Categories
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Articles for review (before publishing)
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Account Management
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Edit account details
- How do I edit my account details?
- How do I update details for a linked child account?
- How do I change my communication preferences?
- How do I edit medical conditions/emergency contacts in the Player Registration Form?
- How do I add myself to a club or organisation?
- How to enter your club’s non-contact Rugby details
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Merge or link accounts
- How do I merge duplicate accounts on GMS?
- How do I edit or delete a relationship? (Club Admin)
- How do I add a relationship? (Club Admin)
- How do I remove/delete a relationship from my GMS account?
- How do I add an existing Age Grade player record to a parent account?
- How do I add a family member to my account?
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Edit account details
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Club Administration
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Adult Player Registration - Club Administration Support
- How do I approve a players' Club Registration?
- How do I uplift a player to have RFU Registration?
- How do I transfer a player?
- How do I deregister a player?
- Marketing assets to support Adult Player Registration at your club
- How do I register a player on a Student or Service Pass?
- How do I edit a player's registration?
- APR guidelines to support you
- Register to play - QR code instructions
- How does my Registration Overview Dashboard work?
- What and where is my GMS player list?
- How do I expedite an RFU Registration?
- How do I request the loan of a player?
- How do I extend the loan of a player?
- How do I request an England Academy Player (EAP)?
- How do I apply for a player to have EQP status?
- How do I approve a player's International Clearance?
- How do I request a Women's Dual-Registration (WDR)?
- How do I add a player to a representative team?
- How do I review and approve a player's contract & agent declaration?
- Who can I contact about our RFF/RFU loan?
- How to recall a loan player
- How to complete the Club approval process for playing 17-year-olds in adult rugby
- How to complete the player approval process for playing 17-year old’s in adult rugby.
- How do I register a 17-year-old to play Rugby
- How to Receive Club Stats Summary Emails
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Club Business Operations
- What promotional offers are available to clubs?
- Can we get a discount to show Sky TV in our club?
- Support with VAT for rugby clubs
- Do you have resources to help us promote rugby at our club?
- Can the RFU help with the cost of living to reduce our energy and operating costs?
- How do we run our bar efficiently and cost effectively?
- Do the RFU arranged policies provide cover for loss of revenue?
- How to host a rugby event to genereate revenue and engage the community
- Where can I find guidance on my club's accounts and budgeting?
- How does a club become a voting member of the RFU?
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Club Governance & Management
- What is the Game Management System?
- What positions can I apply for at my club?
- How do I add a group function?
- How do I pull reports from an Organisation Profile as a club admin?
- How do we receive an International Ticket Allocation?
- What are golden roles and how do I allocate them?
- How do I add a custom tag to my club profile?
- How do I run a report for a registered player? (Club Admin)
- How does our club complete a risk assessment?
- Does the RFU provide data protection support?
- Where can I find more information about club incorporation?
- Where can our club get legal advice and support?
- Do the RFU arranged policies provide for loss of income, property or tours insurance?
- How does the RFU support wheelchair rugby?
- Where can I get guidance on how to make our club even more inclusive?
- Where can our club get advice and support on tax?
- What insurance cover does the RFU provide to the game?
- How can I find out more about becoming a CASC?
- How do I run a report? (Club Admin)
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Facilities & Pitches
- Who can I contact to talk about my rugby club facilities?
- What are the minimum dimensions of a rugby pitch?
- What funding is available for club facilities?
- How do I book an RFU artificial grass (365) pitch?
- What should we do if our facilities flood due to extreme weather?
- Guidance on floodlights for clubs
- Does the RFU provide guidance on developing a clubhouse?
- Where can I find guidance on Pitch Risk Assessments and managing pitches in drought conditions?
- What are the RFU standards for changing room sizes and layouts?
- How do I get involved with Rugby Grounds Connected?
- How can we manage our facilities in order to minimise the impact of drought conditions?
- How can we manage our facilities in order to minimise the impact of a flooding event?
- Have you completed the facility needs capture?
