Playing Calendar

27 Jul 2022 | 3 min |

The playing calendar provides a model which supports inclusivity of all players, guards against overplaying and underplaying and limits conflict between club and school/college rugby maintaining choice for players to play with their peer groups. It also supports dialogue between clubs and schools/colleges at a local and county level in the interests of the player.

This calendar ensures that national competition and representative rugby is delivered across the country at a consistent time. It enables key county and regional age grade stakeholders to arrange, balance and publish their local activities in advance of the season. All national competitions and player pathway/representative rugby must be played in the defined weeks of the national calendar and cannot be moved. The Age Grade Playing Calendar is part of the age grade rugby regulations of the game (Regulation 15).

Clubs and schools/colleges can play friendly or block fixtures at any time within the season, armed with the knowledge of when players have other rugby and non-rugby commitments.

To ensure a balanced playing programme based on the needs and motivations of the young player the following annual process is observed:

National competition dates and windows added and released
CBs, CSUs and Academies/Centres of Excellence/RPPGs work together to add local competition/programme
Calendar is approved by CB Executives; then is released to clubs, schools/colleges and the wider game locally; and published on CB websites
Local clubs, schools, academy, parents and players agree appropriate playing and training programme through early collaborative dialogue

Age Grade Playing Calendar 2024/25

We are pleased to provide the National Playing Calendar for 2024/25. This is the framework for national competitions and player pathway activity throughout the year. Since February, CBs have worked with all the key stakeholders to produce their local versions, to be published as soon as possible on their websites.

The aim as ever is to produce a schedule of activity that enables age grade players, especially with a foot in more than one camp, to access the rugby they want. This is available well in advance of the season so that clubs, schools, colleges, pathways and everyone can identify where there may be player load challenges and opportunities across the season. The key to making the calendar work is early and regular dialogue and we encourage this to start as the current season draws to a close.

All the best in planning your calendar for 2024/25.

The national Playing Calendars for 2024/25

The national Playing Calendars for 2023/24

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