Rules
Gloucestershire
RFU
Competition
Regulations
2006-2007
Description.
1 The Competition shall be called 'The GRFU (SPONSORS NAME) Senior
County Cup Competition' (or such other name as the sponsor may from time to time
decide) and shall be between those eligible Clubs which are invited and agree to
play in it.
Definitions
2 In these Regulations
2.1 'Appeals Panel' means any such body, person or persons as
shall be appointed by the GRFU (but not including and independent of the Sub
Committee) to review or adjudge upon any matter referred to it under these
regulations or in connection with any competitions under the jurisdiction of the
Sub Committee.
2.2 'Club' means a Club participating in this seasons
Competition
2.3 'Club's Nominated Contact.' means an official who will be
responsible for all correspondence in connection with the administration of the
Competition. A Club will be deemed to have, and agreed it has received,
notification if an item has been sent to this official - The Club's Nominated
Contact. It is incumbent on this person to communicate the information to
those within the club. Any changes to this officer during the season
should be notified to the Secretary of The GRFU Competitions Sub Committee in
writing. Until such notification is received a Club will not have been deemed to
have changed the Club's Nominated Contact. This appointment is essential for the
smooth operation of the competition.
2.4 'Competition' means the 'Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union
Senior County Cup Competition' and any other competitions under the jurisdiction
of the Sub Committee to which these Regulations apply.
2.5 'Effective Registration' means that a player is registered
with a Club in accordance with and pursuant to Regulation No. 3 of the
Registration of Players Regulations.
2.6 'GRFU' means Gloucestershire Rugby Football
Union.
2.7 'Handbook' means the GRFU
Handbook
2.8 'Media Rights' means all Television and/or other broadcasting
media, advertising, publicity and promotion of any and every description in and
relating to the Competition.
2.9 'Senior Cup' means the Cup Competition organized by the
GRFU for those Clubs selected by the GRFU who have agreed to participate in the
Competition
2.10 'Sub Committee' means the GRFU Competitions sub
Committee
2.11 'The
Organising
Committee.
3.1 The Competition Regulations will be approved by the GRFU
General Committee and the Competition will be organised by the Competitions sub
Committee.
3.2 The day to day organisation of the Competition will be in
the hands of the Sub Committee, who shall have the power to delegate any of its
powers, duties or obligations under these Regulations (other than its powers
under Regulation 16) to a Competition Administrator.
3.3 Subject to Regulation 16, the decision of the Sub
Committee shall be binding and final on any matter not provided for in and on
the interpretation of these Regulations. Interpretation on any matter not
provided for in these regulations shall be referred to the GRFU Executive
Committee.
Eligibility of Clubs.
4.1 Subject to Regulations 4.2 and 4.3 the Competition will
be open to those clubs who are invited by the Competitions sub Committee and who
are in membership of the GRFU
4.2 If any Club having agreed to participate does not take
part in the Competition or having participated fails to honour a fixture in the
competition then such Club's opponents in the round as drawn will receive a bye
into the next round of the Competition.
4.3 Any club failing to fulfil all of its obligations in the
competition (i.e. having agreed to participate does not take part in the
Competition or having participated fails to honour a fixture), may subsequently not be invited to
enter the following season's competition or any National Cup
competitions.
4.4 Selection of Clubs
4.4.1 The invited clubs will be made up using the following
format
·
Finalists
from the previous season.
·
One
nomination from each of the 5 Districts within the
GRFU.
·
All
National Leagues sides.
·
The
remainder from the highest League placing below National Leagues as agreed by
the Competitions sub-Committee to make up a competition comprising of 16
teams.
4.4.2 The Sub Committee will contact the clubs below the
Premiership and invite them to enter the Competition. Entries will be accepted
from the Clubs which fulfil the above criteria and wishing to enter up to a
maximum of sixteen clubs.
Eligibility of Players
5.1 A Club in a Competition match may only play or select as a
replacement, players who hold Effective Registration for the Club.