- How to Assess the Safety of a Natural Turf Pitch
- How to Manage Rugby Activity During Drought Conditions
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Marketing & Communications
- Email Registration Template for club admins
- Why am I not receiving emails from GMS?
- How do I send an email from GMS?
- How do I create a club website?
- How do I make sure I receive the Community Game Updates (CGU)?
- How do I access Club Website to edit content?
- How can we use social media to promote and run our club?
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Memberships & Payments
- How do I buy memberships?
- How do I create a membership scheme?
- How do I create and assign new product categories?
- Settlements for multiple bank accounts
- How do I update a saved card or reschedule payments?
- How do I process a refund? (Club Admin)
- How do I set up a membership scheme and online payment system?
- How do I create an event?
- How do I buy an event in GMS?
- How do I get a receipt for my voucher code?
- Settlement batch revenue analysis
- How do I change my club’s bank account details with the RFU?
- How do I create a new budget code and assign it to a membership scheme?
- How do I set up multiple bank accounts?
- Buying memberships or creating a payment order – club admin
- How to access and use the Digital Membership Card?
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Rules & Regulations
- Regulation 7
- How to complete the Payment of Players Declaration (2026)
- Payment of Players Compliance FAQs (material benefit and regulations)
- Where can I find the RFU Regulations?
- How do we change our club name?
- RFU's Code of Conduct template
- Where can I find the RFU Regulations
- How to Approve the Payment of Players Declaration
- How to upload supporting documentation to Payment of Players Declaration
- How to check if your Payment of Players Declaration has been submitted
- How to check who still needs to approve your Payment of Players Declaration 2026
- I didn't receive the payment of players declaration approval email, what do I do?
- Payment of Players Declaration common error messages & troubleshooting
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Safeguarding & Player Welfare
- Retrieving emergency contact details
- How do I complete the Club Safeguarding Audit?
- How to apply for a DBS
- How do I get help for an injured player?
- How do I report an Injury / what injuries do I need to report?
- What is the current guidance for First Aid?
- How do I book onto a First Aid course?
- What is RugbySafe?
- How do I order Headcase Resources?
- Can I organise a Play it Safe safeguarding course at my club?
- How long will my DBS take to process?
- Why do I need an RFU DBS check if I already have one through my employer?
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Player Management
- How does the Player Management Module work?
- Player Registration Report in GMS
- How to create player cards in GMS
- How do I approve Age Grade registration? (Club Admin)
- How do I register an Age Grade player as a Club Administrator?
- Age Grade Registration - Club Top Tips
- Do I need to complete Player Registration to participate in non-contact Rugby?
- How do I give my child permission to access their GMS account?
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Adult Player Registration - Club Administration Support
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Courses, Coaching & Match Officiating
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Age Grade
- What are the regulations for the Age Grade game?
- What are the rules on Age Grade players playing out of their Age Grade?
- What are the rules on individual Age Grade players playing up or down?
- What are the girls' age bandings?
- At what age can I play mixed rugby?
- How is a match restarted in the Age Grade game if an attacking player is held up in goal?
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Book a course
- How do I get a receipt for my course booking on GMS?
- How do I book onto a Director of Rugby course?
- How do I find and book the Headcase e-learning course?
- How do I find and book the Introduction to Safeguarding e-learning course?
- How do I find and book the Tackle Safe eLearning?
- How do I book onto a Ready 2 Referee course?
- How do I book onto an England Rugby Tag Rugby course?
- How do I book onto an England Rugby First Contact course?
- How do I book onto an England Rugby Advanced Match Official Award course?
- How do I book onto an England Rugby Performance Coaching Award course?
- How do I book onto a Play It Safe course?
- How do I find and book the In Touch course?
- England Rugby Learning - our new course & resource platform
- Change to Qualification Expiries
- How do I book a course on England Rugby Learning?
- Course Availability - when are courses available to book on England Rugby Learning and when will they take place?
- How do I register for England Rugby Learning?
- Will my current GMS qualifications show in England Rugby Learning?
