Eligibility
GENERAL ELIGIBILITY POLICY
The Texas Rugby Union [TRU], which is comprised of clubs throughout Texas, is a Local Area Union [LAU] and a member of the West Rugby Union [WRFU]. The Western RFU is a Territorial Union [TU] and a member of the USA Rugby Union. The TRU Operating procedures are based on the minimum guidelines outlined in the USA Rugby Website under ” USA Rugby Eligibility Rules “.
All clubs, especially collegiate who change addresses & phone numbers in August or September, are requested to contact the TRU President IMMEDIATELY as soon as they have the current information. This is the only way the TRU can keep the Club Contact Information on the TRU website up to date and ensure that all members clubs receive important TRU information in a timely manner. Please remember to include school addresses, phone numbers & E-mail addresses..
If any club fails to notify the TRU of changes in their club officers, they will not be given any latitude in respect to deadlines outlined in these procedures.
APPLYING FOR MEMBERSHIP TO THE TEXAS RUGBY UNION
Member Clubs of the Texas Rugby Union will only be eligible to field their playing members who are in good standing with USA Rugby, West RFU and the TRU. All players belonging to Member Clubs must be enrolled in the USA Rugby Club & Individual Participant Program (CIPP). Member Clubs have to ensure that they have paid their annual club TRU and West RFU membership dues and all TRU and West RFU dues for each individual player by the first scheduled game of the current year.
Application for Membership to the TRU must be made to the TRU President and must include (at a minimum) the following:
A letter requesting membership (to include a brief history and/or need for a club in that area).
By-Laws and/or Constitution
A list of team officers with addresses, phone numbers, and E-mail addresses. Officers should include President, Match Secretary, Treasurer, CIPP Coordinator, and TRU Representative. Other appointments such as Coach, Referee, Medical Person/Trainer & a Permanent Address (a P.O. Box No. for the club) must also be included. (School & summer addresses with phone numbers are required for college & graduate school teams).
First & second choices for colors of jerseys, shorts, socks and style of each (can be cut from a rugby supplier catalog).
Date of officer elections. Colleges & graduate schools must include their Faculty Advisor’s name, address & phone number, along with a letter from this Advisor stating their willingness to ensure that the “Duties of A Faculty Advisor” are carried out.
Colleges & graduate schools must include the name, address & phone number of their Athletic Director and Director of Club Sports. A letter (on school letterhead) from one of these persons regarding the school’s support for rugby (use of school facilities, fields, trainers, equipment, funding & future plans) is required.
A check payable to “TRU” for $100 must be enclosed with your application. This amount will be credited as your total dues payment for that year or refunded if your application is denied.
All players must be covered by a $100,000 medical/sports accident insurance policy (either through employers, college, parents, or individual plan). The club is responsible for obtaining proof of coverage from each player.
After acceptance of Membership to the Texas Rugby Union, the club will then need to become fully enrolled in USA Rugby’s Club & Individual Participant Program (CIPP). Each Club must have completed the Club CIPP Enrollment and must have the required minimum of players enrolled.
Members will be under the jurisdiction of the TRU Disciplinary Committee and are expected to uphold the rules and regulations of the Texas Rugby Union. Disciplinary action may be taken against a Member Club if the Executive Committee feels it is warranted. All Member Clubs MUST keep the TRU President appraised of their current officers, their addresses and phone numbers.
INCOMING TRANSFERS OF CLUBS:
Clubs wishing to transfer from another Local Area Union to the Texas Rugby Union must declare that intention, in writing, to the TRU President. The request for transfer must include the following:
1. A letter stating the specific reason or reasons for requesting a transfer signed by at least two club officers, a copy of the minutes of the meeting where the club members voted on a motion to transfer and the vote count
2. A copy of the clubs By-Laws
3. A letter from the Local Area Union President (on LAU letterhead) “releasing” the club from the LAU and affirming that the club is in good standing and has no debts to the LAU or its member clubs. The letter should also include any current or past disciplinary matters involving the club.
OUTGOING TRANSFERS OF CLUBS:
Any Member club wishing to transfer from the Texas Rugby Union to another Local Area Union [LAU] must declare that intention, in writing, to the TRU President before December 1st. Members who request a transfer after December 1st will be responsible for payment of all dues for the next calendar year, at the discretion of the Executive Committee. The request for transfer must include the following:
1. A letter stating the specific reason or reasons for requesting a transfer signed by at least two club officers
2. A copy of the minutes of the meeting where the club members voted on a motion to transfer and the vote count
3. A copy of the clubs By-Laws
4. A letter from the Local Area Union the club wishes to transfer to stating that they are willing (upon written release by the TRU) to accept the club
Members who owe the Texas Rugby Union dues, fines, bonds, or other payments will not be given permission to transfer until all payments have been made in full. Failure to receive written approval from both Local Area Unions will negate the transfer.
