1. DESCRIPTION AND FORM Sussex Rugby Youth Competitions shall be open to players of clubs affiliated to Sussex RFU (hereinafter called Sussex) under the appropriate year of age at the agreed date. All matches in the competitions shall be played under the laws of Rugby Union Football and shall comply with the Byelaws, Rules and Regulations of the Rugby Football Union and Sussex. Waterfall League Knock-out refers to U12, U13 & U14 competitions. refers to U15, U16 & Colts league competitions. refers to Colts Cup competition. 2. ADMINISTRATION The Competitions will be arranged and managed by Organisers at each age group appointed by the Sussex Youth Management Committee. Their decision shall be binding and final on any matter not provided for in and on interpretation of these regulations. 3. STRUCTURE As determined by the Organisers at the beginning of each season dependent upon the number of teams participating at each age group. 4. FIXTURES a. The Competition fixture list shall be prepared by the Organisers having regard to the approved RFU & Sussex Youth Playing Calendar. b. All Competition matches shall be played on or before the dates identified by the Organiser, unless adverse weather intervenes and pitches at both Clubs are unplayable, or a team applies it s available allowed re-arrangement. Teams in the Waterfall competitions may postpone one match without penalty ( allowed rearrangement ), to be communicated to the Organiser at least 24 hours before the match ko time. This match must be played before the start of the next Phase of competition fixtures. Matches may be played earlier than the designated date if both sides are agreed and the Organiser has been duly informed. Teams in the U15 & U16 Leagues may postpone one match without penalty ( allowed rearrangement ), to be communicated to the Organiser at least 24 hours before the match ko time. The re-arranged match must be played on one of the next FOUR working Sundays. Working Sundays are defined as all Sundays within the RFU Youth Playing Calendar with the exception of designated League/Cup dates, County team weekends and Bank Holiday weekends. If a game is deferred due to weather or use of an allowed re-arrangement and is then further deferred due to weather or the opposition using the allowed-rearrangement, then it becomes playable of the next working Sunday. c. Any Team cancelling a fixture other than for unfit pitches at both sides grounds will be deemed to have forfeited the game. The non-cancelling club will be deemed to have won by 50 points to nil plus try bonus point. d. If pitch conditions prevent a match being played or a match is abandoned with less than 80% of the appropriate time having been played, the League match will be played or replayed on one of the next FOUR working Sundays Waterfall fixtures to be played before the next Phase of fixtures. The revised fixture date must be agreed with the Organiser within 72 hours of the original date. In the event of a second postponement the match must be played on the next working Sunday or by agreement with the competition organiser unless a club uses the permitted postponement as 4.b. Page 1 of 5 Aug 2017
e. If a match is abandoned because of weather conditions when 80% of allowed time has been played, the score at the moment of abandonment shall be deemed the final score in the match. The Referee s decision as to the necessity of the abandonment and the number of minutes played at the moment of abandonment shall be final. f. If the referee finds it necessary to abandon a match for any reason other than weather conditions, irrespective of the number of minutes played, the Organiser will determine the result of that match, or the Organiser may order that match to be replayed, after considering the Referees report. g. Failure to play more than two competition games within any season will result in that team being withdrawn from the league and all previous results will be removed from the league table. If a club fails to fulfil either a semi-final or a final, the club able to fulfil the fixture will be awarded the match. 5. DETERMINATION OF CLUB POSITIONS IN COMPETITION The position of a club in the League shall be established as a result of playing matches for which: Four match points will be awarded for a Win Two match points will be awarded for a Draw One point (Try Bonus Point) will be awarded for scoring four or more tries One point (Loss Bonus Point) will be awarded for seven or less score points difference In the case of equality, positions will be determined on the basis of match points scored. A club with a larger difference in its favour shall be placed higher than a club with a smaller difference. Should two or more clubs have equality in both league points and match points difference, the club having scored more match points will be placed higher in the league than the club having scored less match points. In the event of this calculation not being able to establish the position of the clubs as winners and/or runners up of the League, the number of bonus points scored shall determine the final placement. Should these also be equal, the teams will play off to decide the League winner. 6. MATCH SCORE No score greater than a 50 point differential will be recorded in the Competition Tables (i.e. 0-50, 74-24). If any teams score reaches 50 points in excess of the opposition s score, the match will be terminated at that stage and that result will be deemed to be the final result. Both teams must agree to continue playing the match as a friendly. 7. PLAYING TIME Youth fixtures and players will conform to the RFU specified maximum Match and Player Time. Each way (mins) Match (mins) U12 20 40 U13/U14 25 50 U15 30 60 U16 / Colts 35 70 8. NOTIFICATION OF RESULT Both teams must submit to the Organiser within the following time limits:- Result within 48 hours Match Card within 72 hours - to include tries scored and any yellow/red cards issued Failure to notify within the designated time will result in an offending team being de-merited on match point for each offence. Page 2 of 5 Aug 2017
