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They are 4 cases when you need to apply for POOAG:
1. Combining Age Grades [previously "grouping"] which involves a number of children in each application
2. Playing Down an Age Grade which involves an individual child
3. Playing Up an Age Grade which involves an individual child
4. Seventeen-Year-Olds playing Adult Rugby which involves individuals
In all 4 cases, for clubs, APPLICATIONS FOR PERMISSION MUST BE ENDORSED BY THE GRFU
The requirements are set out in RFU Regulation 15 [Age Grade Rugby] and there is a detailed table in RFU Regulation 15.5 explaining which age groups can be combined and details of those that can play up or down.
The link below will take you to the RFU website page explains all the application processes and the conditions that have to be fulfilled.
Regulation 15 – Age Grade Rugby | England Rugby
Playing up or Down
For clubs, it is important that all of their players are registered on GMS in the relevant age grades before applying for dispensation.
It will normally take about 5 working days, once the completed form, with a verified signature, has been submitted by the club, for the GRFU Form Approval Panel to review the application and decide to approve or not; however, this timescale cannot be guaranteed.
Details of the child's size and how it differs from others of his or her age grade must be included on the application
In rare cases where a club wants a child to play up or down 2 age grades, after endorsement by GRFU, it will also require GRFU to seek the permission of the RFU Legal department as well.
Individual application will not be accepted if a club has insufficient numbers in a particular age grade [that is what combining age grades is for]
All application requires a Level 2 coach or equivalent to carry out an assessment to demonstrate why that child will benefit from playing and training within another age grade. It is strongly recommended that coaches read RFU's Age Grade Codes of Practice before making such an assessment. The assessment, details of which must be included in the application, must cover:
Why and how the skill level and ability of the child is different from children of his or her normal age grade.
How the physical development for the child's age is different from children of his or her normal age grade.
How the social and emotional development for the child's age is different from children of his or her normal age grade.
If an U16 seeking permission to play with U17s / U18s, details of the representative rugby the individual has played.
The link below will take you to the RFU website page explains all the application processes and the conditions that have to be fulfilled. The application document can be found on this website page.
Regulation 15 – Age Grade Rugby | England Rugby
SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLDS PLAYING ADULT RUGBY
The Government’s Disclosure and Barring Service [DBS] has recently reviewed the position and requirements for any child to participate with adults in sport [not just rugby]. The government DBS has clarified that anybody under the age of 18, even with the physical and emotional maturity to benefit from playing sport with adults, is still “legally a child” [including 17-year-olds] and must be safeguarded accordingly.
Consequently, the RFU has had to have its processes reviewed and it has resulted in a 2-stage process to allow a 17-year-old to play adult rugby, as follows:
The club has to be approved by its CB as having an appropriate environment to safeguard 17-year-olds participating in rugby with adults. To do this, the club has to submit a new form called the club approval form, and that approval lasts for a season. Moreover, the conditions that a club has to fulfil are something that may take a few days, weeks, or a month or so to fulfil - more on this below
Once the club has that CB approval, it can then submit for each individual a revised player approval form, seeking permission for that 17-year-old to play and contact train with adults, which again has to be approved by the CB.
Firstly, ALL clubs that have a 17-year-old that will benefit from playing adult rugby must seek to be an "approved club". The conditions that need to be fulfilled include:
Does the club have an active Safeguarding Officer? Is their name and contact details easily available on the club website?
Has the club’s safeguarding office completed the RFU’s In Touch course [date of completion will be required]? If not, a course application has to have been made, with details of date [not more than 6 months in advance] and location supplied
Has the club adopted the RFU’s Safeguarding Policy and is it available on the club’s website and/or pin up on the clubs house notice board?
Has the club completed satisfactorily the RFU Safeguarding Audit on GMS this season? This can now be found on your GMS page under the “questionnaires” section
Those in positions of trust in the adult teams that the 17-year-old is likely to play in will need a DBS clearance. These are likely to be Coaches, Team Managers, Captains, and volunteer First Aider [this does not include a health care professional who is providing pitch side care because they will have the relevant clearance from their professional standing]. We will expect a club to name and give their DBS clearance number for a minimum of 2 individuals. If your club runs both an adult women’s and adult men's team, we will require the club to list 4 such individuals;
2 involved with the relevant male adult team[s] and 2 with the relevant female adult team[s], unless an individual is involved with both male and female adult teams
Once your club can fulfil those conditions, submit your application to be an "approved club" using the link below
Regulation 15 – Age Grade Rugby | England Rugby
17 Year Old Player Approval
Once clubs have the CB approval they can apply for individual 17-year-olds to play adult rugby [NB Those 17-year-olds that were granted permission to play adult rugby last season will automatically have that permission extended to their 18th birthday as long as the club has approved status, which is a seasonal application.
DO NOT COMPLETE ONE OF THESE PLAYER APPROVALS FORM, UNTIL YOUR CLUB HAS "APPROVED STATUS". WITHOUT APPROVED STATUS YOUR APPLICATION WILL BE REJECTED AND THE FORM NOT SAVED, SO YOU WILL HAVE TO START AGAIN
The link below will take you to the RFU website page explains all the application processes and the conditions that have to be fulfilled.
Regulation 15 – Age Grade Rugby | England Rugby
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