(Warning: The Computerised Listing is the only and
conclusive evidence which will be accepted to substantiate a player's Effective
Registration and shall be that listing which is held by the relevant
registration authority.
5.2 A Club may not be represented in the Competition by any
person who has played or been selected as a replacement for another Club in the
Competition.
(NB: It is the Clubs responsibility to ensure it complies
with this Regulation 5.2).
5.3 A Club may not be represented by any player under the age
of 18 in the front row of the scrum during contested scrummages.
Note: If a Club wishes to select and play a seventeen year
old player it should exercise great care and close supervision over the playing
of such player and consider its duty of care to that player and others. Any
breach of this regulation 5.3 will be a serious offence and will raise insurance
issues.
5.4 The Sub Committee shall have the power to reinstate a
Club in the Competition when it has been eliminated by a Club which has been in
breach of any of the Regulations.
Competition Format and Draws.
6.1 Competition format
6.1.1 The Competition shall comprise of one round, quarter finals,
semi finals and a final.
6.1.2 The first round losers in the Cup Competition shall have
automatic entry into the Plate Competition quarter finals which is an integral
part of the Cup Competition
6.2 Competition draws
6.2.1 The draws for the Competition will be arranged by the sub
Committee
6.2.2 Subject to Regulation 6.2.3 below the first named Club to be
drawn in a match up to and including the semi finals shall be the home team.
Finals Day shall be at a venue to be decided.
6.2.3 If the Committee so decides in its absolute discretion
that the ground of the home team is not suitable for the staging of any round of
the competition for safety or any other substantial reason it shall have the
power to require the said round of the competition to be played on another
ground as close as possible to the ground of the home team, in which case it
shall specify the financial arrangements there for the team having been drawn
first and being deemed to be the home team.
Dates of Rounds
7.1 Dates for the rounds of the competition annually will be
communicated via the Nominated Club Contact
Drawn Matches
8.1 In all rounds, except the final, if after 40 minutes of
play each way the scores are level, there shall be, after a five minute break, a
period of extra time between the same teams of 10 minutes each way, with a
one minute interval. If the scores are then still equal, the team that has
scored most tries shall go forward into the next round. If this does not produce
a result, the team that has scored the most goals from tries goes forward into
the next round. If the scores are still equal, the tries are still equal, and
the goals from tries are still equal, the visiting team shall go forward into
the next round.
8.2 In the Final, if after 40 minutes play each way the
scores are level, the team that has scored the most tries shall be the winner.
If this does not produce a result, the team that has scored most goals from
tries shall be the winner. If no result is then achieved, the result shall be
decided in the following manner: -
8.2.1 Each team shall nominate one player from its number on
the field of play at the final whistle to participate on its behalf in a
drop-goal competition.
8.2.2 Each kicker in turn shall attempt a drop goal from
pre-determined positions until such time as, after an equal number of attempts,
one kicker has kicked more goals than the other.
8.2.3 These attempts will be made toward the goalposts at
the end of the field of play to be determined by a competition administrator.
The first kick shall be taken by the kicker representing the team that
kicked-off the match proper.
8.2.4 The attempts will be taken from these positions in
turn, repeating the sequence until a decision is reached:
-
The intersection of the 22-metre line and-
a)
The centre
of the 22-metre line.
b)
Intersection
of 22-metre and 15-metre lines to left of posts
facing.
c)
Intersection
of 22-metre and 5-metre lines to left of posts
facing.
d)
Intersection
of 22-metre and 15-metre lines to right of posts
facing.
e)
Intersection
of 22-metre and 5-metre lines to right of posts
facing.
Referees and Touch Judges
9.1 Referees for all matches shall be appointed by the
Referees' Society which accepts responsibility for supplying Referees on a
regular basis to the home Club or by the Federation of which the said Referees'
Society is a member. Regulations relating to Law 6 shall not apply unless two
qualified touch judges are appointed by the applicable Referees Society or
Federation.
