Age regulations (Part 2) - what makes an adult?

And so it continues... There is clearly something seriously wrong with the drafting of RFUW regulations on age bands because misunderstandings continue. Recently I highlighted continuing problems about what makes an U18, caused by RFUW continuing to use their own badly worded definition instead of the RFU's rather clearer one. Now I hear that the definition of what makes an adult - or more to the point when you can start playing adult rugby - is still not properly understood.

I don't have a copy of the latest Yearbook, but I have to say this is odd because I thought this one really had been cleared up, not least because Hayley played adult rugby under these regulations some years ago with no real problems. And the regulation is (shock, horror!) a really good, sensible one.

Essentially it is very simple. Anyone can play adult rugby from the day they turn 18. This means that, in their final U18 season, any girl can also play adult rugby from the date of their 18th birthday - whilst also retaining their U18 status.

There are a few minor exceptions - for example you cannot play representative rugby in both age groups (you have to choose), and you cannot play two games in the same weekend (so if you turn out in an adult game in Saturday you cannot play a U18 game on Sunday). But that is about it.

You can play your U18 and adult rugby at different clubs. Being selected for an adult representative team (county, say) does not prevent you playing U18 rugby at club, or division. You genuinely do get the best of both worlds.

The idea behind this is also great. It is so that girls get to taste and try out the adult game, maybe guesting for a couple of adult teams, while still keeping a firm home base in the U18 game. Obviously girls born in September get more opportunity to use this rule than those with birthdays in later in the season, but you have to draw the line somewhere.

Quite why this is misunderstood - or even not known about at all (even by officials in CBs) - beats me. Maybe RFUW need to issue some clarification about all this - say at the start of each season?