- Why aren’t my England Rugby Learning Qualifications showing in GMS?
- Why isn’t my Headcase/ Introduction to Safeguarding/ TackleSafe eLearning showing as completed on England Rugby Learning?
- What are the Active Badges on England Rugby Learning and how do I complete them?
- Why have some of my existing qualifications expired?
- Why can’t I find any courses on the GMS Course Finder?
- How will I know when my qualifications need to be renewed?
- How do I purchase vouchers (key codes) for courses on England Rugby Learning?
- How do I check my voucher (key code) balance on England Rugby Learning?
- How do I book a face-to-face course or event on England Rugby Learning?
- How do I register external qualifications on England Rugby Learning?
- How do I book my child onto an England Rugby Learning course?
- How do I view my learning record on GMS?
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Age Grade
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Players & Parents
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Adult Player Registration - Player Support
- How do I register to play (Club Registration)?
- How do I renew my adult registration?
- How do I de-register from a club?
- How do I register to multiple clubs?
- How do I request International Clearance?
- What does “You have reached the limit on the number of times that you may register” mean?
- How do I review and approve my RFU Registration?
- How do I add attachments to my GMS account?
- How do I confirm my England Qualified Player (EQP) status?
- How do I complete Club Registration as an 'Occasional Player'?
- How to manage player registrations and the teams they are assigned to in your organisation
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Playing Rugby
- How can I find my local rugby Club?
- How can my club support a local wheelchair rugby club?
- How can I find out more about starting a wheelchair rugby section at my club?
- What is Wheelchair Rugby?
- What opportunities are there for adult and junior wheelchair users in the sport?
- How can I get involved with wheelchair rugby as a volunteer?
- How can I find out more about gender participation?
- What is T1 Rugby?
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Adult Player Registration - Player Support
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Team & Match Managers
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Competitions & friendlies
- Men's League Pre-Season Briefing Document 2025/26
- Matches Against Non-English Teams Or Cross Union Matches
- Why can’t I change the status of a fixture?
- How do I access Electronic Match Cards (EMC) in the Competition Management module?
- FAQ’s Manually Entered Fixtures
- How do I assign players to a team?
- How do I create and edit the status of a fixture?
- How do I add a new team?
- How do I access Electronic Match Card Data as a Club Administrator?
- How do I archive a team?
- What is the Transfer Deadline for Adult Competitions?
- What are the Law Variations in Women’s League Competitions?
- How do I prepare my club for the 2026/27 RFU Men's Leagues season?
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Match day requirements
- Electronic Match Card (EMC) desktop guide
- Electronic Match Card (EMC) mobile guide
- Electronic Match Card - Top tips
- Advantages of using Electronic Match Card
- Electronic Match Card - Frequently Asked Questions
- Coach/Team Manager can't edit their team
- What do I do if I can't access the Electronic Match Card?
- How to record a suspected concussion in EMC
- Who do I contact during a competition?
- Why can't I add a player to the Electronic Match Card?
- What are the rules on goggles/glasses when playing rugby?
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Competition Organisers & League Secretaries
- Accessing GMS Competitions as a Competition Manager or League Secretary
- Accessing Electronic Match Cards as a League Secretary/Organiser
- Copying A Competition From A Previous Season
- Creating a New Competition
- Add or Edit Stage
- Add Group / League
- Adding & Viewing Competitors In A Competition
- Set Points Scoring & League Table Ordering
- Setting up an EMC for your Competition
- Adding Competition Rounds (Dates)
- Add & Publish Fixtures - Leagues
- Add & Publish Fixtures – Knockout Competition
- Results Entry & Overview
- Edit Fixtures
- Correcting a Score or Incorrect Match Outcome
- LIQUIDATING (WITHDRAWING) A TEAM FROM A COMPETITION
- Manual Points Adjustments
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Competitions & friendlies
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Constituent Bodies & RFU Council
How do I book onto an England Rugby Advanced Coaching Award course (including Developing Advanced Coaching Practice) for the 2026-27 season onwards?
