Mini Rugby is a contact sport and safety is important at all times. The Club is proud of its excellent safety record and publishes the following guidelines for parents which should be studied carefully:

Responsibilities of Parents, Coaches and Helpers
Under Guidance from the Rugby Football Union (RFU) the Club cannot take legal responsibility for children whose parent or guardian leaves them during a training session or match.

Gumshields/Mouthguards
The RFU recommendation is that gumshields are advisable for all children. The Club policy is the gumshields are advisable in the Under 7 and Under 8 age groups but compulsory in the Under 9 and older age groups.

Boots and Shinguards
Other than for the very youngest children, boots are highly advisable in all age groups not only to give grip but also to provide protection when other children are wearing boots. Shinguards are advisable for all age groups, particularly for front-row players in the Under 10 age group and upwards where contested scrums take place. Shinguards for use in rugby must be IRB Approved (see the note on clothing below). Football shinguards which may have a 'hard' edge and can present a danger to a would-be tackler are not allowed in rugby.

Boot Studs
Studs with sharp or jagged edges (such as the nylon studs commonly fitted to football boots) pose a serious danger to other players, particularly in the older age groups where there is more likelihood of children lying on the ground. Aluminium Safety Studs (which bear the BSI kite mark) are by far the safest studs to wear in Mini, Midi and Junior Rugby and your sports retailer should advise you of this if you state that the boots being purchased are for Rugby Union.

Prior to the 2004/5 season Safety Studs were the only studs permitted to be worn in Rugby Union. In the 2004/5 season other makes of stud; such as nylon or nylon/aluminium football studs and "blade" or "cleat" type studs are permitted by the RFU provided they are not worn or damaged in any way. Please note that all makes of stud other than Safety Studs (especially nylon studs) will wear with use to become sharp and pose a danger to other players. Referees carry out stud checks prior to games and will not allow boots with dangerous studs to be worn. The recommendation of the Club is that all players fit Safety Studs for Mini, Midi and Junior Rugby. The Club keeps a stock of Safety Studs and these are available for sale to players on Sundays. Please note that moulded rubber studs sometimes worn by younger children are acceptable footwear for Mini, Midi and Junior Rugby. Missing studs can also present a danger to the wearer and to others. The wearer can slip unexpectedly with possible injury. It is important that parents check their children's boots regularly for missing studs.

First Aid
The club sponsors first aid courses for Coaches and Administrators, trying to ensure there is at least one poerson who has attended a first aid course present with each age group.

Clothing
The Club supplies, at a competitive cost, good quality rugby jerseys, socks and shorts in club colours to all children and these should be worn for all training sessions and matches not least for the protection they offer. If children provide their own rugby shorts they should be of the same quality - nylon football shorts are not recommended. As winter approaches it is ESSENTIAL that children bring a good quality tracksuit (or equivalent), plus a woolly hat to training sessions. Wearing several thin layers under the rugby jersey helps to retain warmth in cold weather.

Parents may be aware that Law 4 of the RFU "Laws of the Game" specifies the types of clothing acceptable in the game of Rugby Union. This publication can be accessed via www.rfu.com. The acceptable makes of protective shoulder padding and headgear increasingly being worn by Mini Rugby players from their first year of contact rugby (Under 9 upwards) are also covered by Law 4 - i.e. they must that bear the IRB Approval Mark. The need for very young players to wear such protective equipment is the subject of some debate within the RFU, not least in relation to the cost of such equipment which is likely to be rapidly outgrown. From a safety point of view some coaches feel that the equipment encourages players to feel (and therefore act) as if they are invulnerable and this can lead to dangerous play. Parents should be aware that while the equipment does help to reduce the number of abrasions players of all ages incur during a game it provides no significant protection against more serious injury.

Fingerless mittens are also permitted under Law 4 and are a particularly useful in keeping small hands warm in cold and/or wet weather. The Club keeps a stock of mittens and these are available for sale to players on Sundays.

Drinks
Players are encouraged to bring their own drinks although all age groups also have water on hand during training sessions.

Tetanus Injections
The RFU recommends that all mini rugby players should have a preventative course of tetanus injections.

Injuries
Any player who sustains an injury on the playing field MUST NOT BE MOVED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. If the injury is serious, professional help will be summoned immediately. If the injury is minor, the player, once recovered, must be allowed to regain his feet unaided and should not play on unless he or she feels confident in doing so.

A parent should not to bring his/her child to training if the child is "carrying" an injury from, for example, a school game or another sport.

Medical Conditions
These should be disclosed on the Registration form at the commencement of the season. For any temporary conditions such as colds and flu, please follow the normal school guidelines for the child's attendance.

Watches, Jewellery
Under no circumstances should a player arrive for training, a match or festival wearing a watch or jewellery or carrying (e.g. in pocket) toys or similar objects.

Personal Property
Although not strictly a safety issue, it should be noted that the Club can take no responsibility for an individual's personal property such as wallets and mobile phones.