Essex County RFU Ltd.
Youth League and Waterfall Cup Competition Rules
Season 2016/17
1.
Administration
1.1. The Competition shall be called the Essex County RFU Ltd. Youth League, hereafter
referred to as The Competition.
1.2. The Competition shall be organised by the Essex County RFU Ltd. Competitions Sub
Committee, hereafter referred to as The Committee.
1.3. The Committee shall appoint a Competition Manager to administer the competition
on a day-to-day basis.
1.4. Each club entering The Competition shall appoint one Club Competition Contact with
whom the Competition Manager shall communicate in respect of all matters relating
to The Competition.
The Competition shall be played under and in accordance with the U19 law variations of
the IRB and any RFU Experimental Law Variations in force, as set out in the RFU
handbook under schools and youth regulations (SYR).
1.6. Changes to the Competition rules will be published by the committee and will be
binding on all clubs who enter the competition.
2.
Entry to the Competition
2.1. The Competition shall be open to all Clubs allocated to the Essex County RFU Ltd.
By the R.F.U. that are operating a Junior Section. Entry to sides associated to the
Essex County RFU Ltd. will be on a fixture availability basis.
2.2. To participate in The Competition, clubs are required to complete an Entry Form. The
Entry Form must be lodged with The Competition Manager by the closing date
specified by The Committee.
2.3. The Committee may refuse entry to Clubs who have had teams disqualified from The
Competition in previous seasons.
2.4. Each participating side is to supply an ELRA qualified match referee.
3.
Format of the Competition
3.1.
The Competition shall be organised by age group and in leagues where each teams
play each other. The Committee shall specify the number of teams per league for
each age group according to the number of teams entered.
3.2.
If there are two or more leagues then there will be promotion and relegation
between the leagues at the end of each season to be determined by the
Competition Manager. Normally 2 teams will be promoted and relegated from each
league into the next age group in the following season.
3.4.
The Competition Manager shall determine the dates upon which the games are to
be played, based on the R.F.U. Structured Season, and shall publish the schedule of
matches as soon as practicable.
3.5.
The league seedings of the U13s league will be decided on the results of the
previous U12 festival positions.
3.6.
The U13s and U14s shall be put into groups and given Essex RFU arranged
friendlies to play, against other teams in that group. These games are optional, and
each team can decide to play all of them, or choose which ones to play.
3.7.
All junior league matches will have rolling substitutions.
4. Player Eligibility
4.1 Before participating in any Competition match, all players (whether as participants or
replacements) must, for the current season be a paid up member of the club they
represent and be registered on the RFU Game Management System (GMS) Player
Registration Scheme. Players must play within the correct age group as determined by
date of birth (i.e. have been born on or after 1st September for the age group). If a
team has insufficient players for the age group, those from one year younger may
participate, as provided for in RFU REGULATION 15 – AGE GRADE RUGBY. Particular
note must be taken of: GUIDELINES TO REGULATIONS 15.1.4 to 15.2.2. If an overage player is found to have participated in any Competition match, the offending team
shall be disqualified from The Competition. On NO account may an overage player play
down an age group. If an ineligible player, other than over-age, is found to have
participated in any Competition match, the result is void and the non offending team
shall be awarded a 50 – 0 win.
4.2. No club, team manager, coach etc may ‘poach’ players from another club. All
circumstances will be reported to the County Disciplinary Committee with the
ultimate sanction of having that clubs junior section banned from all competitions for
a time period determined by the committee.
4.3. Each club side will complete a player manual, or player identification cards (see 4.4)
which must be made available at each match. This manual will consist of the print
out of the RFU Game Management System (GMS) registration document and must
include the names of the players in the squad, the player’s date of birth, a
photograph of the player and their RFU registration number.
4.4 The RFU GMS player registration system can produce a player identification card that
includes the player’s name, the player’s date of birth, a photograph of the player,
and their RFU registration number.
4.5 Failure to produce either a player manual, or player identification cards, or if an
unregistered player has been found to have played may result in the match being
forfeit and a score of 50-0 registered to the non offending team.
4.6.
All players must be registered with their club on RFU Game Management System
before they play. Failure to do so will have the ultimate sanction of that team being
asked to withdraw from the league for that season.
5.
Organisation of League and Waterfall Cup Matches
5.1. The home team shall be responsible for all organisational matters relating to League
and Waterfall Cup matches, including:
» supply of an ELRA referee
» confirmation with visiting team (at least seven days before the match);
» condition of the pitch
» change of colours in the event that both teams are similar
» supply of the match ball
» notify the Competition Manager of any changes to arrangements of the
match
» notify the Competition Manager of the final score after the game
5.2.
All games are to be played on the prescribed dates, except as follows:
» the pitches are unfit due to bad weather;
» the match clashes with an Essex county match involving either team.
» if a team has three or more players selected for the representative match.
5.3
In the event that pitches are unfit due to bad weather, the home team must
immediately notify the opposition, the Competition Manager and the Referee. The
respective team managers must, within 48 hours, agree new arrangements for the
game to be played. In this case the visiting team must be offered the option to play
at their ground. The Competition Manager may over-rule the agreement if, in his
opinion, the proposed date is unsuitable or contrary to the spirit of The Competition
or the structured season. If the team managers are unable to agree, the game shall
be played on the next available Sunday when neither team is involved in an Essex
Youth match/National Clubs Competition match or County weekend.
5.4
In the event of a match being postponed due to a clash with the RFU organised
National Clubs competition or a County organised representative match, the
involved team must immediately notify the opposition, the Competition Manager
and the Referee. The respective team managers must, within 48 hours, agree new
arrangements for the game to be played. The Competition Manager may over-rule
the agreement if, in his opinion, the proposed date is unsuitable or contrary to the
spirit of The Competition. If the team managers are unable to agree, the game
shall be played on the next available Sunday when neither team is involved in an
Essex Youth match/National Clubs Competition match or County weekend. The only
time a match can be re-arranged is if a team has three or more players selected for
the representative match.
