REGULATIONS - MERIT TABLE WITH DIVISIONS 2009-2010
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 requiring no more than 18 matches per team.
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.
27. If one team in a club does not play, but a lower team from the same club does play, the club MUST inform the Organiser of the circumstances. If appropriate, such cases may be reported to the Competitions Committee for action. In extreme cases, points may be deducted.
DETERMINATION OF WINNER OF MERIT TABLE.
28. 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 33.
29. 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)
30. The winner of each Division shall be the team with the highest average.
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.
32. If a club plays less than half its scheduled fixtures, the Competitions Committee shall, at its discretion, discount all that team's matches in determining the winners of the Division.
DETERMINATION OF RESULT
33. 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.
34. 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.
35. In the event of any club failing to fulfil any fixture 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
36. The home club shall be responsible for returning a results card immediately after the match.
37. 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
38. If a club regularly fails to reports results, they will be warned, and if it continues, the Competitions Committee may asked to take action, possibly including loss of points.
PROTESTS
39. 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).
40. 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.
41. 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.
42. 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
43. Appeals to the GRFU shall be dealt with by the General Committee. The General Committee shall appoint an Appeals Panel to deal with the specific issue comprising suitable members with the appropriate knowledge and expertise and who have declared no involvement in the case or the appellant parties. The Panel will be chaired by the President, an Officer or a senior member. The Panel will report to the General Committee and the County secretary will communicate the result to the appellant. The administration fee for the Appeal will be as decided from time to time by the General Committee. Failure to meet the requirements for submitting an Appeal will render the Appeal void. The appellant shall be notified of the arrangements for the Appeal meeting and be invited to attend. The decision of the Appeals Panel is final.
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