RFU - Rugby Football Union

Adult Men’s Registrations

The management and processing of adult men’s registrations is divided between clubs who compete at levels 1-4 and those who compete at levels 5-12 of the RFU Leagues. Adult men’s registrations are governed by the RFU Regulations, and in particular Regulation 14.

All players who are registering for Adult rugby must complete and submit the RFU Adult Player Registration form. To find the correct application form, follow the links on this page. Please ensure that you use the latest versions of the various player registration application forms.

For clubs who compete at levels 1-4, the club registrar will need to submit all their applications to the RFU registrations team at Twickenham.

For clubs who compete at levels 5-12, the club registrar will need to either complete the relevant application form and register that player online via the Game Management System (GMS); or they submit the completed application form to their regional RFU registrar.

New Digital Registration Process – using DocuSign

As of August 2018, the RFU has introduced a new digital player registration application process for all clubs who compete at levels 1-4. This new application process will be managed by the RFU registrations team at Twickenham via the DocuSign platform.

Clubs at levels 1-4

We encourage all clubs at levels 1-4 to begin using this process straightaway as it will become mandatory from 1st January 2019.

For players who are currently registered with a club in England, please use the following application user guide and link.

Adult Registration DocuSign User Guide >

Apply for Adult Registration via DocuSign >

For players who are NOT currently registered with a club in England, please use the following application user guide and link.

Adult Registration DocuSign User Guide >

Apply for Adult Registration via DocuSign >

Online Application Process

Online registration is available for all clubs at Level 5 and below. If online registration is used by a club, the player will become effectively registered upon completion of the process in the same way as if he had been registered by the Regional Registrar. Clubs wishing to register players themselves on the player registration module of the GMS, are still required to ensure the completed registration form is signed by the player to confirm that the data is accurate and retain the form for at least 12 months from the date which it was processed.

If you have difficulties accessing the GMS, you can contact the GMS support team at gms@rfu.com and 020 8831 6651 who will be able to help you to obtain login details for your club.

Although clubs at levels 5 and below can register certain players online themselves. As per RFU Regulation 14.5.11, the following types of players must be registered with your RFU Registrar, rather than online:

England Academy Players;
Contracted Players;
Contracted Overseas Players;
A Player applying for Effective Registration with a Club with which he has previously been Effectively Registered during the Season;
A Player for whom the Club is making an Expedited Application;
A Player for whom the Club is making an application during the period between the Transfer Deadline and the end of the Season.

Clubs at levels 5-12

Club registrars at these levels will only be required to use DocuSign to approve the registration or loan of players transferring to clubs at levels 1-4.

All other registration and loan applications should still be completed and processed online by the club registrar via the GMS or sent to your RFU Registrar.

Adult Registration GMS User Guide >

Adult Registration Application Form >

Notification of Transfer Form >

Playing Adult Rugby

A player aged 17 who is registered for youth rugby is not automatically eligible for Adult rugby and must complete an Adult Player Registration form and be registered accordingly.

RFU Regulation 15.6.1 states that a male player can play adult contact and non-contact rugby, or train with other adults in contact and non-contact rugby, when they reach their seventeenth birthday provided:

They have been assessed as capable of playing with adults;
The RFU’s Playing Adult Rugby Form has been duly completed and signed; and
The player does not train or play in the front row of the contested scrum. Once a player has reached the age of 18, the player may play in any position.

Playing Adult Rugby Form >

Contracted and Amateur Players

All players who are receiving material benefit, must submit a contract information form to their RFU Registrar. Material Benefit is defined in RFU Regulation 7.2.5 in the RFU Handbook.

Any person or entity giving or receiving (whether directly or indirectly) any Material Benefit for participation in the Game must ensure that: (a) a Contract is in place; (b) such Contract is in a form approved and/or distributed by the RFU; and (c) RFU Regulation 14.6.3 is complied with in respect of all Contracted Players (RFU Regulation 7.3).

To find further information about player contracts visit the Player Contracts & Agents page. Here you can also find the applicable forms which must be completed and submitted to your RFU Registrar.

Players and Clubs must jointly submit a contract information form to the RFU within 14 days of the contracted player's registration date with his club, as per RFU Regulation 14.9.3 (a). Previously, this was a 3 month period.

Player Loans

The following limits of loan players are allowed to be selected in a match day squad, as stipulated in RFU Regulation 13.4.4:

A Club may not play or select as a replacement or substitute in a Match more than the number of Players set out below:

Level 1 (Premiership): no more than three Loan Players.
Level 2 (Championship): no more than three Loan Players
Level 3: no more than three Loan Players
Level 4 and below: four players from another Club of which no more than three shall be Loan Players and the others (up to the maximum of four) must be England Academy Players under the age of 24 as at 1 September 2018.

Loan DocuSign User Guide >

Apply for Loan via DocuSign >

Loan Application Form >

DISCOVER MORE

ADULT MEN’S REGISTRATIONS

Adult Men’s Registrations

New Digital Registration Process – using DocuSign

Clubs at levels 1-4

Online Application Process

Clubs at levels 5-12

Playing Adult Rugby

Contracted and Amateur Players

Player Loans

Docusign

Player Contracts & Agents

EAPs (England Academy Players)

EQPs (England Qualified Players)

GBEs (Governing Body Endorsements) & Visas

International Clearances

Student Pass & Services Pass