Contents:

1. Background
2. Definitions
3. General Variations
4. Specific Variations
5. Variations applicable to all rugby activity

22.1 Background

• 22.1.1 This Regulation 22 applies to the adult men’s game at Premiership and below, the adult women’s game at Level 1 and below, the age grade game and such other competitions and Agreed Recommendations which are expressly referenced to be captured by this Regulation 22.
• 22.1.2 All matches played under the jurisdiction of the RFU and/or in RFU competitions or any other competition, merit table or friendlies must be played in accordance with World Rugby Laws (including any variations or trials that may be adopted and approved by the RFU which include, amongst others, such variations set out in RFU Regulation 15 and any other related variations approved by the RFU), World Rugby Regulations, the RFU Rules, the RFU Regulations and any competition specific regulations applicable to a competition.
• 22.1.3 All of the above-mentioned regulations are approved by the RFU Council and any variations to those regulations must be approved by the RFU Council, unless otherwise provided for within the regulations.
• 22.1.4 Regulation 22 is made by the RFU Council, pursuant to the Powers of Council set out in RFU Rule 16.1(a). RFU Council decisions made pursuant to RFU Rule 16.1(a) (including any regulatory changes made pursuant to such decisions) are not appealable.
• 22.1.5 This Regulation has been drafted to cater for the ongoing impact of the global Covid crisis on rugby union in England (and such other infectious disease and/or public health emergency or any other exceptional circumstance(s) to which this Regulation may apply as determined from time to time by the RFU’s Chief Executive Officer in their sole discretion) to ensure that, as far as possible, the regulations are flexible enough to deal with and adapt to the ever changing Covid (or other, as applicable) landscape, encourage participation and ensure that participant welfare is at the forefront. Where appropriate for certain competitions, this flexibility needs to be balanced against the overriding objective of the RFU to deliver meaningful and authentic competitions.
• 22.1.6 The purpose of this Regulation 22 is to make the necessary regulatory variations and grant the necessary powers in order to implement the Agreed Recommendations.
• 22.1.7 Notwithstanding any statement to the contrary in any RFU Regulation and/or competition specific regulations, this Regulation 22 shall take precedence over other RFU Regulations, including without limitation Regulation 6, Regulation 15 and all competition regulations (including without limitation the Premiership Regulations, Championship Regulations, Women’s Premier 15s Regulations, County Championship Regulations and all RFU Cup competition regulations), and all such regulations shall be deemed varied by this Regulation 22. Save as set out herein, the RFU Regulations and all applicable competition regulations (including any applicable appeal provisions) will continue to have full force and effect.

22.2 Definitions

The following definitions shall apply to this Regulation 22:

• 22.2.1 “Age Grade Rugby” shall have the meaning set out in RFU Regulation 15 and, for the avoidance of doubt, includes any national age grade cup competitions (excluding the U18s Academy League which for the purposes of this Regulation will be classified as a Professional Competition);
• 22.2.2 “Agreed Recommendations” shall mean the Agreed Age Grade Recommendations, Agreed Community Rugby Adult Recommendations, Agreed Professional Rugby Competition Recommendations and such other recommendations agreed from time to time by the RFU in accordance with the RFU’s approval processes.
• 22.2.3 “Agreed Professional Rugby Competition Recommendations” shall mean such recommendations agreed by the RFU from time to time in respect of certain professional rugby competitions to which this Regulation 22 is expressly stated to apply.
• 22.2.4 “Agreed Age Grade Recommendations” shall mean the recommendations agreed from time to time by the RFU in respect of age grade rugby in accordance with the RFU’s approval processes.
• 22.2.5 “Agreed Community Rugby Adult Recommendations” shall mean the recommendations agreed from time to time by the RFU in respect of the adult community game in accordance with the RFU’s approval processes.
• 22.2.6 “Community Rugby Leagues” shall mean:
  • - the England Rugby Men’s Leagues at National League Rugby (formerly Level 3 and below); and
  • - the England Rugby Women’s League at Level 2 and below.
• 22.2.7 “Community Rugby Cups” shall mean such cup competitions for which those clubs in the Community Rugby Leagues are eligible.
• 22.2.8 “Organising Committee” as defined in RFU Regulation 1 which for the avoidance of doubt includes any Organising Committee, and/or Disputes Committee (as defined within the competition regulations) and League Secretaries to the extent the powers have been delegated to them by the relevant Regional Organising Committee.
• 22.2.9 “Professional Competitions” shall mean such professional competitions to which this Regulation 22 is expressly stated to apply.
• 22.2.10 “RFU” shall mean the RFU Governance Standing Committee or such other committee, organising committee, league organiser, Constituent Body or such other party/entity to whom delegated authority has been granted by the RFU Governance Standing Committee.
• 22.2.11 “Tournament Organiser” shall mean the designated person to which powers have been delegated by the RFU in relation to the management of the Professional Competition and who shall be responsible for referring to the relevant Disputes Committees of that Professional Competitions such matters as stipulated under the relevant competition regulations.

