RFU Regulation 15 allows 17-year-old players to play adult rugby except in the front row.
The Regulation allows clubs to seek approval to by first obtaining the Club Approval from the Constituent Body and then seeking approval for the player(s) from the CB.
Both forms can be found on www.englandrugby.com/regulations
When complete the Club Approval should be sent to cbplayerapproval@gmail.com
North Midlands have published a flow chart of the process together with notes for guidance at: https://www.northmidsrfu.co.uk/latest-rugby-notices/
Clubs should be aware that penalties for playing a 17-year-old without approval include the deduction of league points.