Copied or Extrapolated from 2022-23 ELIGIBILITY REGULATIONS
Players
Each player must be currently registered with USA Rugby and before April 2nd.
The Player must not have played in a National Championship Qualifying Match for any other club.
Players entering the United States from other Unions must receive official clearance through their home Union and USA Rugby.
Non-Resident (NR) players must have entered and be residing in the US prior to April 2.
If mathematically incapable of meeting the requirements for NCS the player is ineligible.
Player Playoff Eligibility
In the Approved Governing Body Playoff matches each player must play in at least two (2) NCS Qualifying Matches with the Club regardless of division.
Each player must be capable of meeting the required Qualifying Match minimum by the start of the USA Club Rugby NCS. Approved Governing Body Playoff matches apply towards the player’s match total.
Each player is restricted to the division(s) in which he/she will be eligible to compete in the USA Club Rugby NCS.
Player Eligibility: Senior Clubs Fielding Multiple Sides.
At the beginning of the season players are not tied to a particular side. As matches are played some will eventually be eligible only for a club’s Upper Division(s).
Once mathematically incapable of meeting the requirements for a lower division’s NCS eligibility the player is immediately tied to the upper division(s).
Multi-side Roster Movement – RRRC specific
Movement of players between Lower Divisions and Upper Divisions of the same Club is allowed except where specifically prohibited.
Players who play as starters in Upper Division Qualifying Matches may not play in Lower Division Qualifying Matches played on the same weekend.
From 2019-20 Elig. Rule 3.5(b) on substitutions between Lower and Upper Division sides
Players who play in a Lower Division Qualifying Match may play in Upper Division Qualifying Matches played on the same weekend during the Regular League Season only when the Lower Division Qualifying Match is played before the Upper Division Qualifying Match, subject to the following restrictions:
- Up to three (3) players who played in a Lower Division Qualifying Match may be listed as RESERVE PLAYERS for the Upper Division Qualifying Match(es); or
- Up to four (4) players who played in a Lower Division Qualifying Match may be listed as RESERVE PLAYERS for the Upper Division Qualifying Match(es), if at least one of those players is a front row specialist.
66% Rule
Any player on a club fielding teams which compete in either contiguous or non-contiguous divisions, who has played in at least 66% of the total National Championship Qualifying Matches for the club’s Upper Division side is immediately no longer eligible to play for that club’s Lower Division side (See Figure 1).
During the course of the season, should the number of matches played by the club change for reasons outside the club’s control (forfeit, cancellation) and a player’s eligibility for a/the Lower Division side be impacted, the player must request a waiver from USA Rugby.
50% Rule
Using the total number of NCS Qualifying Matches played (including approved Governing Body playoff games) by a player, if 50% or more were with the Upper Division side(s), that player is not eligible to participate with the Lower Division side in the USA Club Rugby National Championship Series.
Non-Resident or Professional Players
Match Rosters for NCS Qualifying Matches may list a maximum of 23 players.
- No Match Roster may contain more than five (5) Non-Resident Players.
- No Division 1 Match Roster may contain more than five (5) Professional Players.
- No Division 2 Match Roster may contain more than two (2) Professional Players.
- No Division 3 Match Roster may contain more than one (1) Professional Player.
Movement between Professional Rugby and a USA Rugby Senior Club is permissible within the limits specified below:
- USA Rugby Club competes in Division 1. – No limits
- USA Rugby Club competes in Division 2.
On playing in three (3) or more regular season matches with a Professional Team, a player is no longer eligible to compete with a team competing towards any USA Club Rugby Championship in Division 2.
- USA Rugby Club competes in Division 3.
On playing in one (1) regular season match with a Professional Team, a player is no longer eligible to compete with a team competing towards any USA Club Rugby Championship in Division 3.
Some Definitions from 2022-23 ELIGIBILITY REGULATIONS
Homegrown Player. Any Player that was registered to, and has participated with the Club, or a Community Rugby program in the locale of the club, for at least two Competitive Seasons (See Section 1.12) prior to meeting the definition of Professional Player (See Section 1.36).
National Championship Qualifying Match. Any match in which the result is used to determine official Competition standings and/or to determine qualification for any USA Club Rugby Championship Event.
National Championship Series (NCS). The USA Club Rugby National Championship Series includes the playoffs for Men’s Divisions I, II, and III, and Women’s Divisions I and II, starting with the earlier of either the USA Club Rugby ‘Round of 16’ or any Senior Club Competitions Committee required Play-in Match or Matches, and culminating in the National Championship. The USA Club Rugby NCS also includes the Women’s Premier League Championship Semifinal and Final/Third Place Matches.
Non-Citizen Player (NC). A player who lacks U.S. citizenship.
Non-Resident Player (NR). A player who lacks U.S. citizenship or a Permanent Resident (“Green”) Card.
Play. Play is defined as actually stepping onto the field either as a starter, reserve, or blood substitution for any length of time. A player can be named on the roster for a match and not actually “play” in the match.
Professional Player. Any Player that has taken the field in the current and/or the immediately preceding year representing a professional franchise (e.g., Major League Rugby, Guinness Premiership, PR7s). Academy matches do not count as Professional Rugby matches.
Professional Rugby. Any team or organized competitions/series which (a) provides any of its players more than actual and necessary expenses for participation on the team; and (b) declares itself to be professional.
Waiver. Relief from the specified requirement(s) of these Regulations, granted in writing by USA Rugby in response to a formal, written request, made by the affected player or club (see Section 7.5.2).