9.2 In the absence of appointment by the applicable Referees
Society or Federation each Club shall provide a competent touch judge who should
not be a replacement. In an emergency and with the consent of the Referee having
been obtained a replacement may act as a touch judge.
9.3 Referees and
touch judges for the Finals Day matches shall be appointed annually by the
relevant GRFU Society on a rotational basis.
Replacements
10.1 In all rounds of the Competition other than the semi
finals and final not more than four replacements or substitutes are permitted
and in the semi finals and final six replacements or substitutes are
permitted.
10.2 In the interests of safety each team playing in each
match in the Competition must have sufficient front row players of eighteen
years of age or older to play at hooker, tight head prop and loose head prop who
are suitably trained and experienced to ensure that on occasions (whether due to
injury or consequent to a player(s) being temporarily suspended or ordered off)
that a replacement in any front row position is required there are sufficient
players to enable the team to continue to safely play with contested
scrums.
10.3 Subject only to the proviso contained in Regulation 10.5
below if in any match in the Competition other than the finals (in which case
Regulation 10.4 will apply) any front row player requires to be replaced, and
his team cannot provide a suitably trained and experienced replacement player to
enable the teams to continue to safely play with contested scrums, the referee
having made enquiry of and confirmed this fact with the team captain (or other
person nominated by the Club as manager or other person responsible for the
team), the result of the match as at that time will be deemed to be the final
result if more than 60 minutes play has elapsed; if less than 60 minutes play
has elapsed the match shall be abandoned and the provisions of Regulation 12
shall apply.
10.4 Subject only to the proviso contained in Regulation 10.5
below if in the final in the Competition on any occasion any front row player
requires to be replaced and his team cannot provide a suitably trained and
experienced replacement player of eighteen years of age or older to enable the
teams to continue to safely play with contested scrums the referee having made
enquiry of and confirmed this fact with the team captain (or other person
nominated by the Club as manager or other person responsible for the team) will
order uncontested scrums and the team shall be deemed to have lost the
match.
10.5 Where a player or players is/are temporarily suspended
from the field of play which creates an occasion that a front row player needs
to be replaced and his team cannot provide a replacement or other player aged
eighteen years of age or older suitably trained and experienced to enable the
team to safely play with contested scrums the referee having made enquiry of the
team captain (or other person nominated by the Club as manager or responsible
for the team) of the side affected the match shall continue with uncontested
scrums (but such uncontested scrums shall only continue for the duration of the
temporary suspension). The match result will not be deemed to be invalidated by
reason of part of it being played with uncontested
scrums.
Clash of Colours/Identification of
Players
11.1 In the event of Clubs having similar or clashing
colours, the home team shall be responsible for changing its colours subject to
the satisfaction of the appointed referee. For the final the home team will be
decided by the toss of a coin at least two days before the match
concerned.
11.2 The jerseys of teams competing in the Competition should
all be numbered in accordance with any IRB requirements to ensure the correct
identification of all players and replacements during a
match.
Postponed and Abandoned Matches
12.1 If conditions prevent a match being played or a match is
abandoned because of such conditions or pursuant to Regulation 10.3 above with
less than sixty minutes having been played, it shall be played or replayed
before the date of the next round on a day and at a time agreed by the two Clubs
concerned and agreed by the Committee. If there is no agreement within 4 days of
the date of the match which was not played or abandoned or if the date and time
agreed between the two Clubs is not deemed acceptable by the Committee, the date
and kick-off time of the replay will be as directed by the Committee upon the
application of either Club.
12.2 If a match is abandoned because of weather conditions
when sixty or more minutes have been played or pursuant to Regulation 10.3 above
then the score at the moment of abandonment shall stand and be deemed the final
score in the match. The Referee's decision as to the necessity for abandonment
and the number of minutes played at the moment of abandonment shall be
final.
