Return of Rugby
Following Monday’s announcement by the Prime Minister to delay the progression to Step 4 until Monday 19 July, we remain at Stage D2 on the RFU rugby roadmap. As soon as it is possible to progress to Stage E and full contact training we’ll make an announcement. We expect the new season to commence in September and we all hope to see the return of scrums and mauls to the game we love but in the meantime, all players and coaches must continue to follow all Covid-19 protocols and RFU Stage D Training Guidance
Change to Tackle Law - Regulation 15
The 2021/22 season will see the legal tackle height made consistent across all ‘contact' levels of age grade rugby in England. Under the law change, the maximum height of a legal tackle for U15 to U18 age groups will move down from the shoulder to the armpit. Meaning from next season, all age grade players U9-U18, boys and girls, will play to the same single tackle height law.
The aim of this law change is to reduce the risks of head-to-head contacts in front-on tackles when both players are upright (and their heads are in the same “air-space”) as well as change the shape of the game, with fewer rucks and more offloads. U7 and U8 players will continue to play non-contact rugby.
As a result of the loss of rugby in the 2020-2021 season due to Covid-19, to assist the development and integration of age grade players back into the game, when the new season commences in September, players will continue to play the regulations of their previous season, and will not progress to their new regulations until January. (e.g. U14s will continue to play U13 rules and not begin playing 8-man scrums, line outs and kicking at goal until the new year). Consistent with this decision, the RFU have also confirmed that 17 year olds will not be permitted to play adult rugby until Saturday 1 January 2022.
2021/22 Season Fixtures
Fixtures for all teams will be added to this website via GMS as they are confirmed during the pre-season period. They can be found on the ’TEAMS’ or ’NEXT’ tabs. The 2XV are not only the first team to have their fixtures in place but have also secured sponsorship for the new season and will be proudly running out at Bowdon on the 4th September to start their campaign in a new shirt. More news on that in the near future.
