junior rugby committee (jrc) handbook 2017...

Junior Advisory Board Handbook Ver 4. 03/05/17 1

WANGANUI SATURDAY

MORNING RUGBY

JUNIOR RUGBY COMMITTEE (JRC) HANDBOOK 2017

HANDBOOK


WANGANUI RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION 40 MARIA PLACE EXTENSION (P O BOX 4213)

TEL: 06 349 2313 FAX: 06 3478008 EMAIL: [email protected]

BRIDGET BELSHAM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

TEL: 06 349 2313 / 027 2859010 [email protected]

LESLEY MCKENZIE COMMUNITY RUGBY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

TEL: 06 349 2311 / 027 222 6624 [email protected]

JUSTIN LOCK COMMUNITY RUGBY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER


SCORES REPORTING [email protected]

WANGANUI JUNIOR RUGBY CONTACTS

DUNCAN JOHNSTON

COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON TEL: 021 479 127

[email protected]

LISA MARTIN COMMITTEE SECRETARY


WRFU WEBSITE and FACEBOOK

www.wanganuirugby.co.nz

www.facebook.com/wanganuirugbyfootballunion

mailto:[email protected]






http://www.wanganuirugby.co.nz/

http://www.facebook.com/wanganuirugbyfootballunion


CONTENTS

PAGE JAB HANDBOOK COVER PAGE 1 WRFU CONTACTS 2 CONTENTS 3 FORWARD 4 CHAPTER ONE 5 – 13 AGE GRADE RUGBY COMPETITION 4 COMPETITION GRADES / ELIGIBILITY / DISPENSATION 4 - 5 COMPETITON PLAYING DATES 6 - START, END, NON PLAYING WEEKENDS 6 CHAPTER TWO COMPETITION MANAGEMENT 7 COMPETITION FORMAT 7 TRAVEL 7 DRAWS 7 SIDELINE BEHAVIOUR 8 FORMAL COMPLAINT PROCESS 8 SERIOUS INJURY REPORTING 8 RULES 8 COMPETITION POINTS SYSTEM 9 DETERMINING THE WINNER 9 PLAYER OF THE DAY CERTIFICATES 9 COMPETITION ‘SCORE BLOWOUTS’ POLICY 10 CONFIRMATION OF TEAMS 10 CANCELLATION PROCEDURES 10 REGISTRATION / AFFILIATION FEES 10 RUGBY BALLS AND MOUTHGUARDS 10 CHAPTER THREE REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY GRADES 11 REP COACH SELECTION / APPOINTMENT 11 REP PLAYER SELECTION 12 FORWARD The Wanganui Junior Rugby Committee (JRC), have been tasked to administer all Wanganui Rugby Football Union 5 – 13 Age grade level rugby competitions, and all Wanganui Rugby Football Union Representative Under 11 & Under 13 rugby teams. The JRC is made up of one representative from each club or school (usually the Junior Rugby Coordinator) and these representatives are expected to attend all JRC committee meetings.


PURPOSE The purpose of this ‘HANDBOOK’, is to provide in a single document, the:

a. Competition rules b. Competition administration procedures c. Competition format and policies, associated with the conduct of all WRFU 5 – 13

age grade level rugby competitions and the guidelines associated with the selection and coaching of Under 11 & Under 13 representative rugby teams. Knowledge of and adherence to the procedures detailed in this handbook will ensure the efficient conduct and administration of 5 -13 age grade level rugby in Wanganui for the current and future seasons.

CHAPTER ONE

COACHES, GRADES, AGES & STAGES All coaches and managers MUST attend and complete a NZRFU Small Blacks coaching course, a coaches registration form and a NZ Police vetting form, prior to the commencement of EVERY season. Every child wishing to play Junior Rugby MUST be registered with a club (see list in Appendix), this can either be completed online (www.sporty.co.nz/nzrugby) or in hard copy form. Each player/child can ONLY play for the ONE club that they are registered to. Ideally there will be eight grades (dependent on suitable numbers). Each grade is required to operate under the strict guidelines of the NZRU Small Blacks Development Model. All junior players MUST BE REGISTERED with a WRFU affiliated club – no exceptions. The development stage and age criteria for each competition division is as follows: BEGINNING RUGBY—non-competition (no results submitted; no points tables kept) a. Under 6 – Rippa Rugby

Players must be Under 6 as at 01 January on the year of competition b. Under 7 – Rippa Rugby

Players must be Under 7 as at 01 January on the year of competition LEARNING RUGBY—non-competition ( results submitted; no points tables kept) c. Under 8 – Tackle

