Simon, row your boat alone....

SimonSmith


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This got posted on the USA Referees Facebook page (abandon hope all ye who enter there)

[FONT=&quot]Rule clarification. Both teams have a full side a piece (18+ players), one team has a women on their team that wants to play rugby. Is she allowed to play as long as both coaches agree? This is college level rugby and the school has no women's team.


I haven't posted my opinion yet. What's the consensus here?

To save you time, WR haven't explicitly banned it. The guidelines are against it, but leave individual Unions wiggle room.[/FONT]
 

Guyseep


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I played in a u20 club game that had a woman on the opposing team.

I also reffed an intermural game with mixed teams. If all sides agree and know what they are getting into, then I'm ok with it.
 

crossref


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In RFU land age group mixed rugby stops at u13 (is that right) so surely that extends into adulthood and it's not allowed

So I would say no, unless there is something specific from the RfU to allow it.
 

Ian_Cook


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In RFU land age group mixed rugby stops at u13 (is that right) so surely that extends into adulthood and it's not allowed

So I would say no, unless there is something specific from the RfU to allow it.

IN NZ, U13 is the last grade with mixed teams althpouhgt exceptions are allowed up to age 15

There was a woman banned from playing in a men's side NZ a couple of years ago. H&S was the reason given.

http://www.newshub.co.nz/sport/woman-not-allowed-to-play-rugby-with-men-2014072413
 

didds

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Regs allowing or disallowing it aside, was this full contact rugby?

I would go as far as saying full contact mixed is just dangerous.

I once severely injured my wife's knee in a warm up demonstration, where we were both kneeling and beginning from a static position. A tackle in full flow would be far too dangerous surely?
 

Lee Lifeson-Peart


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We took the kids to the Netherlands on tour at U14 and the oppos had a girl playing for them. She was very good and tackled like Brian Lima (with a ponytail). I was never sure if we were infringing any "rules" or not. The tour was ratified by the RFU so we probably were in breach. Dunno.
 

Rich_NL

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In Holland it's mixed up to and including U16, which leads to problems because there aren't enough female players to have an U19 league, so they're abandoned for a couple of years before they can play with the adults.

I'd say an experienced, athletic, robust woman in a college team could probably hold her own, practically speaking. I'd want something in writing from the Union that they back my decision, though.
 

Thunderhorse1986


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Regs allowing or disallowing it aside, was this full contact rugby?

I would go as far as saying full contact mixed is just dangerous.

I once severely injured my wife's knee in a warm up demonstration, where we were both kneeling and beginning from a static position. A tackle in full flow would be far too dangerous surely?

I am uncomfortable with the idea that because it's a woman playing with men it is inherently dangerous. An international woman player could cope but skill wise and physically with many levels of men's rugby, for example. If both sides are comfortable and the union had not explicitly banned it, then I would be very happy with her playing.
 

Camquin

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If you did it now you probably would be, a couple of seasons ago when Girls rugby started at U15 you weren't.
But if you had registered the tour with your CB and got their approval under regulation 10 you are probably OK.

If Dutch Rugby Board permits mixed rugby until U15 and an approved tour goes to the Netherlands don't their regulations apply?
 

Dan_A

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We took the kids to the Netherlands on tour at U14 and the oppos had a girl playing for them. She was very good and tackled like Brian Lima (with a ponytail). I was never sure if we were infringing any "rules" or not. The tour was ratified by the RFU so we probably were in breach. Dunno.

We took our u14s to Hilversum and the host had a girl with blue hair who was very good.

For what it's worth, part of the 'permission to tour' process involves getting written permission from both your host union and your local union. I believe that once you have that final signoff you are covered to play under the host unions rules.

If that isn't the case then every junior tour to Europe is probably in breach because almost everywhere on the continent has dual age bands. My August born son had a tough couple of days on his u12 tour, playing against some French lads who were 23 months older (and should have been shaving!!)
 

Lee Lifeson-Peart


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We went to Italy at U15 and played one team, a few of whom turn up to the game driving their own scooters and cars! Some of them looked like they collected other men's wives as avidly as some of our lads collected Panini stickers.

It was played in a fantastic stadium and we drew with the last PK of the game.

Only spoilt by one of our party who dropped my phone in my beer for a "laugh". F*****g dickhead! Not that it bothers me anymore!!
 

Flish


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In RFU land age group mixed rugby stops at u13 (is that right) so surely that extends into adulthood and it's not allowed

So I would say no, unless there is something specific from the RfU to allow it.

U11 is the last mixed sex age group in RFU land, U12 is boys only and the girls jump up to U13. To best of my knowledge touch / Tag is the only mixed sex options after that
 

Not Kurt Weaver


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This got posted on the USA Referees Facebook page (abandon hope all ye who enter there)



I haven't posted my opinion yet. What's the consensus here?

To save you time, WR haven't explicitly banned it. The guidelines are against it, but leave individual Unions wiggle room.[/FONT][/COLOR]

Not allowing it (women to play on male dominated team) is sexist.
 

ChrisR

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If the opposing coach agrees to allow her to play then the issue for the referee is safety, not gender.

So my questions to her coach are: Does she participate in all full contact practices? Are you sure that the risk to her is no greater than to any other player? Are all waiver forms current?

Yes, yes and Yes? let her play.
 

Taff


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What position was she playing?

My gut reaction is No; don't allow it.
 

buff


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Our local high school competition had to deal with this three or four years ago. A girl wanted to play rugby and the school (my son's school as it turned out) did not have a girls' team in her age group (U15). I was asked to send the office everything WR had on the subject. I did, and when the girl's parents made it clear that lawyers would be involved if permission was denied, the association said she could play.
 

SimonSmith


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Not allowing it (women to play on male dominated team) is sexist.
If the situation were reversed, a man can play on a woman's team.

I admit to being a bit uneasy, but also worrying that I'm just showing my age.

I compare the size, power and aggression of the average male college player versus the equivalent female players (say, D2 to D2 or D1AA to D1AA) and I shudder.

For some reason as well I can't get much past "dunno, just seems wrong to me"
 

ChrisR

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How do you feel about letting scrawny men with pubescent acne play?
 

crossref


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As a ref I don't really want to be in the position of judging whether this particular woman is safe playing with these particular blokes...

Basically I think it's all above my pay grade and I need to know exactly what the regulations and guidelines say ... and follow them.

If it's still an hour till kick off, I'd be happy to sit in the clubhouse with my phone and try and find the answer (hopefully the woman, and her coach will even be able to point me to the right place)

If it's five to three, and this has only just been raised then No, sorry.
 

ChuckieB

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Highlights some potential issues around jurisdictional issues of the referee, the club or organising body sanctioning the game and the unions themselves if it is some form of structured competition.

Or is it about just covering yourself in event of an issue arising afterwards when a bit of common sense and agreement from all involved would have perhaps seemed appropriate?
 
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