed by the referee |
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Available Playing Time
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Means the total amount of playing time available to a team on any particular day. Where a team is participating in multiple matches in one day, the total available playing time will be the total number of minutes across all matches played by the team on that day; and in all cases (a) includes playing time spent off the pitch due to a temporary injury or yellow card and (b) excludes playing time that would have been available had a match not been abandoned or shortened due to bona fide reasons or in accordance with RFU Regulation 15.11.3. |
| Best Playing Record |
As between the Clubs at National League Rugby and below:
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| Best Runner Up |
The County not winning its pool and
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| CBAGDS | The person appointed by a Constituent Body (CB) of the RFU to oversee the exercise of disciplinary powers delegated by the RFU in respect of age grade matches. This individual is independent and will offer advice and assistance in Age Grade disciplinary matters and hearings to Clubs, Schools, Colleges or Regional Academies/Centre of Excellence pursuant to Regulation 19, Appendix 6, 1.6, 2.2 and 3.2. |
| CSU | County Schools Union |
| Championship | the competition between 12 Clubs at Championship level (formerly Level 2) governed by the RFU Championship Regulations |
| Citing Commissioner | A Citing Commissioner is an independent person appointed by the RFU to certain categories of match who will review match footage and any other relevant evidence to determine whether a player should be the subject of a citing complaint to be considered by a Disciplinary Panel. |
| Club Officer | A member of a Club nominated to act on its behalf |
| Club(s) |
For the purposes of all Regulations other than RFU Regulation 14: a club playing in the Leagues or a Club admitted into voting membership of the Union in accordance with the RFU Rules and it includes any union, league, combination or association of such clubs authorised under RFU Rule 5.2 and thereafter admitted into membership. (For the purposes of the Regulations, a “Club” shall include a Geographic or National Constituent Body where appropriate). For the purposes of the RFU Regulation 14 a Club participating in the League For the purposes of RFU Regulation 19 only: a Club admitted into voting or non-voting membership of the RFU |
| Committee | The Governance Standing Committee of the RFU or (where the context so admits the power of delegation contained in RFU Regulation 6 having been exercised) the Division, Constituent Body, Organising Committee |
| Constituent Body | As defined in the RFU Rules |
| Constituent Body (CB) Disciplinary Secretary | The person appointed by a Constituent Body (CB) of the RFU to oversee the exercise of disciplinary powers delegated by the RFU to CBs pursuant to Regulation 19.2.19. This individual is independent of and shall take no part in the deliberations of any Panel. |
| Contract |
Any agreement, arrangement or understanding whether formal or informal and technically whether legally enforceable or not made between a Club, Union, Division or province (or other union or association of clubs) or any other person, firm or company and a Player for the provision of a Material Benefit to the Player (or any other person, firm, company or organisation) wholly or partially in consideration for the Player’s participation in the Game or which entitles the party with whom the Player (or other person, firm, company or organisation) has entered into any such agreement, arrangement or understanding to require the Player to participate in the Game or the effect of which is the Player participates in the Game Note: For the avoidance of any doubt agreements with Academy Players, Apprenticeship Agreements, Bursaries and all other agreements or arrangements wholly or partially in relation to education or training of the Player will fall within the definition of Contract set out above |
| Contracted Overseas Player | An Overseas Player who at any time in the six months prior to their application for registration under the Registration Regulations (RFU Regulation 14) has entered into or been a party to a Contract |
| Contracted Player | A Player who is not an Amateur Player and/or who at the time holds Effective Registration with a Club is a party to a Contract to receive, or pursuant to a Contract has received, Material Benefit for playing rugby, but excluding a Contracted Overseas Player |
| Correct Number of Clubs | The same number of Clubs as in the Season or such other number of Clubs as the Committee may decide to rectify any special league sizes, which may have been created for the Season only |
