TEXAS RUGBY UNION & USA RUGBY POLICIES ON TOURS AND PLAYER EXCHANGES
As is typical in all sports governed by an international body, players and clubs often travel abroad to participate in matches, tournaments or leagues conducted in a foreign country. Rugby is no different.
When clubs and players plan to travel overseas to play (whether permanently or temporarily), it is mandatory that they receive approval to do so from their governing union, prior to their arrival in a foreign land. Typically, approval is granted to players and individuals who are members in good standing with their governing union (in our case, USA Rugby). Approval must also be obtained from the appropriate national governing union for clubs and players wishing to travel to the United States to compete. In each case, an application is completed by the club or player traveling and sent to the players/clubs home union. The union researches the applicants background and determines the applicants standing (registration, behavior, contractual obligations, etc.). The applicants standing will determine whether approval is granted or denied. Once an applicants standing is determined, a letter is sent to the applicant, the foreign union involved and the foreign host club or organization.
Receiving approval to play in a foreign union is mandatory worldwide. Clubs and players traveling from the USA to play in a foreign country (even exhibition matches) should expect to be asked for their letters of approval from USA Rugby. Likewise, US clubs planning to host foreign clubs or players should also request the appropriate approval letters obtained by the visiting club or player. In each case, it is up to the visiting club or player to obtain approval from their national union.
There are four basic types of approval that can be granted by a national union. They are:
Approval to Tour Outbound (US clubs traveling to another Country)
Approval to Tour Inbound (Foreign clubs traveling to the USA)
Player Transfer Outbound (US players wishing to compete for a club in a foreign union)
Player Transfer Inbound (Foreign players wishing to compete for a club in the USA)
The process of approving international club and player exchanges is very important and is done solely for the protection of all clubs and players involved. This worldwide checks and balances system helps to ensure that all clubs and players participate in reputable organizations and will be held responsible for their commitments to the visiting club or player.
Players and clubs who plan to travel abroad to play should only work with clubs and individuals who are members in good standing with their national union and have the appropriate documentation to prove their standing.
APPROVAL TO TOUR – OUTBOUND
All USA Rugby registered clubs planning to travel to a foreign country to compete against another club(s) must receive approval from USA Rugby to do so. Clubs planning to tour should expect to be asked to produce an approval letter well in advance of their arrival in the foreign country.
This approval letter will ensure the foreign club that players have been checked for suspension status and the club is a member in good standing with an International Rugby Board (IRB) member union. As the result, the host club can be assured that the visiting USA Rugby club competes in an organized program with the appropriate disciplinary structure in place.
To obtain approval to travel abroad, submit an Approval to Tour Outbound the USA Rugby National Office at least 4 weeks prior to departure.
APPROVAL TO TOUR – INBOUND
Often times, USA Rugby clubs will serve as hosts to clubs touring the United States. These clubs planning to travel to the Unites States must receive approval from their national union to do so. Clubs planning to host a foreign club should insist that they produce an approval from their union well in advance of their arrival in the foreign country. This serves to protect the host club from dealing with clubs who are less than reputable.
The approval letter from the visiting clubs national union will ensure the host club that all visiting players have been checked for suspension status and the club is a member in good standing with the appropriate International Rugby Board (IRB) member union. As the result, the host club can be assured that the visiting club competes in an organized program with the appropriate disciplinary structure in place.
Foreign clubs wishing to travel to the United States may contact their national union or may use the Approval to Tour Inbound and submit it to their national union. Host clubs should expect to receive the appropriate documentation at least 4 weeks prior to the visiting clubs arrival in the United States.
PLAYER TRANSFER – OUTBOUND
In the United States, there are many players who request approval to transfer to national unions to play for a foreign, whether it is permanently or for a shorter period of time. Players seeking to play with a foreign club should expect to be asked to produce an official transfer letter from USA Rugby.
The transfer letter will ensure the foreign club that USA Rugby players have been checked for suspension status and are currently members in good standing with an International Rugby Board (IRB) member union. As the result, the host club can be assured that the visiting USA Rugby player competes in an organized program with the appropriate disciplinary structure in place.
To obtain approval to travel abroad, submit the following a Player Transfer Outbound form to the USA Rugby National Office at least 4 weeks prior to departure.
PLAYER TRANSFER – INBOUND
On occasion, USA Rugby clubs will recruit foreign players to participate on their club for a season(s). Foreign players planning to play on a USA Rugby sanctioned club must receive approval from their national union to do so. Clubs planning to host a foreign player should insist that they produce an approval from their union well in advance of their arrival from the foreign country. This serves to protect the host club from dealing with players who are less than reputable.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
IRB Regulations now allow national unions to demand compensation from the host club for foreign players who have been developed in their country. The host clubs are, in all cases, responsible for the payment of this fee to the national union of the foreign player. The foreign player’s national union may rescind the demand for payment if the player is indeed an amateur. However, if the player is deemed to be more than an amateur (housing and travel paid by the club, compensation to player, etc.) the foreign union will most likely insist to be compensated. The approval letter from the visiting players national union helps to ensure the host club that the foreign player has been checked for suspension status and is a member in good standing with the appropriate International Rugby Board (IRB) member union. As the result, the host club can be assured that the visiting player competes in an organized program with the appropriate disciplinary structure in place.
Foreign players wishing to travel to the United States may contact their national union or may use the Player Transfer Inbound and submit it to their national union. Host clubs should expect to receive the appropriate documentation from the foreign union at least 4 weeks prior to the visiting players arrival in the United States.
JUNE 2008