New Version of IRB Law 3 with Union Specific Variations

The West has adopted the Union Specific Variations as they pertain to front row replacements as detailed below:

The following competition regulation applies for any match that leads in any way to a USA Rugby National Championship.

• All matches shall be governed by IRB Law 3 with respect to substitutions and front row replacements. In particular, Law 3.14 “Union Specific Variations” will apply to front row replacements.
• Failure to have three trained and experienced front-row players at the start of a match will result in a forfeit.
• Teams shall submit a match roster nominating a maximum of 23 players – 15 starting players and a maximum of eight reserves.
• The table below indicates the required numbers of suitably trained and experienced front row players for different numbers of players on the match roster
  
  Number of Players on the Roster - Number of suitably trained and experienced Front Row Players
  
  15 - 3
  16, 17 or 18 - 4
  19, 20 or 21 - 5
  22 or 23 - 6
  
• Should a team lose all of their available front row players, then uncontested scrums will take place but the team opting out of the set-piece will not be able to replace the injured player - forcing them to continue with only fourteen players. (Note - This is a change to the existing Laws and ensures that a team going to uncontested scrums does not gain an advantage.)

3.14 UNION SPECIFIC VARIATIONS

(a) A Union having jurisdiction (or where a match or competition is played between teams
from two or more Unions those Unions by agreement between them) may implement
variations to Law 3 .4 for matches below international level as set out in 3(b) and/or 3 (c)
below .

(b) When 22 or 23 players are nominated in a team there must be sufficient front row players
to play at hooker, tight-head prop and loose-head prop who are suitably trained and
experienced to ensure that on the first occasion that a replacement in any front row
position is required, the team can continue to play safely with contested scrums.

(c) A provision may be introduced that where uncontested scrums are ordered as result of
there being no suitably trained and experienced front row replacement for any reason, the
team concerned play with not more than 14 players

USA Rugby Extends Deadline for 2010 National Championship bids

Following an official review of organizing committees’ bids for USA Rugby’s 2010 National Championship events, the organization has officially decided to extend its deadline from August 10 to September 1, 2009 in an effort to receive more interest from potential hosts.
Boasting membership in excess of 80,000, USA Rugby is looking to combine the growing momentum for the game in our country with the excitement and energy generated by the National Championship Series.

The championship season will once again kick off with the USA Rugby Collegiate Playoffs on April 16-18 and for the second straight year is looking split the locations in order to minimize travel and costs for teams.

Following the final approval by the USA Rugby Youth Committee, the date of the USA Rugby Boy’s High School, and Boy’s and Girl’s U-19 Championships will be on May 21-23 and USA Rugby is still accepting bids for this event.

The Men’s Club Playoffs will take place on May 22-23, and USA Rugby is looking to split this event geographically as well, holding an event in the East and West portions of the U.S.

In regards to the National All-Star Championships, the senior women’s event will be on May 28 and 30, the Women’s Under-23 All-Star Championships will be held June 11 and 13, while the Men’s and Women’s All-Star Sevens will take place on August 28-29 and all three have no venue as of yet.

USA Rugby is also trying to find a host for the Women’s Club Playoffs and Championships, which are set for October 30-31 and November 13-14, respectively.

If an organization feels it can host a successful USA Rugby Championship Tournament, USA Rugby requests that it submits the bid questionnaire as soon as possible. Bid questionnaire’s will be accepted at the National Office no later than August 10, 2009. If your location, facilities and surrounding amenities meet the initial criteria USA Rugby has for the event, we will ask you to then complete the extensive bid package for the event.

For more information on the National Championship Series, please visit www.usarugby.org/goto/Championships. To bid on an event, please check out the bid packet by clicking on the following link http://www.usarugby.org/media/EDocs/2010_Championship_Bid_questionnaire.doc

USA Rugby National Championship Dates for 2010
The following events are still accepting bids:

April 16, 17 & 18
College: Men & Women’s Division I Playoffs (East and West locations needed)
College: Men & Women’s Division II Playoffs (East and West locations needed)

April 30-May 1
College: Men’s & Women’s Division I and II Championships, Steuber Rugby Stadium, Stanford University

May 21-23
High School/ U19: Championships (24 teams – one location)

May 22 & 23
Club: Men’s Division I, II & III Playoffs (East and West locations needed)

May 28 & 30
All Star: Women’s 15’s Championships (8 teams – one location)

June 5-6
Club: Men’s Division I, II & III Championships, Infinity Park, Glendale, Colo.