| Council (or RFU Council) | The body established pursuant to Rule 15 to exercise the powers set out in RFU Rule 16.1 |
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Council Member (or Member of the Council) |
A member of the Council for the time being and shall include a person co-opted pursuant to the RFU Rules |
| County / Counties | The Constituent Bodies other than the Army, Cambridge University, the England Schools Union, Oxford University, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, England Colleges, Referees Rugby Union and the Students Union |
| Cup Competitions | Such Cup competitions as approved by the RFU |
| Current Union | Any rugby union, which is a member of World Rugby other than the RFU |
| Disciplinary Panel | A panel, usually consisting of three members but may also comprise a Single Judicial Officer, appointed to hear disciplinary cases. Panels will be chaired by a person accredited for this purpose by the RFU and in cases handled by the RFU, as opposed to cases heard by a CB disciplinary panel, will be chaired by a person who is legally qualified. |
| Disputes Committee | Any designated group or committee, to which powers have been delegated by the RFU in relation to a particular competition to consider and rule upon disputes pertaining to that competition |
| Dual Registered Players | Female players are permitted to simultaneously hold Effective Registration with both a Premiership Women’s Rugby club and another club in Championship 1 or below provided they comply with the RFU’s process for the dual registration of players |
| Effective Date | The date when a Player’s application for registration becomes effective in accordance with RFU Regulation 14 and such Player is accordingly Effectively Registered or has Effective Registration until such time as it ceases under RFU Regulation 14 |
| Effective Registration (or Effectively Registered) | A Player registered with a Club in accordance with and pursuant to RFU Regulation 14 |
| Electronic Match Card (EMC) | An online method accessed via the Competition Management module of the Game Management System by a Match Card Administrator, of submitting teams’ line-ups, the score and match events for a fixture that has been entered on GMS |
| England | England including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man |
| England Academy Player (EAP) | A Player who is: (i) of at least 16 years of age; (ii) under the age of 24 as at 1 September 2024; (iii) who is a member of one of the eleven RFU licensed Club Academies; (iv) whose name is on the England Academy Players list held and approved by the RFU (and notified to Premier Rugby Limited) and whose name cannot be removed from the list unless approved by the RFU; and (v) who is qualified to play for England and/or an England U20 Player in the season for whom consent has been given by the RFU to play under licence for a Club other than that for whom the player has an Effective Registration, unless otherwise approved by the panel appointed to over exceptions pursuant to the Academy Compensation Regulations. For the avoidance of doubt, an England Academy Player will not include a member of a RFU licensed Club Academy whose name is not on the list of England Academy Players held and approved by the RFU |
| EQP | Player qualified to play rugby for England in accordance with World Rugby Regulation 8 |
| ERFSU | England Rugby Football Schools Union |
| ERFSU Knockout Competitions | The Schools Under 18 and Under 15s competitions |
| Federation | An association of Referee Societies, as recognised by the Rugby Football Referees Union, operating together to make appointments of Match Officials to matches |
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Foreign Player Note: Given the United Kingdom (UK) is no longer a member of the European Union, the RFU annually reviews its position and works with stakeholders to determine its stance with regards to the regulatory classification of Foreign Players. The UK is currently entering a number of new international agreements, some of which have resulted in an expansion of our national Immigration Rules. The RFU’s classification of Foreign Players has maintained a pre-Brexit status quo and will continue to do so until such time that the RFU notifies the Game. As such, those players who are or would have been classified as a Non-Foreign prior to 1st January 2021 will retain such Non-Foreign classification until the end of the 2024-2025 season. This is relevant to all competitions where a Foreign Player rule applies and pertains to all players, including those who are already playing in England or are yet to arrive in England. |
