Scottish Rugby s League and Cup Competition - Participation Agreement 2012/13

Transcription

1 Scottish Rugby Union plc Murrayfield Edinburgh EH12 5PJ T: F: Club Secretary 21 st August, 2012 Dear Sir / Madam Scottish Rugby s League and Cup Competition - Participation Agreement 2012/13 Enclosed is the Participation Agreement for season 2012/13. The aim of this agreement is to provide details of Scottish Rugby support to clubs participating in Scottish Rugby Cup and League Competitions and the associated responsibilities and conditions for the participating clubs. Please discuss the document with the relevant people in your club and return a signed acceptance form (Appendix 2) before Friday 31 st August, The Participation Agreement covers information on the following areas: 1. Club Accident Insurance Scheme 2. Scottish Rugby s League and Cup Competitions - Participation Funding 3. Registration of Players 4. Travel Support Scheme 5. Are You Ready to Play Rugby? Scottish Rugby s Player Safety Policies 6. Serious Injury Reporting 7. Scottish Rugby Club Awards 8. Scottish Rugby Club Facilities Fund 9. Referee Expenses Participation monies are paid out on the basis that clubs abide by the National Competition Rules and Regulations as administered by the Championship Committee and on the understanding that clubs promote and abide by Scottish Rugby s code of conduct. Good luck for the season ahead and please don t hesitate to contact me with any questions on the above. Yours sincerely NICK RENNIE Head of Clubs and Schools

2 Scottish Rugby s League and Cup Competition Participation Agreement Season 2012/2013 1

3 1. Club Accident Insurance Scheme Scottish Rugby will cover the full cost of the Club Accident Insurance Scheme for all clubs participating in Scottish Rugby s league and cup competitions. Furthermore, Scottish Rugby will cover the full cost of the Club Accident Insurance Scheme for all other teams playing rugby within Scotland, with the following premiums being applicable during season 2012/2013: Playing Level Insurance Premium Senior team 603 Restricted fixtures (max 5 games) 64 Youth teams (under-18) 64 Midi teams (under-16/under-15) 64 Mini teams (primary school age) 64 For example: if a club runs a total of 15 teams (two senior men s teams, women s 1 st XV, a men s 3 rd XV playing less than five fixtures, a full complement of boys and girls midi and mini teams) Scottish Rugby will pay an insurance premium of 2,5777. Details of the level of cover will follow in due course and the process of recording the number of teams will take the same format as in previous years i.e. all clubs to indicate the number of teams on the Club Accident Insurance Form that will be circulated shortly. 2. League and Cup Competitions - Participation Funding Under-18 League Participation Payments Scottish Rugby recognises the vital role that club under-18 teams play in linking youth to adult rugby. With steady increases in participation from 12 to 16 year olds in recent season s Scottish Rugby is prioritising support to under-18 club rugby for this season. All clubs who enter a team in an under-18 league will receive a participation payment of 500. RBS League Participation Payments To support the clubs in the running of their men s and women s senior team, Scottish Rugby will pay participation payments for RBS league participation at the following levels: RBS Premier League (male) teams will each receive 1,000. RBS National League and RBS Regional league division 1s (male) teams will each receive 800. All other RBS Regional Leagues (male) teams will receive 600. RBS Premier League (women) teams will each receive 600. RBS National League (women) teams will each receive 600. RBS Cup Participation Payments 600 will be paid by Scottish Rugby to all clubs who participate in the men s RBS Scottish Cup competitions. 100 will be paid by Scottish Rugby to all clubs who participate in the women s RBS Scottish Cup competitions. RBS League and Cup Competitions Conditions of Participation Scottish Rugby requires clubs to meet the following conditions before participation monies can be paid: a) Match Programme The Scottish Rugby logo should be displayed in a prominent position. 2

