Junior 12′s Festival Rules
- 1. Teams will be of 12 players, selected from a maximum squad of 18.
- 2. To be eligible for a specific age group, players should be under that age on 1st September 2010 unless they have specific dispensation from the RFU.
- 3. No player will be allowed to play outside of his age group. (We have been strongly advised by the RFU that we must not allow any player to play out of age group, and we will adhere strictly to this ruling). Please ensure that you have checked the eligibility of your players before registration. Only in exceptional circumstances will we allow this and permission should be gained in advance.
- 4. Referees will check player’s studs. All studs should comply with IRB Rule 4.
NRFC has banned blades being worn by its players and strongly encourages other clubs to follow suit. All head guards and padding must conform to IRB Regulations and carry the appropriate label. - 5. Laws – All games will be played according to the current Laws of the game with special reference to amendments for Under 19 Variations. Attention is drawn to Law 20 (4) which states “a minimum of 6 players from each team shall be required to form a scrummage.” Law 10 – Foul Play & Temporary Suspension. When a player has been temporarily suspended it will be for a period of 2 minutes.
- 6. Replacements – A maximum of five players may be changed during a game for tactical or injury reasons. A team that can only field ten, or less than ten players, may borrow players or replacements from other teams, only with the approval of the Tournament Director.
- 7. Players sent off – A player receiving a red card and sent off by a referee, under Law 26, will not play again during the Tournament. The referee will send a letter to the Constituent Body of the Rugby Union to whom that player’s team belongs.
- 8. Re-starts from a score are by a drop kick taken by the scoring side.
- 9. Conversions are by drop kick only.
- 10. No time will be added on for conversions.
11. Only 2 coaches and the First Aid person are allowed behind the rope on the pitch.
Pool Matches:
- 1. All matches in all age groups will be 7 minutes each way, with a 1 minute interval for half time. Extra time shall not be played in any of the pool matches.
- 2. Teams will be organised into pools in each age group, with each side playing the other sides in the pool, once. League points will be awarded as follows:
- i. 3 points for a win
- ii. 1 point for a draw
Pool positions will be decided as follows:
i. League points gained in pool matches
ii Points difference
- iii. Greatest number of points scored
- iv. Tries scored
3. Two yellow cards in one match will be equivalent to a red card and will carry the appropriate punishment (See Rule 7).
Knockout Matches:
- 1. All matches in all age groups will be 7 minutes each way, with a 1 minute interval for half time.
- 2. Should a quarter final or semi final match be tied, 5 minutes of extra time may be played, on a sudden death basis (i.e. the first team to score in extra time will be deemed the winner). Should the match still be tied, the winner will be decided by their superior pool record, only. If this fails to determine a winner, the side with the most tries scored will be the winner. If this fails to determine the winner, the match will be decided on the toss of a coin.
- 3. The finals will be 7 minutes each way, with a 1 minute interval for half time. If the final match is tied, the procedure outlined in item 2 above will apply.
Any disputes concerning the interpretation of these Rules, will be advised to the Tournament Director, Ally Pankhurst. He alone will arbitrate, and his decision will be final in all cases.
These rules and guidelines are set out to enable everyone to enjoy what promises to be a brilliant weekend of rugby. Please accept these rules in the spirit that they are intended.