USA Rugby has published its Game Management Guidelines for the 2026-2027 season, developed with Richard Every of Advantage. The guidelines do not replace the Laws of the Game. They are the shared reference that tells players, coaches, referees, and administrators how those laws will be applied this season, built on the principles and spirit of the game.
Download the 2026-2027 Game Management Guidelines (PDF)
The document is organized into 11 sections:
- Breakdown covering the tackler, tackle assist, ball carrier, jackler, arriving players, ruck, and when the ball is out
- Restarts, Penalties, and Free Kicks including kick-offs, drop-outs, and sanction lines
- Space and Offside at the lineout, scrum, tackle, ruck, maul, and in front of the kicker
- Scrum set-up, engagement sequence, and uncontested scrums
- Touch, Lineout, and Maul including 50:22 and maul management
- Foul Play with the sanction framework, minimum sanctions, and tackle height
- Advantage, plus end of half and conversion procedures
- Before the Match covering arrival, the pre-match briefing, and the coin toss
- Abuse, SafeSport, and the Technical Zone
- Concussion and USA Rugby’s Recognise and Remove policy
- Sevens law variations
A few points worth flagging for our clubs. The sternum line remains the tackle height standard for community rugby, with the shoulder line applying only in Major League Rugby and Women’s Elite Rugby. At community level, having insufficient trained front row players causing uncontested scrums no longer results in a reduction of the team’s players. There is still no Head Injury Assessment at community level, so every match in our union is played under Recognise and Remove. There are also several U19 specific provisions, including no squeeze ball, no fending to the face, head, or neck, and limits on pushing or wheeling the scrum.
Coaches, please make time to walk your squad through the breakdown and foul play sections before your first match of the season. Referees across the union will be officiating to these guidelines from day one.
The full PDF is also available any time under the Resources tab on the Texas Rugby Union website.
Questions on law application can be directed to the USA Rugby Referee and Laws Committee at laws@usa.rugby.
Here’s to a safe and well played 2026-2027 season across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.