June 10 & 12
All Star: Men’s Collegiate Championships, Infinity Park, Glendale, Colo.

June 11 & 13
All Star: Women’s Under 23 Championship (8 teams – one location)

August 14-15
Sevens: Men’s Club Sevens Championships, Treasure Island in San Francisco, Calif.

August 28 & 29
Sevens: Men’s and Women’s all Star 7’s championships (16 teams – one location)

October 30 & 31
Club: Women’s Division I Playoffs (Round of 16 – one location)

November 13 & 14
Club: Women’s Division I Championship (8 teams – one location)

USA Rugby CIPP and MRFU Dues

USA Rugby online registration is now open for the 2009-2010 Competitive Season. The dues structure is as follows for our TU and LAU:

USA Rugby (plus Western Union Dues) 2009-2010 Dues Structure

Club Registration: $150.00

Individual Senior Registration: $35.00 + $25.00 = $60
Individual Collegiate Registration: $30.00 = $20.00 = $50
Individual High School Registration: $20.00 + $15.00 = $35

The MRFU Board of Directors approved a motion to change the current dues structure from a per person fee to a per club fee. The team presidents were alerted to this change at the August 3rd meeting at SMRFU clubhouse. The fee schedule is below. This is a one-time per competitive season fee, no matter the size of your roster. These dues can be paid using PayPal from the MRFU website.

Mens clubs - $1,150
Women’s clubs - $1,150
Collegiate - $850
HS Boys - $550
HS Girls - $450

All of this must be done prior to your first match. Referees will not be sent to matches where either club is not compliant.

Jan Stokes
MRFU Match Secretary
(314) 550-4636

USA Rugby Changes Under-20 Women's National Team Eligibility

USA Rugby has announced changes to its age eligibility requirements pertaining to the Under-20 Women’s National Team for the 2009/2010 season.

To be eligible for the Women Under-20’s squad for the upcoming season players must be under 20 years old on September 1, 2009.

This is a change to the prior date of January 1, 2010. “Both the England and Wales Under-20 programs use the September 1 date and this change will put us on the same page as those programs,” said USA Under-20 Women’s Coach Bryn Chivers. “Furthermore, there is another benefit to the change as we also have the opportunity to align the eligibility criteria for the Territorial Union Under-19 programs with the Girls’ Under-19 National Championships.”

Asked about the eligibility change Alex Williams, the Women’s High Performance Director added, “While the final match highlighted the attention England has been putting into their Under-20 program, our U-20s are coming off an overall successful Nations Cup and it’s important for us to use the same eligibility criteria as the team ahead of us and the teams that are now chasing us.”

For more information on the Women’s Under-20s, please visit www.usarugby.org/goto/womens_u20 or contact Bryn Chivers at bryn.chivers@gmail.com

Rugby Sevens Gets Olympic Recommendation

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board has recommended Rugby Sevens as one of two sports for inclusion in the Olympic Games.

Bernard Lapasset, President of the IRB, said: “We would like to thank the IOC Executive Board for selecting Rugby Sevens from what are seven strong and diverse sports. We recognise the significance of this milestone in our campaign but are also mindful that the ultimate decision rests with the IOC members when they meet in Copenhagen on October 9 2009.

“The Olympic Games would be the pinnacle of the sport for all our athletes and the Rugby Family, providing the opportunity for the best men’s and women’s players in the world to showcase their talent on the world’s greatest sporting stage. The international Rugby community is united behind Rugby Sevens’ campaign and we now look ahead to October.”

Rugby was originally introduced to the Olympic Games by Pierre de Coubertin in 1900 and continued to be played at the 1908, 1920 and 1924 Games. The sport shares the values of the Olympic Movement and offers new potential for growth to help the Movement to thrive and reach more young fans worldwide.