A Non-Foreign Player is a person who, at the point that they are included in the Match Squad:
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| Fourth Official(s) | Any person appointed by the relevant authority to officiate upon a match as a fourth official |
| Game | Rugby football played in accordance with the Laws of the Game |
| Gross Gate Receipts | All monies (including car parking and programme receipts) collected in respect of a match and excluding VAT |
| Handbook | The Handbook containing the Rules and Regulations of the RFU published annually by the RFU |
| Incoming Tour | A match or series of matches (including 15 a-side, 1o a- side, 7 a-side, beach rugby, touch and tag, and such other variations of non-contact and contact rugby) played in England at any level involving a team from outside England including adult matches, Age Grade matches and/or matches involving scratch/composite teams (as defined by World Rugby) |
| Insolvency Event | Has the meaning given to that definition in RFU Regulation 5 |
| Intermediate Cup | Intermediate Clubs Knockout Cup agreed by the RFU and played in accordance with RFU Regulations |
| Judicial Officer / Chair |
Judicial Officers/Chairs of RFU Disciplinary & Appeal Panels shall:
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| Junior Vase | The Junior Clubs Knockout Competition agreed by the RFU and played in accordance with RFU Regulations |
| Laws of the Game | The laws prescribed by World Rugby to which the Game is played throughout the world (including any variations, trials and other formats that may be adopted by the RFU) |
| League or League Competition | The RFU league competitions titled the England Rugby Women’s Leagues and England Rugby Men’s Leagues as set out in the respective league structures approved by the Committee unless the context specifically refers to one league structure |
| League Match | A match in the League |
| Level | In relation to a Club’s position in the structure of the League the level of league in which a Club plays the highest men’s League being the Men’s Premiership and the highest women’s League being the Premiership Women’s Rugby (each Level 1). |
| Loan Player | A Player (other than an England Academy Player) who is loaned or transferred from one Club to another Club upon written terms (either a signed copy of the Player’s written Contract with their loaning Club if a Contracted Player or a written loan agreement signed by the Player and both Clubs) which entitles the Club (or Academy associated with that Club) making the loan or from whom the Player was transferred to require the Player to return to that Club at any time in the future |
| Lower XV | Means any adult male team of a Club other than its senior adult male first XV. |
| Lowest Total Mileage |
Calculated as the sum total of the single journeys in each direction as calculated by the Club Mileage Spreadsheet via Google Maps on default settings. This shall be the quickest route, as calculated by the Google Maps software, in each direction. Any Club whose mileage when reduced by 2% is equal to or less than that of the Club with the Lowest Total Mileage shall be regarded as having an ‘Identical Lowest Total Mileage’. In the absence of a ground postcode then the nearest postcode available for identifying the location of the ground as determined by the DOC will be used with a manual adjustment made if necessary |
| Match Official(s) | For the purposes of all RFU Regulations, with the exception of RFU Regulation 19, means any person appointed by the relevant authority to officiate upon a match including a Referee, Assistant Referee, and where appointed a television match official, a Fourth Official and any others appointed to assist with the management of the Game |
| Match Result Card | A physical method of noting the line-up, score and match events of a fixture, which is submitted to the Competition Organiser upon completion of the fixture, whether by email submission or physically mailed. Utilised by leagues that do not use Electronic Match Card |
| Material Benefit | Money, consideration, gifts or any other benefits whatsoever contracted, promised or given to a person or at their direction, but does not include reimbursement of proper expenses incurred for reasonable travel, accommodation, subsistence or other expenses incurred in relation to the Game and as particularised in RFU Regulation 7.3 |
| Media Rights | All television and/or other broadcasting, media, internet, web-site and mobile rights (whether live, as live, delayed, highlights or clips and whether such rights are on a free, pay, pay-per-view, video on demand and/or near video on demand and whether they are exercised by a means that is now known or developed in the future), relating to any RFU Competition and any advertising, publicity and promotion rights of any and every description in and relating to any RFU Competition |
