To ensure proper registration and sanctioning with USA Rugby, the registration deadline for all teams is Friday, July 10
All grades as of 2019-2020 academic year
Grade 3 & 4 (half-field, flag, no contact, MUST be age 8 as of 9/1/2020, teams can be co-ed)
Grade 5 & 6 (half-field, flag, no contact, teams can be co-ed)
Grade 7 & 8 (half-field, flag, no contact, teams can be co-ed) - NEW IN 2019
Grade 7 & 8 (half-field, contact, teams can be co-ed)
Male Grade 9 & 10 (full field, contact)
Male Grade 11 & 12 (full-field, contact)
Female Grade 9-12 (full-field, contact)
No player is allowed to play for more than one team
Each athlete on a team must meet the following criteria
A full time student or resident in Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire & Rhode Island currently playing on a Massachusetts Youth Rugby Organization team
Each team entering the tournament can bring a squad of up to 15 players. For each GAME a team plays in the tournament, they must submit a ROSTER of only 12 players.
Each player can only play for ONE TEAM and may only play in ONE DIVISION.
Seven starters and 5 subs allowed on each team
Each team must have at least one but no more than two adult coaches. In flag divisions at least one coach must be a USA Rugby Certified Level 100 coach. In contact divisions, at least one coach must be a USA Rugby Certified Level 200 coach
MIAA rules regarding out of season coaching of high school teams will apply to the Bay State Games Rugby tournament. A high school head or assistant coach cannot coach an out of season contest if more than 50% of the team consists of players from the coaches high school team. This rule is interpreted as 50% of the players on the field at any point in the contest. Entire high school teams can enter the Bay State Games Rugby competition as long as the coach of the Bay State Games team is not a coach at the school that all the players come from. Violations of this rule could have an impact on the coach and team during the high school season.
Matches will be played under the World Rugby Laws of the Game using the variation for Under 19 and Seven-a-side play
15-minute games (7 minutes halves with 1 minute half-time)