NAME CHANGES:
Any Member club wishing to change its club name must submit a letter requesting such a change, along with reasons for the change, to the TRU President at least 60 days in advance of the change. The TRU retains the right to deny any name change deemed offensive, inflammatory, or not in the best interests or promotion of the sport of Rugby.
MERGERS OF CLUBS:
Any Member club wishing to merge with another Member club must declare that intention, in writing, to the TRU President at the Summer Executive Board Meeting and will be voted on at that meeting. The successor club will be responsible for any obligations of the merged club. All clubs requesting a merger after December1st will be responsible for all dues and obligations to the TRU as separate clubs. The Executive Committee reserves the right to place the new team in the division it feels is appropriate.
RESIGNATIONS FROM THE UNION:
Should a club wish to resign from the Union (especially in the case where the club is no longer functioning), a statement of such intent must be submitted, in writing, to the TRU President. It must be signed by at least two officers. The club will be responsible for any financial obligations for the fiscal year in which the resignation was submitted.
MAINTAINING MEMBERSHIP:
The Executive Committee has the authority to drop any club, from membership of the TRU, who do not play matches or repeatedly cancel matches, fail to pay dues and/or is not fully enrolled in USA Rugby CIPP program. Full compliance in CIPP includes both Club Membership and a minimum number of requisite players for their respective league/division.
The Texas Rugby Union operates under the auspices of USA Rugby and, as the National Governing Body, USA Rugby has the sole right to establish minimum rules under which the game of rugby is played in the United States. These rules for player and club eligibility, use of logos, uniforms and equipment are outlined on the USA Rugby website and these apply to all matches leading to a National Championship.
ALL CLUBS SHOULD CHECK FOR THE MOST RECENT ELIGIBILITY RUELS AT http://www.usarugby.org
Definitions
TRU Division – Organization of the TRU member clubs into competitive leagues for the purposes of determining a TRU Champion and/or representatives for West RFU Championships.
TRU Cup/League Match – any match which leads in any way to a TRU Divisional Championship.
TRU Divisional Championship – either an order of finish determined by a league table or a four-team playoff with the seedings determined by the order of finish in championships
TRU Competitive Season – commencing no earlier than September 1st until the final game of the TRU Championships
CLUB ELIGIBILITY
TRU member clubs must comply with the following criteria to be a member in good standing and remain eligible to play in a TRU Cup match or a TRU Championship.
TRU Approval - A Club must be formally approved as a member club by the membership of the TRU.
CIPP – A club must be enrolled in the current year CIPP program
Liability Insurance – A Club must be enrolled in the current year USA Rugby Club General Liability Insurance Program or have obtained written exemption from enrollment from the USA Rugby Insurance Coordinator, having proven adequate general liability coverage is provided by another source.
Good Standing – A Club must be in good standing with the TRU, the WRFU and USA Rugby. Good standing implies that the club has no outstanding disciplinary actions, dues, fines, assessments and/or other debts to the TRU, the WRFU and USA Rugby.
Other Standards – A club must meet all other standards currently required or that may be imposed by the TRU, the WRFU and USA Rugby.
In addition to being ineligible for TRU Cup and Championship Matches, an ineligible club may not participate in any official TRU meeting or play in any rugby match [friendly or otherwise] in the State of Texas.
Division Specific Requirements:
[a] All RSL and Division I clubs participating in the Texas Premier League and Collegiate Division I are required to field two [2] bona fide sides. This means that they must have a minimum of 34 players enrolled in the current year CIPP program and registered with the club.
[b] Mens Division II & III must field one bona fide side. This means that they must have minimum of 22 players enrolled in the current year CIPP program and registered with the club. Division II clubs are encouraged to field a valid second sides so as to nurture the growth of the game in Texas.
[c] Womens Division Clubs must field one bona fide side. This means that they must have minimum of 17 players enrolled in the current year CIPP program and registered with the club.
[d] Collegiate Division II must field one bona fide side. This means that they must have minimum of 18 players enrolled in the current year CIPP program and registered with the club.
[e] In the Texas Mens Premier League no more than four [4] First XV players who played more than half of the First XV Match, may play in the Second XV match.
[f] In all of the other Divisional Cup Play, the member Clubs of the Division may through a vote administered by the Divisional Secretary, may determine the number of First XV players who may be dropped to the Second XV match.
[g] All First XV league games at all levels, except youth, will abide by the USA Rugby ruling on foreign players [those who are not resident aliens] i.e. maximum of 5 per squad
It is a violation of the USA Rugby, Western RFU and TRU Disciplinary Codes for any Club to knowingly violate any of the above listed eligibility criteria. Such violation will result in fines and/or sanctions for the offending club.