4 A full-page advert will be supplied by RBS and each club should include this in every match programme. This advert will be available from the downloads section of the club rugby pages at or by contacting Zoe Paige, Scottish Rugby Marketing Department on b) RBS Cup Competitions Participation payment will be paid to clubs at the end of the season. c) National Competitions Rules and Regulations Clubs must abide by all competition rules and regulations, as administered by the Championship Committee and Regional Competitions Committees. d) Scottish Rugby Code of Conduct Clubs must promote and abide by Scottish Rugby s code of conduct. They can be found at about us/ downloads / discipline / code of conduct. e) Provision of Match Footage To assist with the development of referees, clubs in Premier and National Leagues must provide The Head of Match Officials with DVD or footage of the game within 48 hours. This can be provided by DVD or uploading to the online facility (Dropbox). For further information please contact Mellisa Gracie (Mellisa.gracie@sru.org.uk); ). Please note - Scottish Rugby retains the right to withhold or reclaim participation monies where breaches of the above conditions occur. Competition Branding In return for the investment from Scottish Rugby we ask that clubs ensure (at no additional cost) that the following requests are also carried out: Games are announced as RBS league or cup games by announcers at club grounds. When provided, Scottish Rugby and RBS advertising material is displayed prominently throughout the club and actively promoted by club committees. When provided from time to time, additional Scottish Rugby and RBS promotional materials are inserted in match programmes. When provided, on a one-off basis, Scottish Rugby and RBS pitch side banners are displayed in agreement with the club at the club ground. 3. Registration of Players To be successful in the development of our sport, it is crucial that we target our support and resource to the areas that will best meet your needs. In order to do so, Scottish Rugby requires accurate, upto-date information on players to be recorded on the player registration system. Scottish Rugby guidelines regarding data protection and player registration will be circulated in due course. It is now mandatory to register all players playing in all levels of RBS competitions. Players in all RBS league and cup competitions must be registered before being eligible to participate in the relevant competitions in accordance with the National Competitions Rules and Regulations. Player transfer between clubs and dual registration is the responsibility of the clubs, with the transfer deadline for this season being Sunday 25 November, 2012 Clubs will receive a payment of 300 from Scottish Rugby for registering: all players at all levels of rugby (mini to adult, male and female) during the 2012/2013 season online by the end of March This payment will be made in July 2013, after the number of players registered has been audited and signed off as accurate by the club. 3

5 Club contact details for your club on the player registration system. Having this information on the player registration system will ensure effective communication with and between clubs. A list of key club contacts required is listed below: Captain Child Protection Co-ordinator* Club Coach Co-ordinator Club Development Officer Coach (Men) Coach (Women) Fixture Secretary (Men) Fixture Secretary (Women) International Ticket Officer Mini Organiser Midi Organiser Player Registration Co-ordinator President (Men) President (Women) Referee Secretary (Men) Referee Secretary (Women) Secretary (Men) Secretary (Women) Treasurer Youth Organiser *Child Protection Co-ordinator Scottish Rugby is committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of young people participating in the sport of Rugby. To assist in the achievement of this goal it therefore requires that clubs where young players under the age of 18 years are actively involved, sign up to the SRU policy on Child Protection and Welfare and appoint a named child protection officer. Further information and assistance on Child Protection/Welfare related matters can be obtained by contacting Richard McGhee on: Tel: , DL: , Mob: , Fax: or richard.mcghee@sru.org.uk Incoming Players to Scotland Players who have been playing rugby in a different country must first make application for clearance to play in Scotland through their National Union. The National Union should contact Kathleen Munroe (Governance Administrator) directly, ad in the first instance, at Kathleen.munro@sru.org.uk or by fax on +44 (0) or by phone on Once a clearance to play letter has been obtained by the player from the National Union from which they are departing, they should then registered online by their new Scottish club using the online registration system. The relevant clearance application forms are available at by selecting the Playing/ Play Rugby/ Downloads Teamsheets For all adult league and cup matches, a club must return a copy of their teamsheet to the Championship Secretary no later than 48 hours after the commencement of the match. The teamsheet should be ed to the dedicated address teamsheets@sru.org.uk. Further information and assistance on registering players and club contact details can be obtained by contacting your regional administrator: East Region: Cathy Shannon cathy.shannon@sru.org.uk Caledonia Region: Iain Bowles iain.bowles@sru.org.uk West Region: John Gillies john.gillies@sru.org.uk 4