Players must be Under 8 as at 01 January on the year of competition d. Under 9 – Tackle

Players must be Under 9 as at 01 January on the year of competition

http://www.sporty.co.nz/nzrugby)


e. Under 10 – Tackle Players must be Under 10 as at 01 January on the year of competition

PLAYING RUGBY—non-competition (results are submitted; no points tables are kept) f. Under 11 – Tackle – non competition

Players must be Under 11 as at 01 January on the year of competition g. Under 12—Tackle – non competition Players must be Under 12 as at 01 January on the year of competition PLAYING RUGBY – competition grade (team sheets submitted, results submitted, points table kept) h. Under 13 – Tackle – competition grade

Players must be Under 13 as at 01 January on the year of competition

Team sheets MUST be filled out and submitted each week to the WRFU by Monday 12PM for the Saturday round just completed.

PLAYER DISPENSATIONS & ELIGIBILITY

In exceptional circumstances schools and clubs may seek a dispensation in relation to a player not conforming to the prescribed Grading requirements.

NO dispensations will be given to children over the age of 13 – no exceptions.

All correspondence for dispensation is to be forwarded in writing to the WRFU Rugby Development Officers, this must include a completed WRFU Application for Dispensation Form (copies are included in the Appendix of this handbook). Successful applications will be approved/ signed by one of the Rugby Development Officers (RDO’s) and copies of the approved forms will be returned to the respective coaches so that any questions around eligibility from opposing coaches can be clarified immediately.

All dispensated players must then be logged in the WRFU Player Dispensation Register and additions or subtractions to this must be tabled at each JRC committee meeting.

Players can only be dispensated for one season and at the start of each season if dispensation is again sought the player in question must reapply in writing and follow the process outlined above.

Female players are eligible to play down one grade provided they go through the dispensation process outlined above. This may only happen when player safety and or confidence is of concern. It is not to be used as a means for a team or player to gain an unfair advantage over opposing teams. If the female player in question is clearly competitive in her own grade/age group, then they should/must play in that correct age group.

WRFU JUNIOR RUGBY COMPETITION DATES


Ideally Junior Rugby should have a minimum of 12 weeks of competition, some years this will be shortened due to weather cancellations. a. Start Date: All WRFU Saturday Morning 5 – 13 age grade level rugby will commence

on either the first or second weekend in May. The JRC committee at the time can decide on this depending on what other commitments may be present at this time e.g. Duck shooting etc.

b. Finish Date: All WRFU Saturday Morning 5 – 13 age grade level rugby will ideally

finish by late August. c. Playing Weekends (12 rounds):

May – to be set each year by the JRC committee June – to be set each year by the JRC committee July – to be set each year by the JRC committee August – to be set each year by the JRC committee The date of the U13 final will be decided each year by the JRC committee, this may fall outside the 12 Saturday rounds, if for example it was to be used as a curtain raiser at Cooks Gardens for a Senior Wanganui fixture etc.

c. Non Playing Weekends: There will be no games played for all WRFU

5 – 13 age grade level rugby on:

1. Queen’s Birthday Weekend – Saturday 2. 2nd & 3rd weekends of the July School Holidays – Saturday (games are played on

the first weekend/Saturday of the school holidays). CHAPTER TWO - COMPETITION MANAGEMENT COMPETITION FORMAT In devising the format for each of the grades, key considerations were that teams should play other teams of equitable ability, if a particular team is especially strong and is dominating all


other teams in that grade consideration should be given by the JRC to moving this team up a grade. Conversely teams that are struggling should be considered for dropping down a grade. There should also be as much variation of opposition as possible.

