Player, Coach, Referee, Administrator, Parent Or Spectator Is Expected to Uphold the Core Values of Our Sport
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CODE OF RUGBY Everyone involved in rugby in England, whether as a player, coach, referee, administrator, parent or spectator is expected to uphold the Core Values of our sport. Play to win - but not at all cost. Win with dignity, lose with grace. Observe the Laws and regulations of the game. Respect opponents, referees and all participants. Reject cheating, racism, violence and drugs. Value volunteers and paid officials alike. Enjoy the game. Rugby Football Union. The England rose is an official registered trademark of the Rugby Football Union. 1 If found, please return this book to: Name ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Club ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Address ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Postcode ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... Tel: ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Mob: .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... email: .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. © 2017 Rugby Football Union. Published in 2017 by Rugby Football Union Rugby House, Twickenham Stadium, 200 Whitton Road, Twickenham, Middlesex, TW2 7BA The RFU Rose and the words ‘England Rugby’ are official trade marks of the Rugby Football Union and are subject to extensive trade mark registration worldwide. ISBN 978-1904-626794 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means – graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or information storage and retrieval systems – without the prior permission in writing of the publishers. The Authors have asserted their right under the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act, 1998, to be identified as the authors of the work. Note: Any reference to him or he does not imply a preference gender. Content designed and produced by RSA Design, www.rsadesign.co.uk Photo of John S Spencer courtesy of Simon Bryant 2 PATRON © Copyright www.royalimages.co.uk © Copyright 3 4 John S Spencer PRESIDENT 5 6 CONTENTS Patron 3 President 5 Links 9 Key Dates 10 Principal Fixtures 11 RFU BOARD OF DIRECTORS & COMMITTEES The Rugby Football Union Officers 13 Presidents of the RFU 14 RFU Council 17 Board of Directors and Committees 23 CONSTITUENT BODIES & FEDERATED REFEREE SOCIETIES Constituent Bodies Contacts 31 Referee’s Organisations 49 RFU RULES & POLICY RFU Rules 67 RFU REGULATIONS 1 Definitions 103 2 Application & Enforcement 119 3 Membership of RFU 121 4 Club Ownership, Mergers & Acquisitions 131 5 Financial 137 6 Disclosure of Information 151 7 Players, Approaches, Contracts, Payments and Player Movement 153 8 Agents 157 9 Player Safety 169 10 Cross-Union Matches and Sevens 171 11 The Season 177 12 Match Officials 179 13 Adult Competitions 183 14 Registration of Adult Male Players 233 15 Age Grade Rugby 245 16 Adult Women Competitions 2017-2018 327 17 Anti-Corruption & Betting 341 18 IP & Media Rights 353 19 Discipline 355 20 Anti-Doping 415 21 Safeguarding 423 7 PLAYER Welfare Player Welfare 429 COMPETITIONS INFORMATION National Clubs Association 435 Administration Instructions 437 Structured Season 484 RFU CONTACTS RFU Staff Directory 487 Index 503 8 LINKS To access pages from this Handbook please follow the links set out below or go to www.englandrugby.com/handbook RFU Key Dates www.englandrugby.com/rfukeydates Principal Fixtures www.englandrugby.com/principalfixtures Officers of the RFU www.englandrugby.com/officers Past Presidents of the RFU www.englandrugby.com/presidents RFU Council Members www.englandrugby.com/rfucouncil Current Voting and Non-Voting Member Clubs www.englandrugby.com/memberclubs Rules and Regulations of the RFU www.englandrugby.com/regulations The details of Member Unions of World Rugby can be found at http://www.worldrugby.org/member-unions The Laws of the Game can be found at http://laws.worldrugby.org/ 9 RFU KEY DATES 1 September Annual Subscriptions due Rule 5.11 1 March Last date for