Modified on Tue, 13 Oct at 10:57 AM
The England Rugby Advanced Coaching Award (formerly Level 3 Coaching) is a blended program designed for coaches who are looking to develop advanced coaching practice in their own environments. It focuses on the Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviors of an Advanced Coach. The award is now divided into two parts, as detailed in this short video overview, and in more detail below:
• Part 1 – Developing Advanced Coaching Practice: A one-season program featuring four face-to-face learning days (which must be attended in order) plus some eLearning. Completing Part 1 awards a recognised Continuous Coach Development (CCD) accreditation.
• Part 2 – Domain-Specific Assessment: A full season of one-to-one coach development and competency-based assessment in the coach's regular environment to gain the final award. After completing Part 1 you may access Part 2 the following season or within a maximum of two seasons. If you do not access it within this timeframe, you will need to complete a bridging module before you can progress to Part 2.
You must have an active coaching role with a team or squad in England for the assessment season. All tasks must be completed with the same group of players in the same coaching environment. If you cannot guarantee this, you should not apply for the course. If you book onto the course and later cannot complete the required tasks, you will be removed from the course and will need to rebook at a later date.
Booking onto Part 1- Developing Advanced Coaching Practice
The booking window for Part 1 - Developing Advanced Coaching Practice will be open between February and April and bookable via England Rugby Learning (ERL). The programme will then commence from the following July (day 1) at the venue you have booked onto.
Pre-requisites - Ensure your GMS record is up to date and displays your pre-requisite achievement(s). For 2026/27 season this is completion of the England Rugby Coaching Award (or equivalent Level 2 rugby union course) awarded before September 1, 2024.
For the 2028/29 season onwards both new bookings and deferrals will also need to have completed the Introduction to Advanced Coaching Practice CCD as an additional pre-requisite to that listed above.
The required two-year gap between completing the England Rugby Coaching Award (or Level 2 Coaching) and applying for Part 1 of the Advanced Coaching Award allows coaches time to explore and embed any feedback generated from your previous learning, in alignment with research on learning and application.
• You must be able to attend all four days of your booked course; transfers between courses are not possible. If you miss a day, you will be deferred to the following year's course. In some circumstances we may be able to offer an alternative venue for one of the days, if space is available, however this is only for exceptional circumstances and cannot be guaranteed.
• The course fee for Part 1 is £450, payable in full by card at the time of booking. We cannot accept payment by invoice.
• We strive to offer places to all applicants, but venue capacity may require you to choose an alternative location to your first choice. If a course displays ‘no tickets available’, it is sold out and no further spaces are available.
• To proceed to Part 2 – Domain Specific Assessment, you must complete all four face-to-face days of Part 1 in sequence.
• The course fee for Part 2 is £650, payable in full by card at the time of booking. We cannot accept payment by invoice.
An electronic portfolio on England Rugby Learning will be provided as a tool for learning and reflection. This portfolio will be important for your assessment should you proceed to Part 2.
For Part 1, you will need to prepare a video of your coaching to bring to Day 1. It is advised that you film this as soon as possible, ideally before the current season ends, to allow time for re-filming if necessary.
Video Task: Prepare a 15–20-minute clip (maximum) showing you coaching “Go Forward and Support” from phase play. Use a games-based approach, including a Game Zone to identify player understanding and skill issues, and a related Skill Zone to help players find solutions.
Ensure your video is of sufficient audio and visual quality for course viewing, with clear demonstration of coaching process, style, and interventions. Using a microphone is recommended. Within your video, please:
• Explain clear objectives for your session.
• Demonstrate your preferred coaching style.
• Show innovative practice designs to improve individual, unit, and team skills/game understanding, encouraging problem-solving among players.
• Show coaching interventions or constraints to improve technical and tactical skills for individuals, units, and teams.
• Be prepared to share your video clips with your coach developer and fellow course participants from day 1 of the course.
Note: If coaching players aged 18 or under, you must obtain consent from parents/guardians before filming and sharing the footage. Notify them that you may need to upload the footage to a file sharing service.
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