22.3 General Variations

• 22.3.1 The RFU has the power to amend such regulations as required (including, without limitation, RFU Regulations and/or any competition regulations) in order to implement the Agreed Recommendations if and when required (including during and outside of the Season) or such other recommendations that may be agreed by the RFU including to cater for a full, delayed, extended, suspended and/or interrupted season. This power (and the ability for the RFU to vary regulations accordingly) includes the power to do the following in respect of all rugby activity played within England including without limitation the Community Rugby Leagues, Community Rugby Cups, Age Grade Rugby and/or Professional Competitions:
  • (a) Amend the fixture schedules, including the power to specify the dates upon which matches must be commenced, suspended, reconvened and concluded (including any rearranged, postponed or abandoned matches);
  • (b) Suspend, delay, cancel, postpone, rearrange and abandon any or all matches and rugby activity, including in response to nationwide or regional/localised Covid-19 related restrictions;
  • (c) Vary and set kick off times for any matches;
  • (d) Amend (including curtailment or extension of) the Structured Season, Season Dates and Transfer Deadlines;
  • (e) Amend the regulations in order apply any relevant agreed structure;
  • (f) Determine the winners and/or results of matches and which teams should progress through to the next stage of a competition;
  • (g) Amend the definition of season to accommodate any change in start and/or end date of the season including shortening or lengthening of the season;
  • (h) Cancel, suspend, non-commence of any certain competition/fixtures in order to prioritise the playing of the other competitions/fixtures;
  • (i) Amend the league structure for the 23-24 Season including (without limitation) the ability: to split leagues and clubs into conferences and/or such other structures as may be agreed in order to enable to playing of the matches; to determine and finalise league positions and tables; to vary or dis-apply the provisions pertaining to promotion, relegation and levels transfers; and to introduce such regulations as required in order to determine the structure for the following season;
  • (j) Vary and introduce such changes to the Laws of the Game (including RFU variations thereof); and/or
  • (k) Introduction of such other variations as may be required in order to implement and deliver the Agreed Recommendations.
• 22.3.2 With regards to any variations set out above, the RFU will notify the clubs, players and referee societies as soon as is reasonably practicable.

Variations for 223-24 Season

22.4 Specific Variations

22.4.1 In addition to the above, additional specific variations will apply to certain levels of the Games as more specifically set out in this Regulations 22.

22.5 Variations applicable to all rugby activity

• 22.5.1 All rugby activity in England must be:
  • (a) played and organised in accordance with such RFU and Government protocols as may be in place from time to time; and
  • (b) played in accordance with such Laws of the Game (including such variations thereof as are permitted by the RFU and Government at the relevant time), and RFU Regulations and variations will be deemed varied accordingly.
• 22.5.2 Subject to the RFU’s approval, all relevant Organising Committees shall be entitled to put in place such additional localised administrative instructions they deem appropriate in order to implement the Agreed Recommendations, which shall include the ability for the Organising Committee to monitor and sanction if appropriate (provided any such sanction applies to the 23-24 Season only, unless otherwise determined by the RFU).
• 22.5.3 In addition to the above and without prejudice to RFU Regulation 19.1.16, the RFU Head of Discipline has the power to investigate and charge any party in respect of any breaches of regulations, administrative instructions and protocols in accordance with the disciplinary procedures set out in RFU Regulations (including RFU Regulation 6, 19 and such Covid Disciplinary Framework which may be in place).
• 22.5.4 All decisions made by an Organising Committee pursuant to this Regulation 22 shall be subject to the right of the affected Clubs to appeal the decision pursuant to RFU Regulation 19.