6 4. Travel Support Scheme 2012/2013 Long Journeys Where a club or school is required to fulfil a league, cup, National Youth Cup, Youth Regional League, Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools Cup, or Brewin Dolphin Girls Cup match with a return journey in excess of 200 or 400 miles, Scottish Rugby will make a travel contribution in respect of each of these journeys (excluding visits to the Scottish Islands which are covered below). Payments from Scottish Rugby are as follows: Adult competitions return journey of 200 or more miles Adult competitions return journey of 400 or more miles Youth & school competitions return journey of 200 or more miles Youth & school competitions return journey of 400 or more miles Travel to Scottish Islands Where a club or school is required to fulfil a league, cup, National Youth Cup, Youth Regional League, Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools Cup, or Brewin Dolphin Girls Cup match with a return journey to one of the Scottish Islands, Scottish Rugby will make a travel contribution in respect of each of these journeys. Clubs and schools travelling to Stornoway, Orkney and Shetland to participate in a league or cup fixture are entitled to claim support for travel and accommodation expenses incurred, up to a maximum of: Adult competitions 2,500 Youth and school competitions 1,000 Clubs and schools travelling to Arran, Bute, Cowal and Mull to participate in a league or cup fixture are entitled to claim support for travel and accommodation expenses incurred, up to a maximum of: Adult competitions 350 Youth and school competitions 175 Travel from Scottish Islands Where a club or school is required to fulfil a league, cup, National Youth Cup, Youth Regional League, Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools Cup, or Brewin Dolphin Girls Cup match with a journey to the mainland, there will be payment in line with the above. Island clubs and schools should contact Hamish Munro, Competitions Administrator, for the detail of this funding. Payment in respect of senior male Premier, National or Regional League fixtures will be made by BACS to your club by the end of October Payment in respect of all other fixtures will be made at the end of the competition or season. Mileage payments are calculated based on information from the AA route planner. 5. Are You Ready to Play Rugby? The Are You Ready to Play Rugby? campaign was launched by Scottish Rugby at the start of 2009 to ensure that a consistent approach to player safety is adopted across Scotland by all coaches, teachers, referees and volunteers. Full details on all of the policies introduced to reduce the risk of serious injury are available in the Are You Ready to Play Rugby? section of the Scottish Rugby website, including details on age banding, age grade law variations and injury management. The policies that affect participation in league and cup rugby the most are as follows: 5

7 Under-18 Players in Adult Rugby (male) Further to the recent communication of the Are you Ready to Play Rugby? polices for the forthcoming season ( ), Scottish Rugby have received feedback from individual clubs and several members of the Scottish Rugby Council concerning the exception clauses within the under- 18 players in adult rugby section. We have discussed this matter internally and have taken the decision to revert at present to the policies that were in place last season ( ). We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you. We will now consult further on this matter with all stakeholders with a view to re-assessing this position by 31 October Scottish Rugby firmly believes that the safety of all involved in our game is of paramount importance. Player welfare is at the heart of Are you Ready to Play Rugby? and the robust arrangements that pertained last season remain in place as follows: Policy (revised august 2012): Male Players under the age of 18 are not permitted to play in adult rugby. This policy must be followed unless the exception below is applicable. In exceptional cases, a player s physical development, skill level, experience and medical condition may be such that they may be allowed to participate in senior rugby at an age younger than 18 years old. Players are only permitted to participate in senior rugby aged younger than 18 in the following circumstances: 1. Where a player is 16 or 17 years old - i.e. no players under 16 can play senior rugby Players who were cleared to play senior rugby for the season, must apply again for the season. The updated application form requests more information on the player, such as their medical condition. Player circumstances may also change season to season, e.g. injuries etc. 2. Where the player and coach have completed the online IRB Rugby Ready course (see The coach must have also completed the RugbyReady Practical course within the past year. 3. Where the club (or school) complies with the procedure detailed below and completes the Under-18 in Senior Rugby application form. 4. Front row players (props or hookers) are eligible for exception if the club (or school) complies with the procedure below and completes the Front Row Exception form, in addition to the Under-18 in Senior Rugby Application form. 5. Scottish Rugby s written approval must be received before any under-18 player participates in senior rugby. 6. A special form is available for a one-off match between under-18 and senior players (e.g. for an exhibition match). Please see the Scottish Rugby website ( for more details. All paperwork can be found in the Under-18 in Senior Rugby Policy document and is on the Scottish Rugby website to download. Under-16 Players in Under-18 Rugby (male) Male players under the age of 16 years old are not permitted to play in under-18 school or club rugby. This policy must be followed unless the exception below is applicable. The player s physical maturity, skill level and experience are of a comparable standard to that of the game/competition that they will play in 6