9. DETERMINATION OF WINNERS IN CUP COMPETITIONS If the scores should be equal at the end of the match, the team that has scored most tries, conversions, penalties, drop goals, in that order of priority, shall be deemed the winner. If this calculation does not produce a result, the away team shall be deemed the winner. If in the final this same calculation does not produce a result, a Kicking Competition will decide the winner. 10. PLAYERS a) All clubs entering the Competition must ensure that their players are properly registered with the Game Management System (GMS) by their Club Youth Registration Officer before the first League fixture. Failure to register players prior to the match taking place will lead to the deduction of 2 League points. All players must be under the age as appropriate to their League on 1st September of the season in which they are registered, unless approved to Play Down by the Sussex Youth Chairman within the RFU specified requirements. If any ineligible player is found to have participated in the Competition the offending team will be deducted two league points on each occasion that it occurs. If any over-age player without playingdown approval is found to have participated in the competition then the offending club will be withdrawn from the competition. Age Group Team Size Squad Size Named Players U12 12 16 7 U13 13 18 8 U14-Colts 15 22 10 b) Each Club running both an A and B team in an age group competition must designate Named Players who will be deemed to be eligible for A team games only and who may not be selected for the B team during that season. The Organiser must be advised the names of these players prior to the first Competition Match of the season. If an age group team contributes players to another combined team playing in the competitions, then the Named Player requirement applies to the contributing team(s). Players named by a team in their Named Player list must be current players available to the team. The list cannot include player not available due to long-term injuries (6 weeks+), school or academy restrictions. County or Academy players should be included on the list. A team can change the Named Player list through the season with the agreement of the Organiser. If any designated player is found to have participated in a B team match the offending team will be deducted two league points on each occasion that it occurs. A and B teams from the same club cannot play in the same League / Waterfall Pool. c) A youth player can only play in one league game per day. If a player is named on a match card but does not play in the game, then the name should be crossed out before the referee and opposition sign the Match Card. d) No player may represent a club in the Competition unless he is a bona fide member of that club i.e. he has paid a subscription and is registered with that club through the RFU GMS system. e) A player who terminates his membership with one club and becomes a bone fide member of another club may not play within the League until his transfer has been notified and completed via GMS. It should be noted that the transfer of players between clubs is regulated in accordance with rules laid down by Sussex. Page 3 of 5 Aug 2017
f) New players joining a club must complete the player registration process on GMS before that player is eligible to represent the club in a Competition. For the purposes of the Competition, should a player be a bone fide regular playing member of two clubs, he must elect at the start of the season which is his club for the Competition except where joint club sides are formed to create a team for the Competition. Any club with any doubt concerning the eligibility of a player must apply to the appropriate Organiser for a decision. The decision of the Organiser will be final. 11. REPLACEMENTS a) Replacements shall be allowed in accordance with the RFU laws on replacements. b) All games must commence with an equal number of players on the pitch. There can be no more than one player difference between sides during the game i.e. 13 players against 14 is acceptable but 13 against 15 is not. Note: if by having a player sent off the difference exceeds 1 then the team having the player sent off will forfeit the game and the winning team will be deemed to have won by 50 points to nil. A minimum number of 12 players (League 1) and 10 players (League 2-3 and Waterfall) on each side must contest the game for it to be played as a League or Waterfall match. There must be equity in the scrum with a minimum of five players from each side forming the scrum. c) Front Row - If a team names a squad larger than the number of maximum starting players on the pitch, then they must have a named Front Row replacement. Available front-row replacements must be indicated on the Match Card. If a team has to play un-contested scrums from the outset of the game, then they will start the match with a 10 "games" point penalty, i.e. 0-10 at kick-off. 12. REFEREES AND TOUCH JUDGES The Referee for each Colts match shall be appointed by the Sussex Society of Rugby Union Referees. Clubs should request Referees appointments in the normal way for the League phase and the semifinal stage of the Competition ensuring that they inform the Society that a fixture is a Competition match. The request for a referee must be made at least 72 hours before the game, and any variations to kick-off times and subsequent changes notified. The home club shall be responsible for the referee expenses. Society referees may be available for U16 league fixtures on request. If a Society Referee is unable to be appointed, then the Home Club must appoint a qualified referee, ideally not from that age group. The Organisers shall be responsible for arranging the appointment of Referees from the Society for any Finals of the Competitions. 13. CLASH OF COLOURS In the event of the club having similar or clashing colours the Home club will be responsible for changing its colours subject to the satisfaction of the Referee. It is the responsibility of the Home club to check the colours of the visiting team prior to the day of the match. 14. KICK OFF TIMES Kick off times will be 11:00 12:30 (u12-u15), 12:30 (u16) and 14:00 (Colts), unless agreed otherwise by both teams and the Organiser. 15. GROUND a) A Home club is responsible for correctly and clearly marking its pitch and it must make proper provision to ensure that spectators are kept at a reasonable distance from the field of play. It is preferable that the field of play is roped off. b) When a late decision as to the fitness of a ground for the playing of a match is necessary it shall be made by the Managers of the clubs involved but if they are unable to agree the decision shall be made by the appointed Referee. Page 4 of 5 Aug 2017
16. DISPUTES AND TRANSGRESSIONS Any matters in dispute or any transgressions of these regulations shall be referred immediately to the appropriate Organiser by the team manager and be confirmed in writing within 24 hours. The Organiser, after due consideration, will notify the interested parties of his decision within 72 hours. If the Team wishes to challenge the decision it must appeal to the Chairman of the Youth Competitions Committee within 24 hours who will then call an Appeals meeting within 72 hours this meeting may be conducted by email. 17. MEDICAL SAFETY The home team shall ensure that a qualified first-aider is in attendance throughout the match together with a complete sports medical kit. 18. ACCEPTANCE Other than provided within these rules the RFU regulations will apply. All clubs entering the Competition accept these regulations as published. These Regulations supersede all previous Sussex Youth Competition Regulations. Sussex Youth Committee Aug 2017 Page 5 of 5 Aug 2017