In addition to meeting all of the General Eligibility Regulations, clubs and players participating in the USA Rugby National Club Championships must meet the following criteria:
CLUB ELIGIBILITY
a) Each participating club shall carry a roster of no more than 22 players for a league match.
b) A club may play up to five [5] non-resident/foreign players in a TRU Cup/league game and their 28-man roster for TRU Championship Playoffs. This rule applies to all First XV and these players need to be clearly identified on the match roster.
Definition:
A non-resident player is defined as a person who is not a U.S. citizen, does not possess permanent or conditional resident alien status in the United States at the time of the game.
PLAYER ELIGIBILITY
All players must be in good standing with their club, the TRU, the West RFU and USA Rugby in order to participate in the State, Territorial and National Championships and in all events leading up to the Championships, including the TRU Championships and the West RFU Championships. To be in good standing the participant must:
[1] Be enrolled in the current years Club and Individual Participation program [CIPP]
[2] Possess medical insurance coverage of at least $100,000
[3] Be a bona fide member in good standing with their club, the TRU, the West RFU and USA Rugby. Good standing implies that the player has no outstanding disciplinary actions, dues, fines, assessments and/or other debts to their club, the TRU, the West RFU, or USA Rugby.
[4] Additional minimum USA Rugby eligibility standards are, as follows:
a) Player must be CIPP enrolled for the club, through initial enrollment or transfer, prior to the earlier of (i) playing in a Qualifying Match or (ii) April 15th for men’s competitions and September 15th for women’s competitions.
b) The player must not have played in a Qualifying Match for any other Club during the Fifteens Competitive Season.
c) Non-resident players must be in the United States by March 15th for senior men and by September 15th for senior women.
d) Player must be at least 18 years of age unless granted a waiver by USA Rugby Eligibility Committee.
Note: all TRU league games are deemed as Qualifying Matches
Player Certification Process
At registration for the TRU championship, West RFU championship and USA Rugby National championship events or any TRU League match that in any way leads to a USA Rugby National Championship, a player may be required to submit the following documentation to prove U.S. citizenship and /or qualification as resident alien or resident player as well as to prove CIPP enrollment and medical insurance coverage. A clear and legible copy of each of these documents must be available to be retained by the registrar or opposition club official at the event. Players not able to provide documentation below will be assigned non-resident status for purposes of eligibility at that championship event.
Current government issued photo identification
Clear and legible copy of U.S. birth certificate or
Clear and legible copy of photo page of U.S. passport, or
a) Original or certified copy of Permanent (Green Card) or Conditional Permanent Resident Alien documentation (Conditional Green Card, INS �A� Number issued and stamped in passport) and
b) Clear and legible copy of Permanent or Conditional Permanent Resident Alien documentation for retention at registration or
Note: Documentation (i.e. letters of application) in reference to the pursuit of permanent or conditional resident status, in order to facilitate a player’s participation in the competition, is not sufficient.
Proof of current enrollment in the Club and Individual Participation Program and
** If a players citizenship proof is already on file at the USA Rugby National Office and it is displayed on the database on the USA Rugby website, that player does not need to show further proof unless there is a change in the citizenship.
Additional Standards:
[a] No player is allowed to play in any match that in any way leads to a National Championship for more than one club – regardless of how far apart geographically those clubs are. Clubs may apply for an exception to be granted by the USA Rugby Eligibility Committee with the TRU Director of Competitions being informed that such an exception is being sought. Factors that have gone into exceptions having been granted in the past include the legitimacy of the move (e.g. job transfer vs. club hopping) and the length of season left however exceptions are meant to be just that – reserved for exceptional cases.
MENS AND WOMENS COLLEGIATE ELIGIBILITY REQUIRMENTS
Participating college club must meet the criteria for membership of the Texas Rugby Union, the West Rugby Football Union and USA Rugby. Each participating club must be recognized by their college or university & must be in good standing with their university or college. In addition each participating college club must meet all of the event specific criteria that are required specifically for that event. All college players must adhere to the guidelines laid out under this section.
The student-athlete must be enrolled as a full-time student as defined by his/her university and must be an undergraduate student seeking his/her first bachelors degree.
A student athlete is eligible to play through the National Championships if he/she graduated after January 1st in the year immediately preceding the National Championships.
A student athlete in his/her final term may carry less than full academic load and still maintain eligibility.
The student-athlete must play for the team representing the school in which he is enrolled.
The student-athlete has five [5] years of eligibility from the beginning of the term in which he/she first enrolled for his/her undergraduate program.
The student athlete who has received a BA or BS Degree from an undergraduate institution is ineligible, except as outlined under this section.