8 The player completes the online IRB Rugby Ready course The club/school follows procedures detailed in the Under-16 Players in Under-18 Rugby policy. This consists of an application form to be submitted to Scottish Rugby, followed by a physical maturity assessment at a Scottish Rugby assessment centre Scottish Rugby s written approval must be received before any player under 16 years old participates in under-18 rugby Front row players (props and hooker) will not be eligible. Under-18 players in adult rugby (female) A 17 year old girl can apply to play senior rugby, as long as her physical development, skill level and experience is sufficiently high that she is capable of competing safely with players in senior rugby. No 16 year old girl can apply, and as a result play in senior rugby. Female players may progress into the front row in senior rugby only once they reach the age of 18. Minimum Standards for Coaching, Teaching and Refereeing It is the minimum requirement for all coaches, teachers and referees for season 2012/13 to have attended a Practical Rugby Ready course at the start of the season, in addition to having completed the online IRB Rugby Ready course once. Some other tier 1 rugby unions have already implemented similar courses which have resulted in huge decreases in the instances of serious spinal injuries. These courses will be delivered in schools and clubs throughout Scotland by rugby development and coach education staff from 1 st. Details on the times and venues of over 160 local courses are listed on the Are You Ready to Play Rugby? pages of Scottish Rugby s website. Scottish Rugby will monitor schools and clubs for their Rugby Ready status. 6. Reporting of Serious Injuries It is vital that a Serious Injury Report is completed if any PLAYER has a rugby injury or related illness: a) Attends hospital and/or is required to attend a follow up appointment b) Is admitted to hospital and/or stays overnight c) In the event of a fatality This information will allow Scottish Rugby to record, monitor and evaluate injury trends and make any informed changes to reduce the risk of further injury. All injury reports for Season must be completed online. To locate the correct page on the Scottish Rugby website, please follow the link below: When the online form is completed correctly an is automatically sent to our insurance company, AON, as well as administrative staff at Scottish Rugby. Failure to complete the Serious Injury Report can lead to the loss of insurance support, as these reports flag up any potential claims. 7. Scottish Rugby s Awards Club Awards Dinner (Date TBC) To recognise and reward the success of clubs and individuals in the Scottish game, Scottish Rugby will again host the Club Awards Dinner. This event is an evening of celebration for clubs and individuals who have performed admirably throughout the season. The following awards are presented: 7

9 RBS Club of the Season At the end of each month nominations are sought from all clubs and Scottish Rugby Council representatives for the Club of the Month award The selection panel will assess each nomination based on the following criteria: Men s 1st XV playing record Other teams performances Club discipline record Club activity in growing and developing the game The selection panel will then make a recommendation for sign-off by the president of Scottish Rugby The winning Club of the Month will receive: 1,000 A visit from the RBTV film crew for a day to create a fun promotional video of their club. A table of 10 at the end of season RBS Club Awards Dinner, plus 500 for travel expenses to this event A congratulations poster placed in the winning club s local RBS branch A feature in the Scrum Magazine as RBS Club of the Month Local PR and on-line activation promoting the wining club At the end of the season the Club of the Month winners will form the shortlist for the Scottish Rugby Club of the Year award, to be announced at the dinner. If you would like to nominate a club in your division please contact your elected representative before the end of each month. RBS Volunteer of the Season At the end of each month nominations are sought from all clubs and Scottish Rugby Council representatives for the Volunteer of the Month award The selection panel will assess each nomination. The selection panel will then make a recommendation for sign-off by the president of Scottish Rugby The winning Volunteer will receive: A plaque/ trophy A table of 10 at the RBS Club Awards Dinner to recognise other volunteers within the club. up to 500 for travel and expenses to the event local PR and on-line promotion There will be a Volunteer of the year awarded at the RBS Club Awards Dinner. The overall winner will receive a further 1,000 for their club. If you would like to nominate a club in your division please contact your elected representative before the end of each month. RBS Try of the Season At the end of each month nominations are sought from all clubs and Scottish Rugby Council representatives for the Try of the Month award The selection panel will assess each nomination The selection panel will then make a recommendation for sign-off by the president of Scottish Rugby 8

