Junior Competitions Rules
1. Administration
a) County competitions shall be held annually for clubs that have teams within the age groups designated by the sub-committee.
b) Each Competition and the format of the competition shall be under the control of a sub-Committee appointed by the Gloucestershire RFU Executive Committee. Its decisions concerning any matter relating to the competitions shall be final and binding on the participating clubs.
c) Subject to the discretion of the Sub-Committee, any infringement of these rules may debar an offending club from further participation in any related competition.
2. Eligibility
a) Clubs in fully paid up membership of the Gloucestershire RFU shall be entitled to enter the competitions.
b) All players must, at the start of any competition, be bona fide members of the clubs, which they represent. No player may represent more than one club in any competition under these rules, during the same season, and anyone belonging to more than one club must elect the one for the relevant competition prior to its commencement.
c) All players in the competitions must be under the relevant age on 1st September in the related season. No player who is under the age of 16 may play in the Under 19 competition. At other age groups no player may play in a team more than one year above his age group without an out of age group consent form being appropriately signed and approved.
d) All players in the competitions must be registered under the RFU Youth Registration Scheme. Before the start of the Competitions a squad list must be supplied to the appropriate Age Group Administrator, this must include name, date of birth and RFU Registration Number. Names may be added to this list and must be submitted in writing to the Age Group Administrator for the approval of the Cup Committee before being eligible to play.
e) If there should be any doubt as to a player's eligibility, the matter must be referred to the competition administrator, in writing, prior to the date of the related match.
3. Entries and Draws
a) Written applications to enter the competitions together with an entry fee to be decided by the Competitions Sub Committee must be received by the Competitions Secretary by mid September. The entry fee will be returnable at the discretion of the Competitions Sub Committee at the end of the competitions. Clubs will be notified of the draw by the end of December.
b) The competitions will take place in the second half of the season on dates to be specified by the Competitions Sub Committee. Matches may be played prior to the due date by mutual agreement between both clubs. All postponed matches must be played on the earliest available date. The date of the Final shall be decided by the Sub-Committee.
4. Registrations
a) Registration of players to be received by the appropriate Age Group Administrator no later than the first pool fixtures.
b) Registrations received after a pool fixture has been played may result in forfeit of match or points.
c) Any registrations not received by the end of pool fixtures may result in team/s being withdrawn from the competition.
5. Matches
a) All matches shall be played in accordance with the Laws of the game. Players must wear their own club Colours and, in the event of a clash, the home side shall provide and wear distinctive jerseys.
b) Where possible the referee for all matches, shall be appointed by one of the two Divisions of the Gloucestershire RFU Referees' Society, in their respective areas. Touch judges for the Semi-Finals (if available) and Finals will also be appointed by one of the Societies but, in preceding rounds, a competent person must be provided by both involved clubs. The home side is responsible for confirming the match with the appointed referee.
c) Exchange of registrations must be on bone fide RFU registration cards. All team coaches/managers/registration officers should make sure they are available/accessible for each age group fixtures. Anything other than bone fide RFU registration cards is not acceptable.
d) Not later than 30 minutes prior to each match, club officials must exchange team lists with names, dates of birth and RFU Registration numbers together with the facility to review the up to date registration cards. These shall include the currently permitted number of replacements. This must be adhered through every fixture of the county cup competition. If 30 minutes prior to a match registrations are not exchanged, or are accepted on non bone fide RFU cards and the fixture is played, then the result will stand and any dispute will not be entered into.
e) Teams may refuse to play a fixture if non bone fide registrations are produced or none at all. The non offending team will not be penalized.
f) Any team that does not produce bone fide registrations may result in a forfeit of points/result from the match/es.
g) The competitions in each Age Group will be in two parts:-
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Part One
This will be run as leagues in each Age Group. If teams pull out prior to the start of this stage the Cup Committee reserve the right to reschedule the groupings. The top two teams in each league go into Cup competition. The 3rd & 4th placed teams in each league go into Plate competition. 5th placed teams and below are reserves for teams that withdraw from the Plate prior to the Quarter Final stage. Selection of replacement will be done by a random draw by the Age Group Competition Administrator.
In the Leagues Format there will be 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and Nil for a loss. If teams are level after all the league games have being played, Points Difference will be used to decide who goes forward to the Knockout stage. If teams are still level the result of the league match against each other will determine who goes forward. If there is still no result a toss of a coin by the Competitions sub Committee will determine the result.
If a team does not fulfil its league fixture 2 points will be awarded to the opposition for that fixture with an effective score of 0 - 0. The results of other league matches against this team will stand with 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, nil points for a loss. Whilst the scores from such will not be counted towards the points difference.
Winning teams will be credited with no more than 50 points difference in any one game i.e. a side winning 63 - 5 will have a score 55 - 5 entered into the league tables. The game does not have to be stopped if a 50 points difference is reached before no side.
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Part Two
This is the Knockout stage for the Cup & Plate Competitions.
All games must be played on or before the date given.
All games may be played with less than 15 players (minimum10) providing that both teams start with equal numbers and the game may also start with uncontested scrums.
In the Cup Knockout StageQuarter Final if a team does not play the other team receives a walkover. In the Semi-Final if a team does not play the other team receives a walkover.
In the Plate Knockout StageQuarter Final if a team does not play and a replacement team is not available then the opposition receives a walkover. In the Semi-Final if a team does not play the other team receives a walkover.
If the scores are level at the end of a match, the team that has scored the more tries shall proceed to the next round. If this does not produce a result, the team that has scored more goals from tries shall go forward. If a result has still not been achieved then, except in the Finals (where the cups shall be shared), the visiting team shall go forward.
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h) The winning club must notify the Age Group Competition Administrator of the result, within 48 hours of a match being played. Each club must supply a team sheet after each game with name, date of birth and RFU registration number of each player and replacement.
i) The teams in positions 1 & 2 in the group table go forward to the knock-out competition and the teams in positions 3 & 4 to the plate competition.
j) Any protest, together with the grounds therefore and remittance of £50 (drawn on a club cheque and refundable at the discretion of the Sub-Committee) must be received by the Competitions Secretary (not the Age Group Competition Administrator) within 72 hours of a match being played. Within the same period, a copy of the protest must also be supplied to the opposing club.
k) For all age groups (U13 to U19 inclusive) a squad can consist of up to 22 players. Rolling substitutions in accordance with RFU age group law variations will apply. Players may be exchanged at any time during the match, when the ball is dead and with the knowledge of the referee. A player who has been substituted may replace any player, whether or not that player has been injured.
From Under 15's and above, if a team nominates a squad of 22 players, it must have at least six players who can play in the front row in order that there is replacement cover for the loose-head prop, hooker and tight head prop.
A player who has been substituted may replace an injured player.
6. Trophies and Finance
a) A trophy for permanent retention by the Cup & Plate Finalists club shall be provided by the Gloucestershire RFU.
b) The expenses of all officials appointed by the Referees' Society to the Finals shall be paid by the Gloucestershire RFU.
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