RFU Announces Changes To Player Registrations

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has announced that player registration will be mandatory for all versions of rugby starting in July 2023. This move follows the principle of Age Grade Rugby, where player registration has been in place for several years. Under this new rule, all players will be required to register annually with an RFU member club in order to participate in the sport.

The RFU has stated that the registration process will be simplified and that the data required will depend on the level of play. For example, the rules for Men’s Premiership/Championship/National 1&2 and Women’s APXV’s will remain the same, but the data requirements will be less for lower level players.

The RFU has also announced that “dual registration” will be available for all players, with the exception of those playing 1st XV rugby in Women’s Championship and above and Men’s Regional 2 and above. They mention in the latest Community Game Update that “Players will not be permitted to register for 2 clubs in the same league even at the lowest levels.” However, the implications of this for grassroots and social players, as well as players who represent multiple clubs throughout a season or calendar year, are currently unclear.

In addition, the RFU has introduced the idea of geo-tagging players who are not currently playing for a team, in order to connect them with local clubs at their level that are in need of their services. This is seen as a positive move and one we at Fill Your Boots have been championing for over 7 years, but it raises questions about how it will impact the dual registration rule.

Overall, while the RFU’s intentions with this new rule are to simplify the registration process and make it easier for players to find teams, it is yet to be seen how it will affect grassroots and social players, as well as those who represent multiple clubs throughout a season or calendar year.