Constituent Bodies to send to Rule 18.6 their Clubs (voting members of the RFU only) a list of nominees for the position of Representative (if there are more nominees than positions) 31 March Last date for election of Representatives to Rule 18.1 the Council 31 March Last date for receipt by Chief Executive of Rule 7.13(a) proposals for the Annual General Meeting 1 April Notification by Constituent Bodies to Chief Rules 18.10 Executive of Constituent Body Representative(s) 1 April Last date for receipt of nominations by Rule 19.4(a) Members for President, Senior Vice-President and Junior Vice-President 10 PRINCIPAL FIXTURES TWICKENHAM STADIUM 2017-2018 Date Fixture Time 2017 September Saturday 2nd Premiership Rugby London Double Header 14:00 & 16:30 TBC October Sunday 22nd NFL International Series Arizona Cardinals v LA Rams 18:00 Sunday 29th NFL International Series Minnesota Vikings v Cleveland Browns 13:30 November Saturday 4th Barbarians v New Zealand TBC Saturday 11th Old Mutual Wealth Series England v Argentina 14:30 Saturday 18th Old Mutual Wealth Series England v Australia 14:30 Saturday 25th Old Mutual Wealth Series England v Samoa 14:30 Old Mutual Wealth Series England Women v Canada Women after the men’s game December Thurs 7th The Varsity Match Oxford University v Cambridge University TBC Oxford Uni Women v Cambridge Uni Women TBC Saturday 30th Big Game 10 Harlequins v TBC TBC 2018 February Saturday 10th Six Nations England v Wales 16:45 March Saturday 17th Six Nations England v Ireland 14:45 TBC Schools’ Cup Finals Day TBC TBC Students’ Rugby Day TBC April Saturday 7th Bath Rugby v TBC TBC 11 May Saturday 5th Army v Navy for the Babcock Trophy UK Armed Forces v Oxbridge U23 TBC Sunday 6th RFU Cup Finals TBC Saturday 26th Premiership Rugby Final TBC Sunday 27th Old Mutual Wealth Cup England v Barbarians 15:00 Jason Leonard Divison 1 Final 10:00 Bill Beaumont Division 1 Final 12:00 Gill Burns Divison 1 Final 17:15 June Sat 2nd & Sun 3rd HSBC London Sevens TBC 12 THE RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION OFFICERS Patron H R H PRINCE HARRY President J S Spencer Tel: 01756 753908 Mob: 07885 932129 email: [email protected] Vice Presidents C R Kelly (Senior Vice President) Tel: 01494 874222 (H) Mob 07811 019457 email: [email protected] P J Wheeler (Junior Vice President) Tel: 01572 813 626 (H) Mob: 07967 339009 email: [email protected] Chairman of the Board of Directors A P Cosslett Tel: 020 8831 7633 email: [email protected] Chief Executive TBC Representatives on World Rugby J Webb Tel: 01275 372 277 (H) email: [email protected] TBC Six Nations Representatives J Webb As above TBC Contact Address: Corporate Services, Rugby Football Union, Twickenham Stadium, 200 Whitton Road, Twickenham, Middlesex, TW2 7BA 13 PRESIDENTS OF THE RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION SINCE ITS FORMATION, 26TH JANUARY 1871 A Rutter Richmond 1871-72, 1872-73, 1873-74 F Stokes Blackheath 1874-75 L J Maton Wimbledon 1875-76 C D Heatley Richmond 1876-77, 1877-78 A G Guillemard West Kent 1878-79, 1879-80, 1880-81, 1881-82 J Maclaren Manchester 1882-83, 1883-84 F I Currey Marlborough Nomads 1884-85, 1885-86 L Stokes Blackheath 1886-87, 1887-88 A Budd Blackheath 1888-89 H W Garnett Yorkshire 1889-90 E T Gurton Richmond 1890-91, 1891-92 W Cail Northumberland 1892-93, 1893-94 R Walker Manchester 1894-95, 1895-96 R W Whalley Middlesex 1896-97, 1897-98 J W H Thorp Cheshire 1898-99, 1899-1900 F H Fox Somerset 1900-01, 1901-02 M Newsome Yorkshire 1902-03, 1903-04 G Rowland Hill Kent 1904-05, 1905-06, 1906-07 C A Crane Midlands 1907-08, 1908-09 T C Pring Devon 1909-10, 1910-11 A M Crook Lancashire 1911-12, 1912-13 A Hartley Yorkshire 1913-14, 1919-20 E Prescott Middlesex 1920-21, 1921-22 R Henzell Northumberland 1922-23 M F Waters Surrey 1923-24 W S Donne Somerset 1924-25 H E Ferens Durham 1925-26 J Baxter Cheshire 1926-27 Vice Admiral P Royds Royal Navy 1927-28 V H Cartwright South Africa 1928-29 W T Pearce Gloucestershire 1929-30, 1930-31, 1931-32 A D Stoop Central District 1932-33 R F Oakes Yorkshire 1933-34 J Milnes Lancashire