U19 VARIATIONS

(RFU Experimental Law Variations and clarification of IRB U19 Laws of the Game).

Substitutions

Rolling substitutions are permitted in all domestic Schools and Club Youth matches played within England. A player who has been substituted may replace any player, whether or not that player has been injured. (Please note, tournament restrictions may apply).

Squeezeball

No player involved in a match at any age level from under 18 downwards shall use, in training or in a match, the technique known or referred to as Squeezeball.

No person involved in the teaching or coaching of the Game may teach or coach players involved in a match from under 18 downwards, or encourage such players, to use the technique known or referred to as Squeezeball.

At Under 19, Squeezeball is permitted, but only if the ball is immediately available or the act will be penalized.

Note: ‘Squeezeball’ is a technique where the ball carrier goes to ground, head forward (touching or close to the ground), irrespective of immediate contact with opponents, usually keeping parallel to the touchline, holding and protecting the ball close to the chest and, when on the ground, pushes the ball back between the legs.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

Shoulders Above Hips

Any player at any stage in the scrum, ruck or maul who has, or causes an opponent to have, his shoulders lower than his hip joint must immediately be penalised by awarding a Free Kick. The object of this interpretation is to try to prevent a collapse of scrum, ruck or maul. It is to help the coach to coach good technique and the referee to penalise bad technique. Any player who has his shoulders lower than his hip joint can only move downwards, unless he has very great strength.

The force through the shoulders should be directed forwards and upwards; all players should remain on their feet, thus preventing a pile-up and possible injury.
Penalty: Free Kick

Law 14 Ball on the ground: no tackle, and Law 15 Tackle: Ball carrier brought to the ground

14.1 It is illegal for any player to voluntarily fall on or over a player lying on the ground with the ball in his possession, to voluntarily fall on or over players lying on the ground with the ball between them, or near them.
Penalty: Penalty kick at the place of infringement.

Additional Notes to help interpret Laws 14 and 15:

14.2 Should the correctly formed ruck or maul then collapse, the referee must immediately act to prevent a pile-up from developing.

Variations for Under 13 and Under 14

The following variations shall also apply to matches at age grades Under 13 and Under 14:

Law 20 – Scrum

In an eight-person scrum, the formation must be 3-4-1, with the single player (normally the number 8) bound on the 2 locks. The locks are now permitted to bind between the legs of the props with their outside arms.

Exception: A team may have fewer than eight players in its scrum when either the team cannot field a complete team, or a player is sent off for foul play, or a player has to leave the field because of injury.
Even allowing for this exception, each team must always have at least five players in a scrum and both scrums must always be equal in numbers.

If a team is incomplete, the scrum formation must be as follows:

When a normal scrum takes place, the players in the three front-row positions and the two lock positions must have been suitably trained for those positions.
If a team cannot field such suitably trained players because:

In an uncontested scrum, the teams do not compete for the ball. The team throwing the ball must win it. Neither team is allowed to push the other team away from the mark. Referees should be vigilant to ensure that hookers are in hooking position.
Penalty: Free Kick

Wheeling:

The scrum-half not throwing the ball into the scrum must not move beyond the middle line of the scrum until the ball has emerged from the scrum, or an opponent has placed his hands on the ball. In the event of a strike against the head, the scrum-half who has thrown the ball into the scrum is similarly restricted in not following the ball.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

Ball must be released from scrum. A player must not intentionally keep the ball in the scrum once the player’s team has heeled the ball and controls it at the base of the scrum.
Penalty: Free kick

Safety: In the event of one front row being stronger than the other, referees should be mindful to instruct the stronger pack to reduce the power of its shove sufficiently to ensure the opposing front row is able to stay on their feet.

Law 19 Line-Out

Variations for Under 16, 17 and 18

The variations for age grades Under 16, 17 and 18 shall be:

Playing time

The Scrum

The Line-Out

Replacements