Boots and Mouth Guards
Junior policies and safeguarding 2 of 5

2. Boots and Mouth Guards


Club Policy on Boots and Mouth Guards

Whilst England Rugby’s advice to clubs does not prohibit the wearing of the bladed style of boots, here at Harrogate RUFC we have become increasingly concerned about the safety of this type of boot with a number of reports of not only terrible lacerations to opponents but also ligament injuries to ankle, knee and hip joints to the wearers of this style of boot.

Due to the nature of rugby, boot to body contact is not always avoidable and with this in mind Harrogate players will NOT be allowed to take to the field for training or matches wearing these boots as we feel that they pose an unacceptable risk of injury both to team mates in training games and opposition players in matches.

IRB and Engalnd Rugby policy is that Players must always:

  • Check that their studs are safe to play in and reject any boots that have sharp edges or burring etc.
  • Ask their retailer for confirmation that the manufacturer complies with IRB Specifications.
  • The final responsibility is with the players to ensure that they play in safe boots.

For any competitive or friendly fixture the referee or the touch judges appointed by or under the authority of the match organiser should inspect the players’ clothing and studs for conformity to Law 4.

The referee has the power to decide at any time, before or during the match, that part of a player’s clothing is dangerous or illegal. If the referee decides that clothing is dangerous or illegal the referee must order the player to remove it. The player must not take part in the match until the items of clothing are removed.

Referees and touch judges will inspect boots only to check that they are safe to play in. They will check that there are no sharp edges or burring etc.

Referees and touch judges will not be looking for kite marks or similar approval markings or manufacturers details.

With the safety of our young players in mind and to avoid confusion and the possibility of a referee rejecting bladed style boots on the grounds of safety we have decided that no player registered at Harrogate RUFC should play or train in the bladed style of boots.

Whilst we cannot ban our opponents from wearing this style of boot we will be informing them of our decision.

At HRUFC we appreciate that many of our members play other sports that require boots, and understand that buying multiple pairs is costly so recommend boots where studs can be exchanged between sports.

We ask all parents to support us in this matter which is for the safety of all young players at Harrogate RUFC.


Mouth Guards

Mouth guards are mandatory for U9-U16.

Players should purchase custom fitted mouth guards or self fit mouth guards, through their dentist, a specialist fitter or a reputable retailer.

The Club will support this by inviting a specialist fitter to attend and provide fittings at the beginning of each season.

Any protective gear is worn at the discretion of the parent/player but must conform to IRB standards.