Rugby Australia Dispensations

Q: What are Rugby Australia's available dispensations?

Age Grade Dispensation

• The starting policy position is that a player may play in the age group he/she is turning in the calendar year and in the age group one year above.
• For players wishing to play 2 years above or 1 year below their eligible ages, they need to seek an age grade dispensation.

Size for Age Dispensation

• Size for age guidelines and the procedure allow player to play in the most suitable competition. 

U7s Playing U8s Dispensation

• Rugby AUs starting position is that players turning 7 in the calendar year should play in U7s age grade.
• However, there are rare occasions where individual players may apply to participate in the U8 age grade by undertaking the U7s playing U8s procedure.

Senior Rugby Dispensation

• Any competition involving players over 18 years of age is classified as a Senior Rugby competition. A player is automatically eligible to participate in Senior Rugby once they have turned 18 years of age.
• If the participant is turning 18 during the calendar year, only a parent/guardian consent form is required to participate in Senior Rugby.
• For participants turning 16 or 17 in the calendar year, there are additional requirements to determine eligibility.

Front row dispensation

• If a player wishes to participate in an age group outside their eligible age grades and play in the Front Row (prop or hooker) they must complete the Schedule B – Exception for Front Row Dispensation Form.

Disability Dispensation

• Players with a physical and/or intellectual disability that meet the requirements of the disability dispensation procedure can play down either one or two age groups.
• This procedure is applicable to all registered players participating in an age grade competition and does not apply to non-contact forms of rugby.
• Players are unable to submit this dispensation online.

Mixed Gender Dispensation

• Boys and girls may participate in mixed gender rugby up to and including the calendar year in which they turn 12 years of age. 
• A girl over 12 years of age may, subject to meeting the requirements of the dispensation procedure, play in a mixed gender team in the U13, U14 & U15 age groups where no other opportunity to play regular Rugby exists.
• Players are unable to submit this dispensation online.

Gender Identity Dispensation

• Rugby AU is committed to supporting a player’s participation in the gender with which they identify, provided it is safe for them and other participants.
• Players are unable to submit this dispensation online.

Rugby Events

• For more information on how dispensations are applied and available in Rugby Events, click here.