Glendale, Colo. — USA Rugby has unveiled a new temporary membership category.

The plan was unanimously approved by the USA Rugby Board of Directors and is similar to one-day license programs offered by other National Governing Bodies. 

The new USA Rugby Temporary Membership provides players with a lower-cost option for sanctioned participation without compromising on protection. The temporary membership will be priced at $10 for players who provided proof of primary medical insurance and $15 for those who do not. Membership will be active for a specified 72-hour period and will provide players will full liability and secondary medical insurance coverage during that time.

What this does, then, is allow a player who is a member of, say, National Collegiate Rugby, with a temporary membership to allow that player to attend a High Performance camp, or play in a USA Rugby-run tournament, without paying for the full membership and without forcing the player's team to pay for a full USA Rugby membership.

Community Agreements Signed With USA Rugby, Dues Levels Approved

“This is an exciting addition to the USA Rugby membership structure and will provide new opportunities as we head into the summer," said USA Rugby CEO Ross Young. "The Board, Community Councils, and community stakeholders are dedicated to the idea of making it easier to play rugby safely. This program is a testament to that.”

“It’s an option members and tournament organizers have requested for a number of years,” said General Manager of Community Rugby, Johnathan Atkeison. “Community feedback was integral to the program’s design, and it’s meant to be an easy membership solution for common scenarios we all encounter; occasions like social tournaments, recruitment events or even alumni matches.”  

The Temporary Membership program creates an opportunity for USA Rugby player accident and liability benefits to extend into any kind of event, and it also allows tournaments and events to not have to worry about who plays in their event—they can just require players to have the temporary membership. 

This marks the first phase of a new approach to the USA Rugby Event Sanctioning process to be rolled out later this year. Feedback and insight from community stakeholders will help guide and finalize logistics of the program rollout.

Event organizers or players who wish to submit questions or suggestions are encouraged to email membership@usa.rugby.