Rugby Australia introduces Size for Age policy for junior players

Rugby Union has become the first major contact sport in Australia to bring in a comprehensive weight and height grading for juniors.

Aimed at ensuring maximum safety and enjoyment for all participants, the new national Size for Age guidelines, which will apply to players in Under 10 to Under 15 grades, will enable individual players to be moved into a different age group following an assessment of physical and personal development factors including height, weight, playing experience, fitness and maturity.

As of this season, all Under 10 to Under 15 players deemed to be below or above an accepted height and weight range will now be subject to mandatory assessment by a qualified, independent coach to determine which age bracket they are most suited to playing.

Prior to the introduction of these guidelines, there was no standardised approach to mandating the assessment of individual players for size and age dispensation.

The changes are being implemented in 2018 following an extensive research project conducted by Rugby Australia in partnership with Sydney Junior Rugby Union, Brumbies Rugby and the Australian Catholic University.

The study, which has been completed over a two-year period, found that weight alone was not a strong enough factor to consider moving a player up or down in age group.

Rugby Australia Head of Rugby Services, Lachlan Clark explained “the changes we have made with our size and age guidelines are aimed at making the game safer and more enjoyable for all participants, while staying true to the value that rugby is a game for people of all shapes and sizes.

“In every age group, there are exceptional cases where a junior player might be better suited to playing up or down a grade, and we now have a structured process to ensure those players are playing at a level that best suits their physical and personal development.

“This is the culmination of a review which has been two years in the making and is backed by an extensive research project, which we believe puts Australia at the forefront of world rugby in this area.”

Final decisions will be mandatory, although players will have with the ability to request a second assessment at a later date, should they feel wrongly assessed.

The initial feedback has been broadly positive, with hesitancy from some players told to move quickly overcome by an increased level of enjoyment in the game, having found themselves, "playing where their skills and experience fitted", according to Clark.

Concerns over players forcibly taken away from their friends, and 'gentle giants' being stigmatised or smaller players held back, Clark insists, were given due consideration in the formation of the policy.

Clark advised “smaller skilful players can be placed exactly where they need to be.

"What we're also looking at is smaller, unskilled players, and players looking to learn the game, they have the capacity to go down and gain their confidence.”

Rugby Australia have also confirmed their Blue Card system, trialled last year, will be rolled out fully in 2018.

Blue cards will be shown to players taken off the pitch due to concussion concerns.

Once a player is shown the card by the match official, they cannot participate any further in the match and are required to undergo a mandatory medical assessment and then follow a set program before returning to rugby.

That system will be part of all rugby under Rugby Australia control in the coming season, from Under-13s to the national Rugby Championship.

Images used for illustrative purposes only. Courtesy of Rugby NSW.

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