About Mini Rugby (2011)
The Game
Mini/Midi Rugby consists of a series of "cut down", safe versions of the full game. There is a progression from the U7 Tag Game (see the following U7 Tag overview published by the RFU) through to the full club and international game that we watch on television. This progression is known as the "Continuum".
The Continuum is a coaching pathway which seeks to introduce children gradually to the full fifteen-a-side game by thirteen years of age (the first year of Youth Rugby). The following summary of the rules applied at each age is provided as a guideline to parents. Age limits for mini/midi and youth rugby apply on midnight 31st August/1st September in that season. Thus, if a child is Under 8 at this date they are Under 8 for the whole of the subsequent season. Below is a summary of the Continuum. Your Head Coach will be able to advise should you have any questions.
| Rule | Under 7 | Under 8 | Under 9 | Under 10 | Under 11 | Under 12 |
| Non Contact (TAG) Rugby | Y | Y | - | - | - | - |
| Contact Rugby | ||||||
| Tackling | - | - | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Mauling | - | - | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Rucking | - | - | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Uncontested Scrums | ||||||
| Three Man | - | - | Y | - | - | - |
| Contested Scrums | ||||||
| Three Man | - | - | - | Y | - | - |
| Five Man | - | - | - | - | Y | - |
| Six Man | - | - | - | - | - | Y |
| Uncontested Line Outs | ||||||
| Two Man | - | - | Y | - | - | - |
| Contested Line Outs | ||||||
| Two Man | - | - | - | Y | - | - |
| Four Man | - | - | - | - | Y | - |
| Five Man | - | - | - | - | - | Y |
| Kicking out of hand | - | - | - | - | Y | Y |
| Number of players in a team | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 13 |
| Number of players in a squad** | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 18 |
**Squad size limit is only imposed at festivals and can vary (upwards) from this.
Mini/Midi rugby is now covered by regulation 15 which can be found on the RFU website.