Under 13 Competition: Teams will commence with a single round of championship games against each other. If the schedule allows, the top four teams in each grade may play a semi-finals round in mid to late August (1 v 4 and 2 v 3). The winners of the respective semi-final fixtures will then compete against each other on the final Saturday of competition, ideally at Cooks Gardens, to determine the Under 13 Competition Grade Champions. There may be a need to divide the U13 Competition Grade into 2 Grades, depending on team numbers and relative strength of teams in this competition. Two pools – Pool A (consisting of stronger teams) and Pool B (the remainder teams) will be introduced. This may also apply to other grades, depending on the varying strengths of teams and the number of teams in the grade. TRAVEL Due to the unique geographical layout of the greater Wanganui region vast travel distances at times will be required to be undertaken. Every effort should be made by all clubs and teams to honour their travel commitments each weekend. Common courtesy must be upheld in the rare and unlikely event that a team cannot fulfil their travel commitments, notification of default should be communicated no less than two days before the Saturday in question. The WRFU and the JAB committee will take a very dim view of any team that defaults due to “travel” and will look to apply applicable penalties such as the reduction of competition points or in repeated cases expulsion from the competition. DRAWS Weekly draws will be created and administrated by the RDO with assistance and input from the JRC committee. Where possible a block draw will be produced so any upcoming or potential conflicts of dates etc (Old Timers/Sponsor Days) can be minimised. Ideally a Block draw would be produced by the 31st of May. Block draws are only a suggested draw for planning purposes and the weekly draw takes precedent over any published block draws. Block draws should NOT be distributed outside the JRC. Venue and kick off times detailed in the weekly draw MUST BE adhered to, the only variation to the draw is allowed if BOTH coaches of the opposing teams are in agreement. SIDELINE BEHAVIOUR AND MISCONDUCT Wanganui Junior Rugby has implemented the NZRFU “COMMITMENT TO APPLAUD” program. “By committing to Applaud all players, parents, care-givers and supporters are creating a great place for rugby. A positive environment for everyone to enjoy rugby is at the heart of Applaud;


A New Zealand rugby initiative to encourage supporters to be good sports at schools and clubs and also stamp out anti-social side-line behaviour. One feature of Applaud is for fans, parents and whanau to make commitments for the good of the game. By committing to the simple principle of Applaud, supporters are contributing to a better rugby experience for everyone”. Any conduct of players, supporters, coaches etc that contravenes the Applaud program outlined above or is deemed unacceptable by the WRFU or the JRC and brings the game into disrepute will not be tolerated. The WRFU has the power to cite players, coaches and supporters and will not hesitate to suspend or exclude participants from sidelines, matches, competitions and grounds. Fluorescent green bibs which state that the coach-referees are volunteers are available to all teams participating in Wanganui Junior Rugby and it is recommended by the JRC that these bibs are worn by coaches/referees when on the field. FORMAL COMPLAINT PROCESS – Foul Play/Side Line Behaviour Any formal complaints must be supplied to the union through a completed Complaint process form available at the back of this handbook or from the WRFU website. The complaint must be lodged within 48 hours of the “infringement/incident” taking place and MUST BE forwarded to the WRFU through the relevant JRC club delegate. The WRFU will acknowledge the receipt of a formal complaint within 48 hours to the parties concerned and the JRC chairman. The resolution of all complaints will be the responsibility of the WRFU and the JRC. SERIOUS INJURY REPORTING Any injury that needs hospital or doctor attention is deemed “serious” and must be reported by the coach/manager to the WRFU and the JRC via the JRC delegate. ALL concussions or suspected concussions must also be reported. Injury reporting forms are available at the back of this handbook or on the WRFU website and should be forwarded to the WRFU via the JRC delegate within 48 hours of the injury occurring. RULES WRFU Saturday morning rugby is governed by the current (year of play/competition) rules of the NZRU. These fall under the sections of Beginning Rugby, Learning Rugby and Playing Rugby. Any variation to these rules must be agreed upon by both opposing coaches and should be done so to increase the spirit of the game and not to give one team an advantage over the other. All Junior rugby players MUST have the opportunity to play at least one half of rugby each Saturday morning, as per NZRFU guidelines. BOOTS All players in tackle grades are expected to wear boots that are approved by the NZRU, this includes guidelines around the length of sprigs etc. If any player is having difficulty sourcing a pair of suitable boots please contact the WRFU for possible assistance.


All players in Rippa Rugby grades ARE allowed to wear sneakers, however bare feet is the preferred option. NO studded boots are to be worn in Rippa grades. U13 COMPETITION POINTS SYSTEM Points will only be awarded for fixtures in the designated round robin games, these will be identified at the start of the season, depending on the number of teams and possible rounds etc.. Points are allocated as follows:

2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss

All results must be sent through to [email protected] by Monday 12.00 pm, along with the U13 Team Sheets. In the unlikely event of a team defaulting / cancelling a game – the opposing team will be allocated the maximum 2 points for that fixture and the defaulting team 0.

If all JRC rugby is cancelled, due mainly to the weather and ground closures (Springvale Park), then no competition points will be awarded. In certain circumstances some out of town teams/clubs may decide to play as their grounds may not be effected, in this case the games are to be treated as “friendlies” and no points are to be awarded as all teams/clubs did not get a chance to play.

