With more and more girls taking up rugby the RFUW is introducing experimental Laws for the U16s and is to help clubs to develop an U18 competitive level for young players.

The union wants girls of 16 to 18 to be able to play with others of a similar age and against appropriate opposition. Until now there has been nowhere to go after the U16s except to step up into clubs' senior sides, although most regions field an U18 squad as do some counties. The RFUW will now support clubs in developing U18 sides through a club development scheme, local competition and coach development in partnership with the RFU. The large number of 13 and 14-year-olds currently playing the game should benefit as they becomes U18s in two or three years time.

Last month the RFUW built on its summer training camps for U16 and U18 elite players, selected from those competing in the Regional Tens Tournament, by selecting a squad for a representative England U18 side to take on Wales U19s at Chester RFC on Sunday 14th April, the first women's international at this age level.

Said Development Officer, Helen Ames, "When the women's game was in its infancy it wasn't possible to provide for players after the age of 16 but now we have a duty to see that girls coming into the game at whatever age stay and have a good experience of playing rugby. Some very talented young athletes are coming through, others are switching to rugby in their teens. They all need an appropriate level of competition serving both girls who have played since mini rugby days and those entering the game late."

The RFUW wants to ensure that from next season under 18s don't play in the front five of senior teams. The following season they want to phase U17s out of senior teams and in 2004/5 they aim to ensure that all U18s have moved to U18 teams, with the exception of the few athletes on the World Class Start Programme who will be permitted to play at senior level due to their elite training. From next season U18 teams will play to U19 Laws of the game. It is hoped that clubs will secure their own rugby future by developing U18sides while changes are phased in. Said Performance Director, Carol Isherwood, "The Law changes are experimental and will be reviewed every year to see whether we are on target and that no female player is prevented from playing."

For the U16s the experimental laws next season aim to maximise competition and give opportunities to as many girls as possible. The U16 game will be 12 a side, with six forwards and six backs playing with a size 4 ball. Scrums will be uncontested and there will be no hand offs, no fly hacking and no squeeze ball. Games will be 20 minutes each way.

Safety and development are the major factors for change, with the RFUW endeavouring to make sure that young girls can enter into rugby, learn the game and develop in the safest possible environment. It's hoped that the changes will provide a realistic start point and give girls time and space on the pitch to develop a running style of game. Providing a safe and enjoyable game will ensure the image of the game convinces parents that it is a safe sport and more girls take up rugby and stay in the game. The contact element of the game will remain and core skills should improve, with regional sides still coached in scrummaging techniques at an appropriate rate.

Said Carol Isherwood "The RFUW have looked at the long term development of the game not short term fixes for struggling sides. Throwing young players into senior teams will turn them and other potential players away from the game and 16 years of age has been too young for young players to be pigeon holed into a position and placed in senior rugby away from their own peer group. Young players placed in the front five are often getting a poor rugby experience and youngsters have been dropping out of the game as they struggled to come to terms with senior rugby. In order to develop U18 rugby the RFUW changes will allow girls to develop into better players.

"In order to develop youth rugby the RFUW must consider an increase in the number of girls entering into the game at the age of 15 or 16. In the current system they are getting only one or two years in girls' rugby before moving up to the senior game and in the main this is far too early. We need to develop a style of rugby based on player development, rather than competition alone."

It is hoped that the regional and national development squads will satisfy the needs for top class XV a side rugby for girls who have acquired skills through the RFU Continuum. The aim of the RFUW is to develop youth rugby and the union believes these changes are the way forward. In order to cause as little disruption as possible the removal of U18s from senior rugby will be phased in over the next 3 years allowing clubs time to implement the change.

Technical questions regarding these changes should be put in writing to: Gary Street, World Class Start Manager and other comments addressed to Helen Ames, National Youth Development Officer at RFUW, Rugby House, Rugby Road, Twickenham TW1 1DS.