Notification of Results
13.1 The Club's Nominated Contact shall be responsible for
informing the GRFU Competition Administrator of the result within 24 hours of
match day.
Grounds
14.1 A home Club is responsible for correctly and clearly
marking its pitch. In addition it must make proper provision to ensure that
(with the exception of the touch judges) all spectators, replacements and
officials are kept at a reasonable distance from the field of play and make
provision for an area (which when occupied will not in any way impede a touch
judge undertaking his responsibilities) to be clearly designated between the
touchline and any perimeter or pitch side fencing or other barrier as being that
to which coaches and replacements are to be restricted during the
match.
14.2 Participating Clubs in a match must ensure that the team
replacements and coaches are restricted to the area designated pursuant to
Regulation 14.1 or behind any perimeter or pitch side fencing or other barrier
during all periods of play in the match.
14.3 When a late decision (i.e. a decision made or to be made
within three hours of the scheduled kick-off time) as to the fitness of a ground
for the playing of a match is necessary, it shall be made by the respective
captains (or nominated representatives) of the Clubs involved, but if the
captains are not able to agree an opinion as to the fitness of the ground shall
be made by the appointed Referee.
Note: The Referee's responsibility is limited to deciding whether
or not the pitch is in his opinion playable. Any decision reached that a game
should or should not commence is the decision of the Clubs concerned.
Finance
15.1 Sponsorship and any other Monies associated with the
Competition shall be distributed in such shares as the sub Committee shall
decide, and with the approval of the GRFU General Committee.
Protests, Appeals
16.1 Protests
16.1.1 Any protest, together with the grounds thereof and the
remittance of £50 (refundable at the discretion of the sub Committee), must be
received by the competition administrator within 72 hours of the event which has
given rise to the reason for the protest. Within the same period a copy of the
protest must be supplied to the opposing club (if involved in the reason for the
protest).
16.1.2 The Sub Committee shall have the power to resolve any
protest or dispute as it shall see fit. Subject only to 16.2 the decision of the
Sub Committee shall be final and binding. Where any party is aggrieved by any decision of
the Sub Committee taken pursuant to this Regulation, it shall have the right to
appeal or call for a review of that
decision as laid out in
16.2.
16.2 Appeals
16.2.1 Where the decision from the Sub Committee regarding a
protest is viewed to be unacceptable, a club has the right to appeal or call for
a review of that decision as laid out in 16.2.2
16.2.2 An Appeal to the GRFU shall be in writing signed by the
Club Secretary and accompanied by the appropriate fee paid of £50 drawn on a
Club cheque.
Appeals to the GRFU shall be dealt with by the
Media Rights
17.1 Media Rights together with the sole right of their
exploitation belong to the GRFU.
17.2 No Club participating in the Competition shall purport
to have the right to exploit, license, sell, lease, franchise, grant or in any
way dispose of all or any part of the Media Rights save that each participating
Club may advertise its participation in the Competition using the Competition's
or any Sponsor's name.
17.3 Each Club participating in the Competition will permit access
to its ground without demanding any fee or payment there for to any person firm
or company wishing to film, televise or broadcast all or any part of any game in
the Competition provided such filming, broadcasting or televising is undertaken
by a company to whom the GRFU has sold the such rights or has been previously
agreed by the GRFU but not further or otherwise.
Terms and Conditions of
Participation
18.1 Each Club by agreeing to enter the Competition and/or by
commencing its first match in the Competition agrees it has entered into a
legally binding obligation with the GRFU and as separate obligations with each
other club in the competition and with any sponsor of the competition that it
will:
18.1.1 Fulfil its fixtures in the Competition and comply in
every particular with these regulations 1 - 18
(inclusive).
18.1.2 Play in each game in the Competition for which it
qualifies.
18.1.3 At all times comply with each and every one of the
obligations and requirements entered into by the GRFU with third parties,
including but not limited to any sponsors of the Competition under the terms and
conditions of any sponsorship agreement provided that details of any such
obligations and requirements have been notified by the GRFU to the participating
Clubs.
