The full rules to Under-9 rugby are available from this site or can be found if on the RFUs site.

We are not going to attempt to replicate that document here, but highlight some interesting differences from the senior game.

Uncontested Lineouts

The uncontested lineout seems to be a great source of confusion to under 9s coaches and referees. There are several different versions of the rules in use. Usually, all this is quite amicably sorted out before the game starts by the grown-ups just agreeing what today's rules are going to be. But this must be a bit confusing for the boys and not really how it's supposed to work.

The RFU rule book explains what the 'proper' rules are, but the relevant sections are a little bit formal, so here is a more colloquial discussion.

The key thing is that the "uncontested" bit of "uncontested lineout" means, to quote from the rules
"the catcher is ... protected from contact from the opposition unless he/she decides to instigate it"
This is not the same as contested lineouts, but it is not supposed to be. It's different. It's supposed to be different.

As long as the ball is in the lineout the catcher must be left alone - unless the catcher decides to "instigate contact". If the catcher decides to drive through the lineout then he can be tacked and it's game-on. If the catcher does not make any move to drive through the lineout then he has as long as he likes to pass the ball, and he can turn to face the scrum half and adjust the ball in his hands. Just like the hooker in the uncontested scrum who has as long as he likes to heel it and can faff around with either foot. And the scrum half who need be in no hurry to pick it up. This makes the lineouts much easier for the attacking side - just like uncontested scrums. It's supposed to.

The catcher can't go far with the ball without being tackled because as soon as he steps out of the lineout the lineout has ended and so he's fair game. Similarly, anyone he gives the ball to is also fair game since even if they are still in the lineout they are not the catcher and so are not protected.

So the rules are sensible and they can work. They are not even very different from the adult game in that all the same rules apply as to whether the lineout is over. The only difference is that the catcher is protected until then.

The reason that this aspect of the game is refereed so ...idiosyncratically... is that most rugby people don't really like the idea of "uncontested" anything.

I don't either!

The sight of a boy catching the ball and having as long as he likes to pass it just does not feel right. In the same vein, some complain that at an uncontested lineout as described above, the attackers have as long as they like to set up a driving maul without fear of interference. But this is how it is supposed to be! This year is for the boys to learn what to do without anyone trying to mess it up. Next year they try to do it despite the disruption of the opposition.

Uncontested lineouts are all part of the continuum that starts at U7 with no tackling, rucking, mauling, kicking, scrums or lineouts (!) and ends with pretty much the full game at U13.

The boys have plenty of new stuff to learn at U9 without worrying about contesting the lineouts too. That's for U10s. Let them learn to walk properly before they try to run.

Uncontested Scrums

One of the thrills of the senior game is the contested scrum. Two packs of strong men straining every nerve and sinew while the scrum-halves battle it out in a contest of lightening speed and reflex action.

Well, everybody has realised that we can't have the U9s pushing yet, but since that scrum-half battle has nothing to do with pushing then we should let the defending scrum half do his best to disrupt his opposite number right?

No.

The rules require the defending scrum half to stay behind his front row until the attacking scrum half has touched the ball or the ball is out of the scrum.

Again the rugby men will wail and gnash their teeth at the thought of a scrum half having all day to saunter around the scrum, and then pass the ball with nobody close enough to knock it away or catch their arm. But it's OK. It's supposed to be like that. This is the first year that the scrum halves have actually played in that position. They are supposed to have lots of time to look up and see where everybody is. If everybody has enough time to think about it, we might even get someone running onto the ball rather than catching it standing still.