Applicable to: Club Administrators

Applicable Sports: Rugby Canada

Application(s): Admin Portal > Game Requests

This article will cover the following:

1. Understanding sanctioning requests and when to use them
2. Submitting a game request
3. Submitting a tournament request
4. Submitting an outbound tour request
5. Submitting a try rugby request
6. Monitoring your request status

Related articles:

• Club Administrators: Creating teams in competition seasons
• Club Administrators: Allocating players and team staff to teams
• Club Administrators: Creating Season Permit Requests

Overview

Sanctioning requests let you get approval for games, tournaments, tours, and Try Rugby events that sit outside your regular competition schedule. Once approved, exhibition games are automatically created in PlayHQ.

These requests ensure your participants are covered by insurance and that your organisation has obtained the necessary approvals from your association and national body.

Important: Only Club Administrators can submit sanctioning requests through the admin portal.

When to submit a sanctioning request

Submit a sanctioning request when you want to:

• Host or play in a game against another club (member or non-member)
• Host a tournament with multiple teams participating
• Travel internationally for competitions
• Run a community participation program that requires insurance coverage

Before you start: All request types

Set up email notifications

Configure your notification settings so you receive updates on request progress:

1. Log in to the Admin Portal, and navigate to My Organisation > Overview and click the Notifications tab
2. Enter your email address for sanctioning request notifications, then click Add
3. Enable the "Sanction Requests" notification type, then click Update & Save

Prerequisites for Game Requests

Before submitting a game request, ensure you have:

• Both clubs invited – Ensure both your club and your opponent's club are invited to the relevant competition/season
  • Note: If you can't find the opposing team when creating a request, they may not be invited to your competition season yet. Contact your association or province to have them added before proceeding.
• Teams created with players registered or permitted – Ensure each team is created and has all players who may participate added to the appropriate teams
  • Note: All required dual registrations (permits) should be processed and approved
• Details agreed – Coordinate with your opponent which date, time, venue, and grade the games should take place in before submitting your request
• Documentation ready (if inviting non-member clubs)
  • Required documentation includes: General liability, Team rosters with D.O.B., and for international teams an authorisation letter from their union

Submitting a Game Request

Game requests allow you to arrange approved matches against other clubs, whether they're regular members, interstate clubs, or international opponents - in pre-season, practice and other non-regular competition grades.

1. Navigate to Sanctioning Requests
   1. Log in to the Admin Portal
   2. Navigate to Sanctioning Requests from the main menu
   3. Click New Request
   4. Select Game from the available request types

2. Select your grade

   1. Choose the grade that matches your team's age and gender requirements
   2. Review the grade restrictions displayed to ensure your team is eligible

   ⚠️ Important: Regular competition grades or Cup competitions cannot be selected.

3. Enter game details
   1. Select the Game Date
   2. Enter the Game Start Time and End Time
   3. Choose the Venue where the game will be played
   4. Select the Playing Surface (if applicable)
   5. Indicate whether a Referee is required
4. Add participating teams from member clubs (clubs within PlayHQ):
   1. Select your Home Team from the dropdown (your club's team)
   2. Select the Away Team from the dropdown (the opposing club's team)
   3. Review the team details to confirm both teams are correct

5. For non-member clubs:

   1. Select your Home Team from the dropdown
   2. Toggle Non-Member Club when adding the away team
   3. Manually enter:
      • Team Name
      • Club Name
      • Location (inside or outside country)
      • Country (if international)
   4. Upload any required documentation (details will be shown in the form)

   ⚠️ Important: If hosting an international team, additional documentation is required. Prepare these files before starting your request. Required documentation includes; General liability, Team rosters with D.O.B., and for international teams an authorisation letter from their union.

6. Review and submit
   1. Review all entered information for accuracy
   2. Click Submit Request
   3. Note the request reference number for tracking

What happens after submission?

Once you submit your game request:

1. The opposing club receives a notification to review and approve the request
2. After club approval, the request goes to your provincial union for approval
3. Your national body provides final approval
4. Upon final approval, the game is automatically created in PlayHQ
5. You'll receive email notifications at each stage of the approval process

You can view the status of your request at any time by navigating to Game Requests and selecting your request from the list.

Submitting a Tournament Request

Tournament requests allow you to host multi-team events and ensure all participating clubs have the required approvals and insurance coverage.

1. Navigate to Sanctioning Requests
   1. Navigate to Sanctioning Requests from the main menu
   2. Click New Request
   3. Select Tournament from the available request types
2. Enter tournament details
   1. Enter the Tournament Name
   2. Set the Tournament Start Date and End Date
   3. Specify the Number of Days the tournament will run
   4. Enter Venue information

3. Add participating Member clubs:
   1. Search for and select each participating club
4. For non-member clubs:
   1. Toggle Non-Member Club team
   2. Enter the club and team details manually
   3. Upload any required documentation
   4. Repeat for all non-member club teams

5. Review and submit
   1. Click Review to verify all tournament information
   2. Click Submit Request

What happens after submission?

