‘IMMEDIATE CARE IN RUGBY’ COURSE
It is evident that an ‘Immediate Care In Rugby (ICIR) course is needed to ensure that teams have suitably qualified medical personnel to meet the requirements for the RAN Sevens in November, so RAN will hold an ICIR course on November 19 & 20 in Arima, Trinidad.
The course will be at the Kapok hotel, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM both days. Participants are responsible for their own accommodations and ground transport. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. There is no course fee but participants need to register by emailing me by October 20, 2025.
WORLD RUGBY LEVEL 2 COACHING COURSES
RAN has a budget to support travel and course fees for Educators to deliver Level 2 Coaching courses. Unions can contact me to plan a course in their Union. The Union would be responsible for hosting the course (venue, refreshments, resources like flip charts and a projector) and the Educator’s accommodations and ground transport. Part of the courses will be completed online before and after the in-person portion.
PLAYER WELFARE LEADS
Each RAN Member Union is expected to have a person identified as the lead contact for Player Welfare (PW) issues. These PW Leads are expected to have effective relations with the Union’s executive and be able to influence initiatives and policies to protect and improve the welfare of all involved in the game. RAN will be asking the PW Leads for updates several times per year to share successes and identify some of the challenges hindering progress on important PW projects. Most Member Unions have complied in identiifying this Lead, but if you need support on this, please contact me.
‘FIRST AID IN RUGBY’ COURSE SUBSIDY
In order to increase the number of people with first aid training in rugby communities across the region, RAN has arranged a grant of $250 USD for each First Aid In Rugby (FAIR) course that takes place in 2025 (support for 2026 is still being determined). RAN is processing payments for the courses that have already happened and encourages Unions to plan to deliver a FAIR course in the next few months. If you do not have a FAIR Educator in your rugby community, contact me to discuss options.
COMMUNITY DISCIPLINARY OFFICER COURSE
The World Rugby Judicial Officer course is designed to train people with significant legal experience to conduct hearings for the elite level of the game. RAN has been working with USA Rugby to develop a course to train Disciplinary Officers for all levels; from school leagues t onational championships. This course is currently a RAN pilot and expected to become a World Rugby course in 2026. The course lasts one long day or 5 online sessions of 2.5hours each (20-minute break in the middle). RAN will deliver a face-to-face course in Trinidad & Tobago on November 20 from 8:30 AM to5:00 PM prior to the RAN Sevens. All are welcome - please contact me to register.
RAN urges all Unions to ensure that they are following World Rugby Regulations 17, 18, 19 and 20 regarding hearings and decisions. Unions can reach out for more information about holding Foul Play Hearings or about participating in a Disciplinary Officer course. You can also contact me to register for the online course RAN plans to launch in October.
INTRODUCTION TO LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT COURSE
The World Rugby Introduction to Leadership and Management (ILM) course trains people in planning and delivering events, recruiting and supporting volunteers, setting budgets and raising funds, and principles of management and governance.
RAN will be hosting ILM courses online for up to 8 participants per course, starting in October. Participants can attend all the sessions and complete the event planning assignment to receive a World Rugby certificate or attend only topics of interest for their own development. Unions can contact me to discuss further.
• Conditioning for Females has strength and fitness information specifically developed for women in rugby.
• Safeguarding Essentials: An online program for everyone involved in the game to reduce the risk of abuse and harm and know what to do when an issue arises.
• Skin Health: Rugby can be hard on our soft outer layer, and World Rugby has produced a resource to help anyone involved in the game know how to look after abrasions, infections, blisters, calluses, cuts and viruses.
• T1 Rugby Online Resource: the new non-tackle format of the game designed by World Rugby. The site includes details about T1, and lesson plans for coaches or for teachers to add it to a school curriculum. There is also a guide on how to officiate T1 Rugby here.
• The World Rugby Laws of the Game site has links to laws clarifications, guidelines on how to apply some laws, and Laws News.
• World Rugby has developed a Tournament Manager Program, which has an online version for everyone tasked with delivering an event that involves multiple matches/fields, and a Face-to-Face course for those seeking to run major national or international events.
• The World Rugby Team Manager Program is an online course to help the Team Manager perform their demanding role effectively and not miss any important steps. Particularly valuable for any Team Managers taking teams to RAN Tournaments and Matches.
• Television Match Official Operator (TMO) training may only be needed for those that are providing technical support to the TMO at an event, but it might interest a broader range of people to knowhow the TMO gets what they need to guide decisions.
• As the RAN Sevens approaches in November, confirming Player Eligibility is important. Some teams use players that have moved to their country or have a different nationality and a family connection (parent, grandparent).
Be sure by checking the guide here.