The Western RFU has issued a directive that all colleges must have a certified coach.
National High School Club Championship
Club Eligibility
a) Club must be represented by students who all attend the same High School and are enrolled in grades 9-12.
b) Club may carry an unlimited number of players on its Roster.
c) All clubs must have a coach certified though the USA CIPP Program
Player Eligibility
a) Players are eligible if they have not reached their 19th birthday by the September 1st that occurs at the start of the competitive season.
b) Players must be enrolled in high school and attending classes full time, as defined by the High School registrar. However, if graduation for a particular player occurs during the competitive season, the player retains eligibility for the remainder of the competitive season.
c) Players must be within four (4) years of the moment the player first enrolled in ninth grade, regardless of when that player started playing rugby or had the ability to start playing rugby.
d) Player must have played for the club in at least two (2) Qualifying Matches or second-side match associated with a Qualifying Match during the competitive season at least a week apart from each other prior to participating in a USA Rugby Championship Event.
e) The player must not have played in a Qualifying Match for any other club during the fifteens competitive season – including in the U19 Club or Senior competitions.
f) Players must meet and remain in compliance with all applicable amateur standards.
National U19 Club Championship
Club Eligibility
a) Club can be represented by players that meet the requirements of 6.2 including players from multiple high schools, GED-enrolled players, home schooled players, and provided there is not more than a maximum of five (5) non-resident players on their Roster for any particular match that may in any way lead to the applicable USA Rugby Championship Event.
b) Club may carry an unlimited number of players on its Roster.
d) All clubs must have a coach certified though the USA CIPP Program
Player Eligibility
a) Players are eligible if they have not reached their 19th birthday by the September 1st that occurs at the start of the competitive season.
b) Player must have played for the club in at least two (2) Qualifying Matches or second-side match associated with a Qualifying Match during the competitive season at least a week apart from each other prior to participating in a USA Rugby Championship Event.
c) The player must not have played in a Qualifying Match for any other club during the fifteens competitive season – including in High School, Collegiate, or Senior competitions.
d) Players must be enrolled in high school and attending classes full time, as defined by the High School registrar. However, if graduation for a particular player occurs during the Competitive Season, the player retains eligibility for the remainder of the Competitive Season.
USA RUGBY DIRECTIVES:
PLAYER’S DRESS
USA Rugby has outlined standards for the dress of players and this is available on their website www.usarugby.org and they are summarized below.
1. All players are required to wear appropriate uniform and the referee has the power to decide whether non-compliance is dangerous. The referee should, when the ball is dead, allow time for a player to replace or repair a badly torn jersey or shorts. He must not allow time for a player to re-tie or repair a bootlace.
2. Studs of a player’s boots must be of rubber, aluminum or any approved plastic. No metal, other than aluminum, is permitted. Studs may not contain nails. The following studs are banned:
a. plastic studs with a metal cap
b. American football boots with female studs, i.e., having a threaded post that can become exposed
The molded plastic/rubber soled boot is permissible. No matter what composition, no studs may have sharp edges. All referees are required to inspect studs before a game.
3. A player must not wear any hard or unyielding material, even if taped or otherwise covered. Even if a form of protective covering is permitted, it cannot be attached by metal or plastic buckles even if the latter are covered.
4. The following protective clothing or devices are permitted.
a. plastic mouth guard
b. shin guards, even if constructed of hard plastic, provided they are worn inside the socks and there are no hard edges or corners
c. sweat bands on head or wrist
d. where the ground is unusually hard, knee and elbow elastic covering are permitted to prevent grass burns
5. Padded headgear with the IRB stamp of approval is allowed. The ears may be taped around the head.
6. Elastic or cloth knee braces are permitted except they cannot contain metal or plastic struts even if they are covered with tape or foam rubber. Any form of knee brace that contains plastic or metal is prohibited.
7. Padded shoulder/chest harnesses with the IRB stamp of approval are allowed. Padding of cotton, soft rubber or similar material is permitted to protect an open wound or scab other than on the hand or arm.
8. Any device containing plastic or metal to protect against or for a broken nose is prohibited.
9. No form of eye glasses is permitted.
ADVERTISING & LOGO GUIDELINES
The TRU, follows the USA Rugby guidelines which also conform to the IRB regulations, on advertiser�s and manufacturers logos as outlined on the USA Rugby website www.usarugby.org
No advertisement for tobacco, alcohol, or any bar, tavern or saloon shall be permitted upon the kit of any college, high school or youth club.
The TRU, the WRFU and/or USA Rugby shall retain the right to prohibit and require the removal of any advertiser logo deemed offensive, inflammatory or not in the best interests of promotion of the sport of Rugby.