Once you submit your tournament request:

1. The request goes to your provincial union for approval
2. Your national body provides final approval
3. Upon final approval, the tournament will be manually created by your province in PlayHQ. 
4. Follow guidance from your provincial union for next steps.You’ll receive email notifications at each stage of the approval process

Submitting an Outbound Tour Request

Outbound tour requests are for clubs travelling internationally to compete, to ensure that all travelling participants are registered and the touring party meets age-banding (when necessary). These requests focus on ensuring all traveling participants have insurance coverage.

Prerequisites

1. Tour details confirmed – Dates, destination, participating clubs/teams
2. Teams and rosters ready – All touring participants allocated to the nominated team

Step-by-step instructions

1. Navigate to Sanctioning Requests
   1. Navigate to Sanctioning Requests from the main menu
   2. Click New Request
   3. Select Outbound Tour from the available request types
2. Enter tour details
   1. Select your Competition Season, where you can find your team
   2. Enter the Tour Name
   3. Set Departure Date and Return Date
   4. Enter the destinations you'll be visiting
3. Add match information
   1. Enter details for each match scheduled during the tour
   2. Include opposing team name, Country/Location and the date of each game

4. Select your traveling team
   1. Choose your Team from the dropdown
   2. Review the roster of traveling players
   3. Verify all players meet age-banding requirements
5. Review and submit
   1. Click Review to verify all tour information is accurate
   2. Click Submit Request

What happens after submission?

Outbound tour requests follow a simplified approval process:

1. Your request goes directly to your association for review
2. Your national body provides final approval
3. You receive email notifications at each approval stage
4. No opposing club approval is required for outbound tours

Submitting a Try Rugby Request

Try Rugby programs are introductory events that require approval to ensure proper insurance coverage and participant safety.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Navigate to Sanctioning Requests
   1. Navigate to Sanctioning Requests from the main menu
   2. Click New Request
   3. Select Try Rugby from the available request types
2. Enter details
   1. Enter the Name, Estimated Participants, Gender & Age Group
   2. Enter desired Date with start and end times, and venue
   3. Populate any additional information in the description

3. Review and submit
   1. Click Review to verify all information is accurate
   2. Click Submit Request

What happens after submission?

Try Rugby requests follow a simplified approval process:

1. Your request goes directly to your association for review
2. Your national body provides final approval
3. You receive email notifications at each approval stage
4. No opposing club approval is required for outbound tours
5. Your national body must receive a fully completed roster for insurance coverage

Monitoring your request status

All sanctioning requests can be tracked through the Sanctioning Requests section of the Admin Portal.

1. Navigate to Sanctioning Requests from the main menu
2. View your list of submitted requests
3. Click on any request to view its current status and approval history

Request statuses

Your request will display one of the following statuses:

Important considerations

Timing your requests

Consider these timeframes when submitting requests:

• Game requests: Submit at least 14 days before your intended game date to allow time for all approvals
• Tournament requests: Submit at least 30 days in advance, as multiple clubs need to coordinate their teams
• Outbound tour requests: Submit at least 14 days before departure, particularly for international travel

Player eligibility and permits

Before submitting any request:

• Ensure all dual registrations (permits) are processed and approved
• Verify players meet age-banding requirements
• Check that all players have valid registrations/memberships in PlayHQ
• Confirm players are added to the correct team rosters

If players don't meet these requirements, your request may be declined or delayed during the approval process.

Working with non-member clubs

When your request involves clubs outside PlayHQ:

• Contact your association administrator to have the club invited to your competition season
• Prepare required documentation before starting your request (details will be provided in the form)
• International clubs require additional documentation - check with your association about specific requirements
• Allow extra processing time as manual verification may be required

Frequently asked questions

What if I can't find the opposing club when creating a game request?
The opposing club must be invited to your competition season first. Contact your association administrator and ask them to invite the club. Once invited, the club will appear in your team selection dropdown. This applies to both in-province and out-of-province member clubs.

Do both clubs need to submit a request for the same game?
No. The home club submits a single game request, and the away club receives a notification to approve that request. This replaces the previous system where both clubs submitted separate applications.

What happens if our request is declined?
You'll receive a notification with the reason for the decline. Review the feedback, address any issues (such as missing documentation or player eligibility problems), and submit a new request. You can also contact the approver directly if you need clarification.

Can we edit a request after it's been submitted?
No, you cannot edit a submitted request, this will come in a later enhancement. If you need to make changes, you'll need to withdraw and resubmit the current request, or contact your provincial union/national body with the corrected information.

What documents do I need for international teams or tours?
The specific requirements will be displayed in the request form when you select international options. Prepare these documents before starting your request. 

Required documentation includes; 

• General liability
• Team rosters with dob
• An authorisation letter from their union (for international teams only)

How long does the approval process take?
Approval times vary depending on the number of approvers and their response times. Typically, allow 5-7 business days for club approval, 3-5 days for association approval, and 3-5 days for national body approval. Submit requests well in advance of your event to account for potential delays.

Will referees be automatically allocated to our approved games?
Game creation is automatic upon final approval, but referee allocation depends on your association's processes. Check with your association about their referee appointment process.