5.5
In the event that both teams mutually agree to alter the date or venue or kick-off
time of a league match, they must seek the permission of the Competition
Manager. The Competition Manager may refuse permission if, in his/her opinion,
the proposed date is unsuitable or contrary to the spirit of The Competition. All
rearranged games must be played by the end of April.
5.6
If no acceptable date can be found, the side that cannot meet the original date will
forfeit the game.
5.7
The Competition Team Sheet will be printed out and completed by BOTH teams for
every League and Waterfall Cup match.
5.7.1. Please ensure that the result on each team sheet is the same and is sent via email
to the Competition Manager by 5pm on the Tuesday following the game. The Home Team
is responsible for notifying the Competition Manager of the result by 8.00pm on the day of
the match, both team managers to email the score to the following email addresses.
LEAGUE RESULTS TO: [email protected]
WATERFALL CUP RESULTS TO: [email protected]
5.7.2. In normal circumstances failure to notify the result within this period will result in
the Home Team being docked 1 League point.
5.8. Match durations shall be:
Under-13 - 25 minutes
Under-14 - 25 minutes
Under-15 - 30 minutes
Under-16 - 35 minutes
Under-17 - 35 minutes
Under-18 - 35 minutes
each
each
each
each
each
each
way
way
way
way
way
way
5.9. Under 13 & 14 games shall be played with a size 4 ball. All other age groups shall
play with a size 5 ball.
5.10. For the purposes of recording a result in The Competition, no team may win by a
margin of more than 50 points. If a game reaches a score difference of 50 points,
the referee shall stop the game. The coaches should then consider using the
remaining time for development either as individual groups or a joint session
intermingling the two sides. If a result is submitted which shows a margin of victory
greater than 50 points, the winning team score shall be reduced accordingly.
5.11. In the event of a draw at the end of a Waterfall Cup game the Away team shall be
awarded the win.
5.12.It is the responsibility of all teams to carry an adequate first aid kit, and have
somebody qualified, and present at the match to treat minor injuries. It is the home
teams responsibility to ensure there is immediate access to an emergency telephone.
6.
Players & Replacements
6.1. All games are to be between two sides of 15 players with up to seven players
nominated as replacements or substitutes. Each side must start the game with a
trained front row. If either side does not have enough players to start the game with
a trained front row they must concede the match, i.e. the game may not be started
with uncontested scrums.
If a front row player is injured during the game and their team has no trained front
row substitute then the game will continue with uncontested scrums.
6.2. If one side has less than 15 players the game may go ahead as long as:i.
There are even numbers in each scrum
ii.
Each side has trained front rows. (The game may not be started with
uncontested scrums.)
iii.
The referee deems it safe to do so.
If these criteria are not met then the game must be conceded.
6.3. If seven replacements or substitutes are named, at least three of the 22 players
must be nominated as cover for front row positions (Tight Head Prop, Hooker &
Loose Head Prop).
6.4. An injured player may be replaced by a player who has already been substituted.
7.
Failure to Fulfil Fixtures
7.1. If a team fails to fulfil a fixture for any reason other than bad weather, unfit pitches
or National Clubs Cup Match the non-offending team shall be awarded the game by a
score of 50 points to nil.
7.2. If a team fails to fulfil a fixture for any reason other than bad weather, unfit pitches
or National Clubs Cup Match, the coach must, in writing and within seven days,
notify the Competition Manager and give the reasons.
7.3. If, for any reason, a team is unable to field a side and fails to give more than 24
hours notice to the opposition, that team shall be liable for the referee's expenses.
7.4. If, for any reason, a team fails to fulfil more than two of its Competition fixtures, the
team shall be, at the discretion of the Competition Organiser, disqualified from The
Competition.
8.
Leagues
8.1. League positions shall be determined on a point’s basis: two points for a win and one
point for a draw. In the event of tied league points, positions shall be decided on the
following basis:
1. Match points difference between the clubs;
2. Match points scored.
If the above does not separate winners and runners up of a league competition, the
teams concerned shall be declared joint winners.
If the above does not separate those teams involved with promotion and relegation
issues of a league competition, both teams will be promoted / relegated.
8.2. If a team withdraws or is disqualified from The Competition, all games already
played by that team shall be declared void and league points adjusted accordingly.
9.
Referees and Touch Judges
9.1. ELRA qualified Referees shall be appointed to all League and Waterfall Cup matches.
9.2. For all matches, each team shall provide one touch judge.
10. Child Welfare & Photography
10.1. Because of recent changes in legislation and best practise the RFU has published
guidelines on the photography of children. These are set out on page 36 of 'Policy
and procedures for the welfare of young people in Rugby Union'.
10.2
All Clubs entering the Competition are instructed to draw to the attention of their
parents/guardians that in entering their children in the Competition they implicitly
agree and accept that:
a) Photographic images may be taken of their son/daughter, during the normal
course of rugby activity, by accredited photographers and/or other
parents/guardians.
b) These images may be used in the press or in Club/County/RFU publicity, in line
with the RFU guidelines.
The Essex Rugby Safeguarding Manager should be consulted re any Child Welfare or
safeguarding issues.
11. Disputes
11.1. Any disputes or matters not already covered by these rules shall be addressed in
writing to the Committee through the Competition Manager.
11.2. There is a right of appeal to the Essex Management Committee in respect of a
decision made by the Competitions Manager. Such appeal shall be made in writing
within 48 hours of the occurrence of the event giving rise to the appeal and shall be
made to the President of the County through the Hon. Secretary of the County.