North Midland Youth Knockout Cup & Plate
NORTH MIDLANDS RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION
(Clubs’ Youth Forum)
2017/2018
The competition shall be called the “NORTH MIDLANDS RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION YOUTH KNOCKOUT CUP and PLATE COMPETITION”.
There will be three age groups U16’s, U15’s and U14’s. The Competition will be open to clubs that have affiliated to the N.M.R.F.U.
All matches will be played under the Laws of the IRB ( under19 variations) and comply with the byelaws, rules and regulations of the R.F.U & N.M.R.F.U.
All games to be played according to AGE GRADE RUGBY guidelines
Clubs participating in the competition agree to accept and to be bound by the following Rules.
- Player eligibility:-
1.1. To represent a club all players must be bona-fide members of that club, must comply with the age regulation and must be registered with the RFU. Clubs failing to comply with this rule may be excluded from the competitions.
1.2. No player may represent more than one club in the competition (Cup & Plate are considered to be the one competition) in the same Season. Clubs failing to comply with this rule may be excluded from the competitions.
1.3. RFU registration cards must be produced if asked for by referees, opposing managers or coaches. Failure to do so may result in the player being asked to withdraw from the team and the offending team conceding the game
1.4 Players may represent their club at more than one age group provided that they DO NOT play more than one game on any day and that Coaches consider them capable of playing up one year.
1.5. The team coach is responsible to ensure that squad members are registered
1.6. After 31st December each year photographic evidence will be required if asked for by any of the above.
1.7 North Midlands Rugby Football Union are asking all clubs who have teams participating in the Youth Cup & plate competitions to ensure that parents have given permission for photographs to be taken of their children during all the rounds their clubs are involved in. Unless the North Midlands Youth Cup Secretary and the teams opponents are made aware of any objections, they will assume that all relevant permission has been sought and granted. The North Midlands Rugby football union will not be held responsible for any adverse incidents that may occur.
- Cup Competition: –
- The Draw: – for the PRELIMINARY & FIRST rounds of the Cup competition will be made at the first Forum meeting in September 2017.
- All entry forms:- (including entry team sheets) must be sent to the Cup Secretary on or before the first meeting.
- Entries: – must include the preliminary list of registered players held for each age group to be
- Players: – who are registered with a club after this date may play in the competition provided they comply with rules (1.1) and (1.2) above. There will be an entry fee of £20.00 for each team to be entered in the competition.
- Deadline for entry:- If no entry is received on or before 30 30th September 2017 then that club cannot enter either the Cup or Plate competitions for 2017-18 unless under special dispensation.
- Plate Competition: – All clubs fielding teams who lose their game in the preliminary and first rounds of the Cup will be included in the Plate draw.
- The draw for the PRELIMINARY & FIRST rounds of the Plate competition will be made after the 1st Round of the Cup has been completed.
- In the event of more than eight teams being eligible for the Plate Competition a draw to select the teams for the Preliminary round will be made first.
- Dates of Games: –
5.1 The competition games shall be played on the designated date (or earlier by mutual consent) as per the schedule.
5.2 Should a game be called off for whatever reason then it must be played the following weekend.
5.3 The date for the Finals of the 2017-18Competition is TBA and any Club unable field a side on that date shall FORFEIT ITS’ PLACE IN THE FINAL.
- Results Sheet: –
- Before any game starts both teams must complete the team section of the Results sheet and give it to the Referee.
- After the game the coach of the victorious side must e-mail the result to the Cup Secretary within 24 hours of the game being completed. The victorious side in all cases must return via ‘e’ mail the result form and team sheets within 7 days of the game being completed. Failure to comply with this will result in a fine being imposed of £10
- Clash of Colours: – When there is a clash of colours the Home team must change jerseys.
- Postponement of Matches:
8.1 NO MATCH MAY BE POSTPONED OR REARRANGED WITHOUT THE PRIOR PERMISSION OF THE CUP SECRETARY.
8.2. A team may request a postponement if two or more players are selected for Representative Rugby (CB/Divisional/National) as only reason for not playing on next Sunday as in note below.
- Pitch Conditions: –
- If the ground condition at the “HOME” club prevents a game from being played then the “AWAY” club MUST be given the opportunity to host the game on the specified day.
- If the ground condition of both clubs is unsuitable a neutral ground may be used.
- If no ground is suitable the game MUST be played on the following Sunday or on a mutually agreed date. As per 8.1.
- If a team does not play the postponed game on the Sunday following the originally scheduled date or on a mutually agreed date it shall FORFEIT THE MATCH.
- Inability to field a Team: – If a club is unable to field a team, other than by the loss of a number of players to Representative Rugby (CB/Divisional/National) then it shall FORFEIT THE MATCH.
- Kick Off: – All matches should start at 11.00 am,( except for the finals) but can by mutual agreement be any time up to 12.00 midday. Later KO,s can only be used by permission of the Cup Sec.
- Safety: – All pitches must be clearly marked and spectators kept at the RFU recommended distance from the touchlines by a barrier.
- Referees: – The North Midlands Society of Rugby Football Referees will provide referees whenever possible. It is the Home club’s responsibility to contact the Society.
- If none is appointed then it is the Home club’s responsibility to provide a Qualified Referee who shall be a member of a Referee’s Society.
- Under NO CIRCUMSTANCE may the coach of the side or a parent of a participating player referee the Match.
- Touch judges: – Both teams MUST provide a competent touch judge, who must not be a replacement or substitute.
- Duration of Matches:-
- Under 14s – 25 minutes each way playing time (size 4 ball)
- Under 15s – 30 minutes each way playing time (size 5 ball)
- Under 16s – 35 minutes each way playing time (size 5 ball)
- Injury time: – Time should be added to playing time for stoppages due to injury, but NOT EXTRA TIME in the event of a draw.
- Points Difference: – If the difference in scores exceeds 50 points the game MUST END and the RESULT STANDS.
- Drawn Matches: Winners will be determined by( except the final), Number of tries scored ,If these are equal the number of Conversions kicked .If these are still equal the Team drawn AWAY will be awarded the tie even if the tie is played at the opposite venue
- In the Final if tries and conversions are equal the trophy will be shared.
- DISPUTES: – ANY MATTERS OF DISPUTE OR ANY OTHER TRANSGRESSION OF THESE REGULATIONS SHALL BE IMMEDIATELY REFERRED TO THE CUP SECRETARY.
- Appeal: – Any appeal against the decision of the Youth Cup Secretary can be made to Youth Cup Committee (Youth Forum Officers meeting for that purpose) WHOSE DECISION SHALL BE FINAL.
- Abandoned Games: – Where any game is abandoned by the referee a decision on the outcome shall be made by the Youth Cup sub-committee (Committee Officers meeting for that purpose) following consideration of the referee’s report and any other such evidence that the Cup Committee shall consider. The Youth Cup Committee’s decision shall be final.
- Further Appeal: – BY ENTERING THE COMPETITION ALL CLUBS ACCEPT THESE RULES AND IMPLICITLY RELINQUISH THE RIGHT OF FURTHER APPEAL.
See R.F.U./IRB regulations: pitches should be suitably barriered and Clubs are responsible for the behaviour of all spectators