| Member | Member of the Union |
| Minutes Played | Such actual time played in a match in the sole opinion of the relevant Match Official |
| National Representative Body | Defined in the RFU Rules |
| National League(s) | National League Rugby (formerly Levels 3 and 4) of the England Rugby Men’s Leagues |
| National League Rugby (NRL) Committee | Committee to whom delegated authority is given in relation to National League Rugby (formerly Level 3 and Level 4) of the England Rugby Men’s Leagues |
| Next Available Weekend | The first available and next following Weekend (which may include a Weekend prior to that upon which a match in the Competition was originally scheduled to be played) |
| Notice of Appeal | A written notice submitted by or on behalf of a person or Club that wishes to challenge the outcome of a disciplinary hearing in accordance with Regulation 19.5. The information which the notice must contain is set out in Regulation 19.5.10. |
| Notice of Hearing | The document issued in disciplinary cases handled by a CB under delegated powers which formally notifies a person or body charged with a disciplinary offence of a pending disciplinary hearing. The Notice will set out details of the charge and the date, time and place of the hearing, see Regulation 19.4.16. It will also contain the key information required to enable the person or body charged to prepare to answer the case against them. |
| Notification of Transfer Form | The current edition of the form issued by the RFU |
| NAGDS | The National Age Grade Disciplinary Secretary appointed by the RFU |
| Officials | Any person appointed to assist with the organisation and administration of a match including, but not limited to, Match Officials, citing commissioners, medical staff, anti-doping officials and match security staff |
| Organising Committee | Any designated group or organising committee, to which powers have been delegated by the RFU in relation to a particular competition and which may include the league secretary or such other nominated person of such committee, as notified by the committee to the Clubs |
| Outgoing Tour | A match or series of matches (including 15 a-side, 10 a- side, 7 a-side, beach rugby, touch and tag, and such other variations of non-contact and contact rugby) played outside England at any level including adult matches, Age Grade matches or matches involving scratch/composite teams (as defined by World Rugby) |
| Overseas Club | An association of persons situated outside England the principal object of which is the playing of the Game |
| Overseas Player | Any Player playing the Game for any team in any Union other than the RFU |
| Permitted Player |
A Player who:
and in each case is also not a Contracted Player, Contracted Overseas Player, Foreign Player or an Overseas Player |
| Pitch Conditions | Condition or state of a pitch rendering it unplayable or unsafe |
| Player | Any person who is age 17 or over on that Player’s Registration Date |
| Player Interchanges | As defined in RFU Regulation 6.61 |
| Player Register | The electronic register of Players and England Academy Players who are Effectively Registered, maintained by the RFU |
| Play-off Match(es) | A play-off match or matches as determined to be required by an Organising Committee in accordance with RFU Regulation 6 |
| Premiership | The top level of the RFU Men’s Competitions structure |
| Premiership Club | Club playing its league rugby in the Premiership |
| Premiership Women’s Rugby | The top level of the RFU Women’s Competitions structure |
| Professional Club | As defined in RFU Regulation 10 |
| Referee(s) | Any person appointed by the relevant authority to officiate upon a match as a referee |
| Referee’s Report | The report submitted, usually by the match referee, where the referee has dismissed a player or wishes to report match official abuse. Where the referee has acted solely on the evidence of an assistant referee (AR), the assistant must contribute to the report. |
| Referee Society | A rugby body recognised by the RFU for the appointment of the Match Officials in a particular geographical location or national part of the Game |
| Region | A combination of Constituent Bodies, which organises and manages the playing of the male Regional Leagues and where applicable those other RFU competitions in those Constituent Bodies for and on behalf of the RFU |
| Regional Leagues | In respect of the male Leagues, all those leagues forming part of the League below the National Leagues (formerly Level 5 and below) |
| Registrar | The RFU or person or organisation appointed by the RFU to deal with the registration of Players under RFU Regulation 14 |
