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Background

Defender’s support for the grassroots area of the game in the UK is typified through the Defender Premiership Rugby Cup. A nationwide
series of rugby festivals for U11 and U12 teams, run in conjunction with all Premiership Rugby clubs. The Defender Premiership Rugby
Cup allows youngsters to discover rugby, and over the years the nationwide festivals have provided a vital platform for several young
rugby stars to go on and play professional rugby.

Vital in fostering the values at the heart of the game, the Defender Premiership Rugby Cup is a key part of the grassroots rugby calendar each season, that allows Defender to connect with the rugby community, its players, fans, and families.

The events are designed to provide aspiring young players with the chance to play competitive fixtures in a format to aid their
development, all within the spirit of rugby’s core values of teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline, and sportsmanship. Allowing them
to learn vital lessons, that will serve them both on and off the rugby pitch.

Since its inception, the Defender Premiership Rugby Cup (previously the Land Rover Premiership Cup) has helped over 100,000
youngsters discover rugby through the annual rugby festivals. Defender recognises this area of the game is essential for the
continued growth of rugby and plays an important role in local communities.

For each U11 and U12 team entering the Defender Premiership Rugby Cup, there is a chance to win an exclusive trip to the
Gallagher Premiership Rugby Final, at Twickenham Stadium on 27 May 2023.
We look forward to your club joining us.

The festivals will follow the below RFU guidance:
The key elements of the Under 12s Rules of Play are:

• Team numbers: A maximum of 12-a-side
• Maximum pitch size: 60 metres x 43 metres
• Ball Size: 4
• Maximum minutes per half: 20
• Maximum minutes per day: 70
• Continuation of the contested strike, no push
• Nearest 5 players in a scrum (all players trained, late specialisation)
• No limit on numbers contesting for the ball including in the maul and ruck
• Introduction of the hand off below the armpits

Format:
Festival - Competitive round-robin playing opportunity where equal team and player participation is the emphasis. Winning
doesn’t affect your ongoing participation as every team plays the same number of matches

Winner Selection:
The overall U12 ‘winner’ at each festival will be determined based on their performances during the festival, with the team
with the most wins and points, named the winning team. The prize for the winning U12 team will be a LRPRC Trophy and a
trip to Twickenham for the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Final.