Age Banding
Youth rugby begins at U9s and ends at U18s. For safety, and to allow young players to develop in the best environment within clubs and schools, they should be training and competing with others of the same age and physical maturity.
Therefore, the youth game is divided up by the age of the players involved (age-grade rugby) with associated law variations. Regulations specify the age grades within which children should be grouped for training and playing. The grades are selected to minimise disparities in physical maturity and experience, while allowing meaningful player development to take place.
Player Registration on SCRUMS
As part of the player registration process, players are required to register on Scottish Rugby’s SCRUMS system. This allows us to maintain details of the player and enables the club to add the player to a match team sheet. For younger players a parent or guardian’s input is required as part of the registration process.
Download guidance for parents on registering a youth player
Age Grade Time Policy
The maximum game time for all age grade rugby players U9 – U18 should not exceed 90 minutes in a 48-hour period. The Age Grade Game Time Policy applies to all schools and youth fixtures; national competitions, regional/local competitions and friendlies. Watch our video on the Age Grade Game Time Policy here.
Age Grade Law Variations
As of 1 August 2018, a trial set of Age Grade Law Variations (AGLVs) has been in place to support a more enjoyable and inclusive game for all young players.
Age Banding Rules
All players under the age of 18, and all clubs, schools and teams participating at age grade levels, must follow Scottish Rugby’s Age Banding Rules. Please select the relevant age banding box below for further information.
Contact details
If you can’t find the information you’re looking for or have a specific query in relation to Age Banding or related matters please contact us at [email protected]
Principal Partners