18.1.4 Permit access to its premises during, before or after
a match to any person authorised by the sub Committee (with or without notice)
to check compliance with all and/or any of these Regulations and to provide to
any such person such documentation and information as might be reasonably
required to identify any player in any match in the Competition and produce
evidence of such players Effective Registration with the
Club.
18.2 Each Club by entering or commencing its first match in
the Competition agrees it has entered into a legally binding obligation with the
GRFU, any sponsor of the Competition and as a separate covenant with each other
Club in the Competition, the Referee, Touch Judge or Match Official involved in
any match in the Competition or a cancellation or abandonment thereof that it
will not hold liable or make any claim against such official, the sub Committee
or the GRFU:
18.2.1 GRFU will not be held responsible for any loss,
charge, compensation or expense arising out of or in connection with any kind of
injury or illness suffered by any player, spectator or other
person.
18.2.2 GRFU will not be held responsible for any damage to
property of any kind.
18.2.3 GRFU will not be held responsible for any other loss,
cost, charge, expense or damages be it economic, financial or consequential loss
of profit or additional expense incurred or otherwise and whether directly or
consequential or in relation to the result of any
match.
18.2.4 GRFU will not be held responsible for any matter
arising out of or due to any decision or action that any such official may take
under the Laws of the Game, these Regulations or any other rules or regulations
published in the Handbook or which have been properly introduced by the GRFU or
in respect of the normal procedures to hold, play, control, cancel or abandon a
match.
18.3 Any Club selected to and agreeing to play in the
Competition agrees that
18.3.1 If it fails to honour a fixture or withdraws having
previously agreed to take part therein then the sub Committee (subject to the
Club's right of appeal set out in regulation 16.2 above) may decide that the
club may not be permitted to take part in a future GRFU cup competition and it
may also not be eligible to participate in the relevant future national cup
competition.
18.4 Each Club
by entering the Competition agrees with each other Club in the Competition and
the GRFU that the sub Committee has the absolute and unfettered discretion to
decide on matters in the interpretation of these
Regulations.
Interpretation
on any matter not provided for in these regulations shall be referred to the
GRFU Executive Committee.
The sub
Committees decision is final and binding save for any Club's right to appeal to
the Appeals Panel utilising the procedure set out in Regulation 16.2 provided
such appeal is lodged with the appropriate cheque within 48 hours of any action
taken by the sub Committee under this Regulation 18.4 being made public or the
Club having been advised thereof.
Citizen Merit
Table
Merit Table with
Divisions
NAME
1.
The Merit Table shall
be known as GRFU Citizen Merit Table ("merit table").
Administration
2.
The merit table shall
be supervised by Gloucestershire
Rugby Football Union ("supervising constituent body") via its Competitions
Sub-Committee, who shall appoint an organiser to administer the merit
table.
3.
The organiser shall
administer the merit table and make such decisions as he deems appropriate to
run an efficient and fair competition.
4.
Decisions of the
organiser are subject to review under the protests
procedure.
5.
The supervising
constituent body shall have the power to alter or amend these rules and
regulations, as it deems appropriate.
Participation
6.
The merit table is
open to all Gloucestershire clubs who are members of the Rugby Football Union
("eligible clubs").
7.
Eligible clubs shall
be invited to participate in the merit table by the
organiser.
8.
Numbers may have to be
restricted by the organiser.
9.
The Merit table will
be organised into Divisions of no more than 10 teams.
10. Participation is open
to all senior sides of a club with the exception of that club's First XV, but
the Competitions Sub-Committee may agree exceptions.
11. Under no circumstances
shall a club have two teams in the same Division.
Fixtures
12. The Organiser shall
draw up the fixtures for the season.
13. Participating clubs
can rearrange the fixture dates, but must notify the organiser of any changes as
soon as possible.