| Registration Date | The date upon which an application for Effective Registration is affected under RFU Regulation 14 |
| Registration Form | The current edition of the application form for registration of adult players issued by the RFU and published on the website from time to time |
| Representative Match / Rugby | A competitive match involving a Representative team |
| Representative Team | A national XV or AXV or Under 20 XV or national VII or Students XV or Counties XV or any other team of any national Union picked by nationally appointed selectors |
| Residence | The place where a Player habitually lives and sleeps |
| Results Service | The person or organisation appointed by the RFU for the purpose of collecting, collating and distributing statistical information on fixtures, results, tables and any such other information as the RFU and/or the Organising Committee shall from time to time require |
| RFU | Rugby Football Union |
| RFU Competition(s) | The League Competition, any knock-out competition organised by the RFU, and any other competition designated by the RFU as an RFU Competition for the purposes of RFU Regulations |
| RFU Disciplinary Hearings Manager | The person appointed by the RFU as Disciplinary Hearings Manager (or such other person to whom the RFU Disciplinary Hearings Manager may delegate authority to act on their behalf) who is responsible for the administration of judicial matters who for the purposes of these Regulations reports to the RFU Head of Judiciary and acts on their behalf |
| RFU Head of Discipline | The person appointed by the RFU as Head of Discipline who is responsible for the administration of disciplinary matters or such other person to whom the RFU Head of Discipline may delegate authority to act on their behalf |
| RFU Head of Judiciary | The independent person appointed by the RFU as Head of the Rugby Judiciary or such other person to whom the RFU Head of Judiciary may delegate authority to act on their behalf |
| RFU Legal & Governance Director | The person appointed by the RFU as the Legal and Governance Director or such other person to whom the RFU Legal & Governance Director may delegate authority to act on their behalf |
| RFU Regulations | Resolutions or Regulations made in accordance with RFU Rule 4.13 |
| RFU Rules | The Rules of the Rugby Football Union |
| RFU Women Competitions | The adult women’s competitions run by the RFU |
| Rugby Judiciary | The independent person appointed by the RFU as Head of the Rugby Judiciary or such other person to whom the RFU Head of Judiciary may delegate authority to act on their behalf. |
| Rule 5.12 case | Shall have the meaning ascribed to it in RFU Regulation 19 |
| Season | The RFU competition season as set out in RFU Regulation 11 |
| Senior EPS Player | A Player selected for the Senior England Elite Playing Squad by the RFU or by such other person designated by the RFU and so identified to the Clubs |
| Senior Vase | The Knockout Competition for those Clubs agreed by the RFU and played in accordance with RFU Regulations |
| Service Pass Player | A player who has been approved by the RFU as a service pass player in accordance with the RFU’s Service Pass Process set out in RFU Regulations 13 and 14 |
| SRFU | Students Rugby Football Union |
| Structured Season | The Structured Season as approved by the Council of the RFU |
| Student Pass Player | A player who has been approved by the RFU as a student pass player in accordance with the RFU’s Student Pass Process set out in RFU Regulations 13 and 14 |
| Technical Area | A clearly designated area of the playing enclosure (not exceeding 10 sq. metres) lying between the centre and 10m lines of the pitch. Such area shall be within the any pitch-side barrier and at least 1m from the touchline of the playing area |
| Tour(s) | Incoming Tour(s) and/or Outgoing Tour(s) |
| Transfer Deadline |
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| U18 Competition | The National Under 18 Competition |
| U20 Competition | The National Under 20 Championship |
| Union | Any Union as defined by the rules of World Rugby |
| Waiting Period |
The period of time between the Registration Date and the Effective Date, as decided by the Registrar save in the circumstances set out below when the waiting period shall be as stated:
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| Weather | Meteorological conditions, including temperature, wind, clouds, precipitation and light |
| Women's County Championship | The County Championship Division 1 and Division 2 |
| World Rugby | The International Rugby Board, the world governing body of the game of which the RFU is a Member |
| World Rugby Regulations | Resolutions and regulations promulgated by World Rugby from time to time |
