Stockport Warriors and Scorpions
Link to BBC Sport - A good introduction to the Rules of Rugby
The Rugby Continuum - Under 11s (Midi)
These are the variations to the Law of Rugby for the U11 age group. The full Laws are available from www.irb.com.
The Object
To build and expand on concepts from ‘mini’ rugby. Kicking is now introduced, but there is still no ‘fly hacking’ (kicking a free ball on the ground) or hand offs.
The Pitch
Maximum size 60 x 43m (plus 5m in-goal area)
The Game
There are two halves of 20 minutes, with 12 players. 5 players form the scrum, and the remaining 7 form the back line. A size 4 ball is used. If playing with goal posts, the scoring is 5 points for a try, and 2 points for a conversion. There are no drop goals at this level.
Kick Off
The game is started or restarted by a drop kick from the middle of the halfway line.
Restarts – Penalties and Quick Penalties
If a penalty is scored during the game, play is restarted with a drop kick from the halfway line. The team that has conceded the points takes the kick. Quick penalties can be taken, but that means that defending players who are still retiring to be 7m away, will not be penalised for off-side.
[Note from Mark : We need to keep facing the opposition when we have given a penalty away, and be ready to defend against the quick tap penalty.]
Passing / ‘Knocking on’
The ball can only be passed sideways or backwards. If the ball is passed or knocked forwards (towards the opponents’ goal line), then a scrum is awarded to the non-offending side, unless advantage occurs to the non-offending side.
Tackling
The tackler must immediately release the tackled player, and get up or move away from the tackled player and the ball. The tackler must get up before playing the ball.
The tackled player must immediately pass or release the ball and must get up or move away from the ball. The tackled player may put the ball on the ground in any direction, or may push the ball along the ground in any direction, except forward (towards the opposition try line), providing this is done immediately.
At a tackle, or near to a tackle, other players who play the ball must do so from behind the ball, and from behind the tackled player, or the tackler closest to those players’ goal line.
Any tackle level with or above the armpit, and the ‘scrag’ type tackle (i.e. swinging the player round by the shirt) are considered dangerous play and must be penalised.
Mauling
A maul occurs when a player carrying the ball is held by one or more opponents, and one or more of the ball carrier’s team mates bind on to the ball carrier.
All the players involved are to be on their feet.
A maul ends successfully when the ball leaves the maul, when the ball is on the ground, or is on or over the goal line.
When a maul remains stationary or has stopped moving for more than 5 seconds, but the ball is being moved and the referee can see it, a reasonable time is allowed for the ball to emerge. If it does not emerge within a reasonable time, a scrum is awarded to the team not in possession of the ball when the maul began.
Rucking
A ruck occurs where one or more players from each team, who are on their feet, in physical contact, close around the ball on the ground. Players are rucking when they are in a ruck, and using their feet to try to win or keep possession of the ball, without being guilty of foul play.
A ruck ends successfully when the ball leaves the ruck, or when the ball is on or over the goal line.
A ruck ends unsuccessfully when the ball becomes unplayable and a scrum is awarded, with the throw-in being awarded to the team that was moving forward.
Scrums
Scrums will be made up of five players, one row of three players forming the front row, and two other players binding onto them, forming the second row. The front rows from each team will bind together approximately half a metre apart; each prop will then touch the upper arm of his opponent, and then pause before the engagement. The referee will talk to the players through the engagement procedure in the sequence ‘Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage’
Scrums are contested at U11 and U12.
The back line of the team not throwing the ball into the scrum must remain behind the back feet of the rearmost players in the scrum until the ball emerges or the scrum half places his hands on it. Until this happens, the opposing scrum half must not move beyond the offside line.
At the scrum, the offside line for the scrum half is now the mid point of the scrum (i.e. a line down the middle of the tunnel). The scrum half must throw the ball in without "feeding" his own players. The ball should land parallel to the ground, midway between the two front rows and beyond the nearer props shoulders.
[Note from Mark : This point needs explaining before the game starts, and needs enforcing by referees and coaches alike.]
Line-outs
When the ball or player carrying the ball goes out of play, a line-out will take place at the point at which the ball or players crossed the touch line. The opponents of the team who carried or last touched the ball before it went into touch shall throw the ball in.
A quick throw in is now permitted.
The line-out will extend from 2 to 10 metres from the touch line.
Line-outs are contested at U11 and U12.
The line-out will be made up of four players from each team, plus the player throwing the ball in and an immediate opponent, who must stand within the 2m area, and one player from either side in a position to receive the ball (i.e. Scrum half).
Both the thrower and his immediate opponent are able to take an active role in the game as soon as the ball has been touched by one of the players in the line-out.
The ball must be thrown into the line-out (i.e. between 2m and 10m) and not beyond it, i.e. the ball must be played by one of the players in the line-out.
Lifting or supporting of a line-out jumper is prohibited at this level.
The offside line for all players not participating in the line-out is 7m back from the line of touch parallel to the goal line, and they must remain behind that offside line until the line-out has ended.
Conversions and Drop Goals
If playing with goal posts, after a try has been scored, the team can attempt to convert the try into a goal. The kick at goal will take place from anywhere in front of the posts.
Drop goals are not permitted.