14. In the event of a
dispute between clubs as to when a game should be played, the game shall be
played on the date originally specified by the organiser, or any other date that
the organiser deems suitable.
15. The home side shall be
responsible for the organising of the referee. The home side shall use its best
endeavours to secure the services of a referee from the Gloucestershire
Federation of Rugby Union Referees ("GFRUR").
16. In the event of the
GFRUR being unable to appoint a referee the home side shall be responsible for
providing the referee.
17. The home side shall be
responsible for informing the referee of these rules and
regulations.
18. If in the opinion of
the referee there is a colour clash the home side shall change its shirts.
19. All matches shall be
played between 1st September and 30 April.
20. Matches shall be
played on Saturday afternoons unless mutually agreed between the participating
clubs concerned.
21. All other match
arrangements shall be made as for usual club fixtures.
Players
22. If teams wish to use
reserves, they must agree the number before the game
starts.
23. If a team has less
than 15 players, every effort must be made to even up the numbers before the
game starts.
24. Should there at any
time be insufficient appropriately trained and experienced front row players on
the field, the match shall continue with uncontested scrums. (see Rule 32.)
25. Every effort should be
made to play the game even if as few as 20 players are available between the two
teams. In such cases, the duration
of the game may be shortened.
26. There is no formal
restriction on player selection. However clubs are expected to select only bona
fide members of their club who are not regular members of their First XV,
subject to rule 10.
Determination Of
Winner Of Merit Table.
27. 5 points shall be
awarded for a win. 3 points for a draw and 1 point for a loss, except for the
special circumstances described in rule 34.
28. For each club an
average shall be calculated by expressing the actual number of points gained as
a percentage of the maximum possible for the number of games actually played. As
a formula:
average = (points gained * 100)/(games played * 5)
29. If , but the end of
the competition, any team has played fewer than half the scheduled matches,
their results shall be discounted in calculating winners and
runners-up.
30. The winner of each
Division shall be the team with the highest average after such
calculations.
31. In the event of two
clubs having the same average the club having scored the most points during
their head to head games shall take the higher position. If there is still a tie, the club having
scored the greatest number of points against common opponents shall be the
higher. If there is still a tie,
the organising committee shall draw lots.
Determination Of
Result
32. If the referee
abandons a game, for whatever reason, before sixty minutes of play has expired
then the game shall be void. Otherwise the result shall stand as though the game
had been completed normally.
33. In the event of
uncontested scrums for all or part of the game the result will stand as though
contested scrums had taken place throughout.
34. In the event of any
club failing to fulfil any game they shall forfeit the game. The offending side
shall be deducted 4 points, and their opposition shall
receive no points. If a club
scratches on the day of the match, the deduction will be 5 points
Notification Of Result
35. The home club shall be
responsible for returning a results card immediately after the match.
36. Both clubs should also
send in the results electronically by email or text message as
follows:
a.
email to
peter.shortell@gmail.com;
b.
SMS to 07766 40 41 42
a message starting with the email address above, eg
peter.shortell@gmail.com 1 April Old Rubberduckians 23 St Dunstans OB
15
Protests
37. Any protest, together with the
grounds thereof and the remittance of £50 (refundable at the discretion of the
sub Committee), must be received by the competition administrator within 72
hours of the event which has given rise to the reason for the protest. Within
the same period a copy of the protest must be supplied to the opposing club (if
involved in the reason for the protest).
38. The Committee shall have the power
to resolve any protest or dispute as it shall see fit and may decline to accept
a protest validly made if it considers doing so to be in the interests of the
competition. Subject only to 39 the decision of the committee shall be final and
binding.
39. Where the decision from the
committee regarding a protest is viewed to be unacceptable, a club has the right
to appeal or call for a review of that decision as laid out in 40.
40. An Appeal to the GRFU shall be in
writing signed by the Club Secretary and accompanied by the appropriate fee paid
on a Club cheque
41. Appeals to the GRFU shall be dealt with
by the