Rugby Union

Giving yourself, the team and the game 100 per cent effort and enthusiasm.

Shaking hands with the other players and thanking them for the game. Forming the tunnel after the game and clapping off the opposition.

Being honest with yourself, can you give that little bit more for the team?

Rugby Union

Be confident in yourself, your abilities and your contribution to the Tag rugby team.

Celebrate each other’s success and be a positive team player, always encouraging your team.

Being determined to be the best you can be at every training session and during every game.

The rugby union core values of teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship are the perfect fit for the Sporting Spirit values.

Priority competitions:

What are the benefits of playing your sport?Rugby can deliver benefits across the whole school improvements agenda. Rugby Union is a driver for positive change in schools, providing a unique variety of development opportunities for teachers and young people. The advantages of rugby union go far beyond fitness and enjoyment: it can also help to improve attendance, achievement levels and behaviour in schools.

• RFU support with event management guidance• Simple formats• Regional Delivery Team support

Why is it easy to run competitions in your sport?

Name of competition 1: Tag 2 Twickenham Age group: Year 5 and 6 What level/location: Mixed Who can run it? Level 2 to be held at school or club settings How to enter it: Contact Rugby Regional Development Team (RDT) When does it take place? Can be run throughout the year Next steps after this competition: County Finals completed by May — Regional Finals June — National July

Name of competition 2: Year 7/8 Girls Tag RugbyAge group: Key Stage 3 What level/location: Level 2/Level 3 Who can run it? — Joint approach with Rugby Regional Development Team (RDT) — contact your Rugby Development Officer (RDO) — School Games Organiser — Level 2 event — Regional Delivery Team — Level 3 event How to enter it: Entry through targeted approach, centred around existing or developing Girls club sections.

Name of competition 3: The Daily Mail RBS Under 15 Vase Age group: Year 10 Boys What level/location: Local level pools/league’s where appropriate after DMC Round 1 Who can run it? Run by SGOs with RDT — where appropriate How to enter it: Enter through DMC entry route When does it take place? Enter by June Next steps after this competition: Winning School and runner-up of each local league progresses to National knockout rounds.

At Year 3 and 4 the RFU encourages the use of multi-skill or multi-sport activities that concentrate on the development of core physical literacy skills. Primary Change4Life is targeted at Years 3 and 4, it adopts a multi-skill approach and underpins the School Games.

What should schools do if they want to cater for Years 3 and 4?

Spirit of the Games: Excellence through competition — how does your sport exemplify these values?

Rugby Union

Relevant web links:

Signposted competitions:

• www.rfu.com/schools • First point of contact your Rugby Development Officer (RDO) on www.rfu.com/AboutTheRFU/ContactUs/ RDOContactList.aspx

All rugby union competitions for young people are under review. The review will be completed in February 2012 and the results implemented for the 2012/13 school year and rugby season from September 2012. The current programme remains with appropriate signposted competitions as follows:

The Daily Mail RBS Cups: Boys Under 15 Cup/Vase; Boys Under 18 Cup/Vase • Knock-out competition• Run by ERFSU / RFU Schools Department• Entry through application — open to any affiliated school• Takes place in June

Flexible Formats KS4 Touch Rugby • Intra school (Level 1) mixed, informal, ‘pitch up and play’• Run by Young Leaders in school• Aimed at, but not exclusive to, 16+ year olds • Year-round indoor/outdoor opportunity for young people not wanting to play contact rugby and wanting regular fun exercise• Excellent exam and revision ‘release’ opportunity• Inter form or house mini-leagues to increase depth and regularity encouraged• Support, tools and resources available on www.rfu.com/o2touch

Rugby 7s • National calendar of local, regional and national tournaments including the National Schools Sevens at Rosslyn Park in March/April• To find out more information contact your local Regional Delivery Team or visit www.rfu.com/schools

SEN and Disability Rugby The RFU National RUAble Tag Rugby Finals take place annually in partnership with the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS). The programme is designed for Key Stage 3 and 4 pupils and involves special needs and mainstream schools from across the country. There are a series of regional festivals providing a competitive sporting outlet for the work done in school. Schools can deliver rugby union for all abilities and help them to get involved in the sport on a long term basis. This event demonstrates what is possible when there is the chance to get involved and enjoy the game, whatever your disability. RUAble is the RFU’s disability network. For more information about RUAble Tag Rugby please contact Chris Hargreaves on 07590 890759. Each Regional Delivery Team will have full details on the competition offer provided at a local level; contact your local RDT to find out about your local offer or visit www.rfu.com/schools

Young Leader/Officials courses/qualifications available:

• Rugby Leaders Foundation• Level 2 Award in Leadership through Rugby Union• Young Officials Development Award• Start Coaching Tag Rugby• RFU UKCC Level 1 in Coaching (for over 18s)

Tag 2 Twickenham • No contact, but gum shield advisable. • No kicking of any kind. • When a tag is made, the tagger stops running, holds the tag above their head and shouts “TAG!”• When the ball-carrier is tagged, the ball must be passed to a team-mate within three seconds. • Competitive matches should be eight a side with a squad of 12. • Visit www.rfu.com/schools for a more detailed breakdown of the laws.