DETERMINING THE WINNER If after the completion of the U13 championship round series of games teams are on even championship points, then the team rankings to find the four semifinalists/finalists will be decided in the following order/sequence; 1. The winner of the game between the teams during the single round of championship games 2. OR if two rounds were played and each team won one game then the result will be decided by the toss of a coin, to be carried out by the CEO of the WRFU.

PLAYER OF THE DAY CERTIFICATES Each team will be given Player of the Day Certificates from McDonalds for each of their registered players. These will be presented to each of the Coaches prior to the commencement of competition. COMPETITION SCORE BLOWOUTS POLICY The JRC have agreed to follow the strict guidelines of the NZRFU Small Blacks Development Model, and in keeping with the spirit of the game of rugby, state that the following procedure MUST be adhered to by all teams:



Where the points difference between two competing teams exceeds 30 points or more, the game must be stopped immediately, and all players must be divided equally into two equal playing teams, based on skill and ability. This is expected to occur in ALL grades, up to and including U13. For more information, please visit www.smallblacks.com CONFIRMATION OF TEAMS

All clubs and schools are to submit to the WRFU Office, no later than the end of April, the number of teams their school/club intends to enter in each grade.

CANCELLATION PROCEDURES

If a team needs to cancel a fixture they must contact the WRFU and advise the reason for the default/cancellation no later than 48 hours prior to the fixture. If communication between the two coaches can be made towards resolving the reason for the default/cancellation, the preferred option is that the game is played rather than abandoned. If the game in question is in the U13 grade then the competition points are awarded to the team that was defaulted to. If all Junior rugby is cancelled due to adverse weather etc then this shall be communicated to the general Junior rugby public through the WRFU FaceBook page, Local and Loyal App and text message to the JRC delegates. As the weather in our region is extremely unpredictable, situations may arise when there is a need for coaches/managers to cancel a game once it has started. At all times player and spectator safety must be the first consideration.

WRFU TEAM REGISTRATION & CLUB / SCHOOL AFFILIATION FEES

The Affiliation Fee for each rugby club / school registered to enter a team(s) in the Wanganui region is to be determined each year by the WRFU and the JRC committee.

The Team Registration Fee for each team entered in the WRFU Saturday morning junior rugby competition is to be determined each year by the WRFU and the JRC committee.

RUGBY BALLS & MOUTH GUARDS

Each team is responsible for the provision of a size 2.5, 3 or 4 NZRU approved rugby ball consistent with the age grade that they will be participating. Each team registered in the Wanganui greater region will receive a regulation size ‘Leslie’ rugby ball from the WRFU.

All registered Junior Rugby players 5 – 13 will receive one free mouth guard from the Wanganui Rugby Football Union and must be worn at all times whilst playing.

CHAPTER THREE - WANGANUI REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY

http://www.smallblacks.com/


CONFIRMATION OF JUNIOR REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY TEAMS The WRFU have confirmed the following Wanganui Junior Representative Rugby teams for the short term future.

1. Wanganui Under 11 (as at 01 January on year of competition) 2. Wanganui Under 13 (as at 01 January on year of competition)

Eligibility criteria for the above grades are that they must be a registered player of a club/school team playing in a team in a WRFU competition. SELECTION OF REPRESENTATIVE COACHES The selection of Rep coaches for the Wanganui Junior Representative rugby season will be confirmed no later than end of June. We will look to implement a best-practice coaching structure of 2 coaches plus 1 manager, to ensure adequate support for each program. All interested parties are to forward a brief written application outlining relevant experience and proposed coaching plan for the season, no later than the end of May . Please forward all applications direct to the relevant WRFU RDO. All coaches and managers must have completed a Small Blacks NZ Police Vetting form. Once confirmed, it is the Coaches responsibility (in consultation with the WRFU RDO) to provide details of trial / training dates for the relevant age grades, to be communicated to all junior rugby clubs / schools. All fixtures will be confirmed by WRFU. SELECTION OF REP PLAYERS All trialling players MUST be registered with Wanganui Junior Rugby – no exceptions. It is critical that every player who believes they have a genuine opportunity to represent the Wanganui Rugby Provincial Union at junior rep rugby level, does in fact get that opportunity. A clear and effective communication plan will be put in place to ensure the entire region is canvassed. The selection process must be seen to be fair, cover the entire region, and show transparency throughout. We want the best possible team on the field at all times and we want to ensure that all parties including players, coaches, parents and supporters, can see that we have achieved our goals through appropriate and professional planning and objectives. The coach’s decision is final, and the Wanganui Rugby Football Union will support his/her selections 100%. REP AFFILIATION FEE There will be no Rep Affiliation Fee payable this year.

junior rugby committee (jrc) handbook 2017...

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