10 The winning Try of the Month will receive two tickets to an international game at Murrayfield (as selected by Scottish Rugby). At the end of the season the Try of the Month winners will form the shortlist for the Scottish Rugby Try of the year award, to be announced at the dinner. If you would like to nominate a club in your division please contact your elected representative before the end of each month. RBS Player of the Season (all divisions male and female) All clubs must complete and return teamsheets after each match. Club officials select a player of the match from their own team each week and record on teamsheets before submitting to Murrayfield. Over the course of the season the nominations are collated for each division, with the players receiving the most nominations in each division, with a clean disciplinary record, selected in the shortlist for discussion by the Club Awards judging panel. The player and club will be notified of their success at the end of the season, prior to the awards dinner. Other Awards Coach of the Season Spirit of Rugby Award Youth Coach of the Season Referee of the Year 8. Scottish Rugby Club Facilities Fund Funding Scheme Scottish Rugby is making funds available for any club with a maintenance or improvement project. Examples of suitable projects include (but are not limited to): Floodlighting New rugby posts Drainage or irrigation Ceiling, wall or floor upgrades or repairs Clubhouse improvements, e.g. kitchens or showers. Application Process Clubs must submit an application form, with any associated paperwork. A full application form, with guidelines, is available to download from the club rugby pages on A copy of all the paperwork will also be sent to each club in Scotland, at the beginning of the 2012/13 season. Funding Criteria A summary of the key award criteria can be found below (the full list is detailed in the application guidelines): Funding is available to maintain and improve club facilities One application may be made per club in any 12 month period A maximum of 2,000 can be applied for per application The sum applied for should represent no more than 50% of the total project cost 9. Referee Expenses Scottish Rugby will continue to pay the expenses of referees allocated to club matches by the Scottish Rugby referee department or by one of the Scottish Rugby referee societies. For further information please contact Mellisa Gracie (Mellisa.gracie@sru.org.uk); ). 9

11 Appendix 1 Schedule of Payments Clubs should sign and return the attached Participation Agreement acceptance form (Appendix 2) to the Scottish Rugby competitions department before Friday 31 st. Payment to clubs will be made from Scottish Rugby by BACS transfer as indicated below. Payment type Amount Action required from club Payment date Insurance premiums (paid direct by Scottish Rugby) 540 per adult team 57 per all age-group teams 50 restricted fixtures team (Based on 2011/12 Insurance return to be submitted before end of September 2012 N/A Men s League Participation Premiums) 1,000 Premier, National & Championship 800 Regional 1s 600 All other Regional Leagues Sample match programme to be submitted before the end of September 2012 End October 2012 Women s League Participation U-18 League Participation Travel Support Scheme Men s Cup participation Women s Cup Participation Player registration and club contacts 600 Women s Premier & National Leagues 500 Under 18 League Clubs Mileage based payment Participation in at least one round of the cup competition League travel None Cup travel None Travel to Islands application form Travel from Islands contact Hamish Munro 600 Participation in at least one round of the cup competition 100 Participation in at least one round of the cup competition 300 Register all players by the end of March 2013 and sign off as accurate Registration of club president and secretary End October 2012 End October 2012 As per Section 4 End of June 2013 End of June 2013 July

12 Appendix 2 Competitions Co-ordinator Scottish Rugby Murrayfield Edinburgh EH12 5PJ Date as postmarked Dear Sir/Madam SCOTTISH RUGBY PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT FOR SEASON 2012/2013 I can confirm that our club has read and hereby accepts Scottish Rugby s league and cup competitions Participation Agreement for season 2012/2013, and fully understands that participation monies are paid out on the basis that our club abide by the National Competition Rules and Regulations as administered by the Championship Committee and on the understanding that clubs promote and abide by Scottish Rugby s code of conduct. Club Name President s Name President s Signature Date Yours sincerely HONORARY SECRETARY 11