Simple rules:

• www.rfu.com/schools • First point of contact your Rugby Development Officer (RDO) on www.rfu.com/AboutTheRFU/ContactUs/RDOContactList.aspx

• Officials• Team managers• Event organisers• Results

Name of competition:

Relevant web links:

Roles for young people:

Rugby Union Competition Card 1.

Age group:

Direct entry into Level 2 events

How to enter:

Central Venue

Tournament format:

Year 5 and 6 mixed

How can regularity be achieved?

Regularity can be created at Level 2 through the use of a league infrastructure or a series central venue festival spread of the course of the year.

A school can bring any number of teams to an event. However this will need to be communicated to the organiser of the competition on the entry form.

Tag 2 Twickenham teams must be mixed boys and girls. Schools can deliver rugby union for all abilities and help young people to get involved in mainstream sport on a long term basis. Tag rugby is a great, flexible engagement tool for mixed ability groups in both special schools and mainstream schools due to the social and team working values of rugby union.

How can depth in competition through extra teams be achieved?

Think inclusively!

The route from here to Level 3:

In order to fit with a School Games Level 3 multi-sport event, the Tag 2 Twickenham festival is held in May or before, due to the pathway to Regional Finals (June) and National finals in July. If the event does not fit with Level 3 then Tag 2 Twickenham can be run as a School Games Branded event.

Year 7/8 Girls Tag Rugby Advanced Tag Rugby• Teams of six or seven; squads of no more than 12. • Rolling subs allowed when play has stopped. • Half pitch playing space.• Six mins each way; no more than five games; max playing time of 70 mins. • Uncontested scrums of three nearest players. • No line-outs, kicking, conversions, ripping of ball, hand offs or fending.• Free pass restarts and penalties; opposition must be 7m back. • Normal tag rules apply; maximum of six tags before turnover ball. For full rules go to www.rfu.com/schools

Simple rules:

• www.rfu.com/schools • First point of contact your Rugby Development Officer (RDO) on www.rfu.com/AboutTheRFU/ContactUs/RDOContactList.aspx

• Officials• Event organisers• Pitch runners

Name of competition:

Relevant web links:

Roles for young people:

Rugby Union Competition Card 2.

Age group:

School Games Organiser —Level 2 event

How to enter:

Central Venue

Tournament format:

Year 7/8

How can regularity be achieved?

Regularity can be created at Level 2 either by the use of a league infrastructure, or a series of central venue festivals spread over the course of the year.

With the game being an adapted version of the rugby a school can enter as many teams as they wish to the league/festival. This needs to be made clear through the entry form.

Schools can deliver rugby union for all abilities and help young people to get involved in mainstream sport on a long term basis. This competition engages girls of all shapes and sizes in a non-threatening, fun version of rugby in the vital early teenage years when many drop out of sport. Transitional rugby is a great, flexible engagement tool for mixed ability groups in both special schools and mainstream schools due to the social and team working values of rugby union.

How can depth in competition through extra teams be achieved?

Think inclusively!

The route from here to Level 3:

Entry at Level 2 will provide the schools competing with an opportunity to qualify through to a Level 3 event deemed appropriate by the Local Organising Committee.

• 15-a-side rugby union. • Players must be under 15 years of age at midnight on 31st August/ 1st September to be eligible. • Played on full size pitch.• Size 5 ball. • No lifting in line out. • 1.5m push in scrum only.• Match duration: 30 minutes each way with five minutes half time. • IRB U15 laws apply. Please see Daily Mail RBS Schools’ Competition Regulations 2011/12.

Simple rules:

• www.rfu.com/schools • First point of contact your Rugby Development Officer (RDO) on www.rfu.com/AboutTheRFU/ContactUs/RDOContactList.aspx

• Officials• Event organisers• Pitch runners

Name of competition:

Relevant web links:

Roles for young people:

Rugby Union Competition Card 3.

Age group:

Entry open to ERFSU member schools by June annually

How to enter:

Home and Away or Central Venue

Tournament format:

Under 15

How can regularity be achieved?

Regularity can be created at Level 2 either by the use of a league infrastructure, or a series of central venue festivals for the group stages.

Schools are only permitted to enter one team. (Schools are encouraged to play B/C team friendlies on the same date, which could be 15-a-side/7-a-side).

Schools can deliver rugby union for all abilities and help young people to get involved in the sport on a long term basis. The sport is for all shapes and sizes and is a great engagement tool for mixed ability groups appealing to both special schools and mainstream schools due to the social and team working values involved. Rugby union can be adapted for any sized team with Sevens and Tens being the most common team numbers for contact rugby. Non-contact touch rugby is now a huge attraction to young people with local support available in all areas.

How can depth in competition through extra teams be achieved?

Think inclusively!

The route from here to Level 3:

The route from Level 2 to Level 3 within this competition is through the next stages of the national draw which goes right through to national level and a potential appearance at Twickenham — the home of rugby.

The Daily Mail RBS Under 15 Vase