Contents:

1. Definitions

2. Eligibility

3. Prevention of Lower XVs playing in the English Clubs Championship

4. Other local variations

5. Leagues across Constituent Bodies

1. Definitions

Any terms not defined in this Appendix 5 shall have the meaning given to them in RFU Regulation 1 or RFU Regulation 6 (as applicable). The following terms shall have the following meaning:

“Eligible Clubs” means full RFU voting member Clubs which are allocated to the Constituent Body in question; and

“Lower XV” means any adult male team of a Club other than its senior adult male first XV.

2. Eligibility

• a. Subject to the remainder of this Appendix 5, Lower XVs may play in the English Clubs Championship at Regional 2 and below.
• b. Lower XVs of Premiership Clubs may not play in the England Rugby Men’s Leagues. Second XVs of Championship Clubs may not play in the England Rugby Men’s Leagues, but other Lower XVs of Championship Clubs may do so subject to the remainder of this Appendix 5.

3. Prevention of Lower XVs playing in the English Clubs Championship

• a. Lower XVs from Clubs within a Constituent Body will not be permitted to play in leagues operated by that Constituent Body in the England Rugby Men’s Leagues at Regional 2 and below, if the Eligible Clubs vote by a two-thirds majority (of those Eligible Clubs voting) that this prevention will improve player welfare, reduce travel time/distance, improve the player experience/quality of the competition or support club sustainability.
• b. The Constituent Body in question may elect to hold a vote at its own instigation, or it must conduct a vote if requested in writing by the club chair or club secretary of the greater of (a) 10% of Eligible Clubs, or (b) four Eligible Clubs. By way of example, if there were 62 Eligible Clubs within a Constituent Body, this would require seven Eligible Clubs to request a vote.
• c. The wording of any resolution to be put to a vote of Eligible Clubs must be as specified by the Committee. The Constituent Body in question shall be able to decide on the process by which any vote is held, provided that:
  • (a) a vote may not be by post;
  • (b) any vote by email must be open for at least seven days;
  • (c) any vote in a physical or virtual meeting must allow for proxy voting or the ability of those unable to attend the meeting to vote;
  • (d) any vote in a physical or virtual meeting must have at least seven days’ notice; and
  • (e) if any Eligible Club believes that the vote has not been conducted in accordance with this Appendix 5, then it may appeal to the Committee within seven days of the announcement of the result of the vote. Any determination of the Committee shall be final.

4. Other local variations

If Lower XVs are not prevented from playing in leagues operated by a Constituent Body in the England Rugby Men’s Leagues at Regional 2and below in accordance with the above, then the applicable Regional Organising Committee may put in place such local variations to the inclusion of Lower XVs in the English Clubs Championship that it believes will improve player welfare, reduce travel time/distance, improve the player experience/quality of the competition or support club sustainability, provided that any such local variations must be agreed in writing by the Committee. Any decision of the Committee in respect of such local variations shall be final and there shall be no right of appeal.

5. Leagues across Constituent Bodies

If:

• a. in a league operated by two Constituent Bodies, the Eligible Clubs in one Constituent Body elects to preclude Lower XVs from playing in that league but another does not; or
• b. a Constituent Body wishes to include a Lower XV of a club in close proximity to it but not in the membership of that Constituent Body, regardless of whether the Constituent Body of which the Lower XV’s club is a member has voted to preclude Lower XVs from playing in the league or not; or
• c. a Constituent Body elects to preclude Lower XVs of Clubs in the membership of that Constituent Body from playing in a league, but permits Lower XVs from other Constituent Bodies to play in that league,

then, subject to the approval of the Constituent Bodies involved in each case, the Constituent Bodies involved shall consult with the applicable Regional Organising Committee to find a suitable league structure for those teams to best meet the aims of the proposals relating to adult male rugby competitions agreed by the RFU Council. The RFU Council (or any body delegated by it) shall have the ability to dictate any league structure.