Sussex Team Leagues Regulations 2010-2011

Sussex Team Leagues Regulations 2010-2011

1. DESCRIPTION AND FORM
The Competition shall be called, “The Sussex Team Leagues” (hereinafter referred to as “The Leagues”) and shall be open to players of clubs affiliated to Sussex RFU. Players are not required to be registered in order to play in the Sussex Leagues below Sussex League One. All matches in the competition shall be played under the Laws of Rugby Union Football and shall comply with the Bye-laws, Rules and Regulations of the Rugby Football Union and Sussex RFU. Clubs outside the County may enter the Sussex Leagues by agreement with the League Organiser and must be affiliated to the Sussex RFU.

2. LEAGUE ADMINISTRATOR
The Competition will be organised by the League Administrator appointed by the Sussex Management Committee. Their decision shall be binding and final on any matter not provided for in and on interpretation of these Regulations.

3. LEAGUE STRUCTURE
As determined by the Sussex RFU General Committee at the beginning of each season dependant upon the number of teams participating.

4. LEAGUE FIXTURES
a. The Competition fixture list shall be prepared by the League Administrator having regard to the Sussex Structured Season.
b. All Competition matches shall be played on the dates laid down by the League Administrator unless adverse weather intervenes and pitches at both Clubs are unplayable, or one/both team(s) have RFU/Sussex Cup Commitments. Matches may be played earlier than the designated date if both sides are agreed and the League Administrator has been duly informed.
c. Any Club cancelling a fixture other than for unfit pitches at both sides’ grounds or RFU/Sussex Cup commitments will be deducted four League points. The non-cancelling club will be deemed to have won by 40 points to nil.
d. If pitch conditions or Cup commitments prevent a match being played or a match is abandoned with less than 80% of the appropriate time having been played, the match will be played or replayed on the next available date. The revised fixture date must be agreed with the League Administrator within 72 hours of the original date.
e. If a match is abandoned because of weather conditions when 80% of allowed time has been played, the score at the moment of abandonment shall be deemed the final score in the match. The Referee’s decision as to the necessity of the abandonment and the number of minutes played at the moment of abandonment shall be final.
f. If the referee finds it necessary to abandon a match for any reason other than weather conditions, irrespective of the number of minutes played, the result of that match will be determined by the League Administrator or the League Administrator may order that match to be replayed, after considering the Referees report.
g. In the event that a Club cancels a League Match, other than for unfit pitches at both grounds, all XV’s of that Club below the level of the team cancelling, and playing League Matches on the same date, will be deemed to have lost their match. A score of 40-0 will be recorded against them and the points for the win will be awarded to their opposition. However, Lower XV’s will still be eligible for receiving a point for the loss and a bonus point for losing by seven or less points (or for actually winning) should their match take place (see below).
Should the lower XV game(s) not take place the lower XV(‘s) will be deemed to have cancelled the match and will be deducted four League points.

5. DETERMINATION OF CLUB POSITIONS IN THE LEAGUE
The position of a club in the League shall be established as a result of playing matches for which:
a. Four points will be awarded for a Win.
b. Three points will be awarded for a Draw.
c. One point will be awarded for a loss.
d. One point will be awarded for losing by seven or less points.
In the case of equality positions will be determined on the basis of match points scored. A club with a larger difference in its favour shall be placed higher than a club with a smaller difference. Should two or more clubs have equality in both league points and match points difference, the club having scored more match points will be placed higher in the league than the club having scored less match points. No score greater than a 40 point differential shall be recorded in the League Tables (i.e. 0-40, 64-24). 2

6. NOTIFICATION OF RESULT
The HOME team shall, within 24 hours of the game (i.e. by 18:00 on the Sunday following the fixture) notify the Sussex Results Service of the result, with the score. Notification shall be by email, telephone, fax or text as determined by the League Administrator. Failure to do so will result in an offending team being deducted one League point. It is the responsibility of the side cancelling a match to inform the Results Service

7. REPLACEMENTS
In the Sussex Intermediate Leagues replacements shall be limited to no more three players, excepting that both teams may have up to seven replacements if both teams are in agreement and there is parity of replacement numbers. In the Sussex Two and Three Leagues replacements shall be limited to seven players. A team unable to field a front row may play uncontested scrums with a ten game point penalty. Teams must have parity of numbers on the field at the commencement of the game, unless the opposition opts to lend a player(s) to the opposition, in which case it may field one more player. Sussex League Replacement Regulations shall apply.

8. The League Organiser is always right.

9. In the very unlikely event that the League Organiser is wrong, see regulation Eight.

10. REFEREES AND TOUCH JUDGES
The Referee for each match shall be appointed by the Sussex Society of Rugby Football Union Referees. Clubs should request Referee appointments in the normal way ensuring that they inform the Society that a fixture is a Competition match. The home club shall be responsible for the referee’s expenses. If a Society Referee is unable to be appointed, then the onus is on the Home Club to appoint a qualified referee.

11. CLASH OF COLOURS / KICK OFF TIMES
In the event of the club having similar or clashing colours the home club will be responsible for changing its colours subject to the satisfaction of the Referee. It is the responsibility of the home club to check the colours of the visiting team prior to the day of the match.

12. GROUND
a) A home club is responsible for correctly and clearly marking its pitch and it must make proper provision to ensure that spectators are kept at a reasonable distance from the field of play. It would be preferable if the field of play was roped off.
b) When a late decision as to the fitness of a ground for the playing of a match is necessary it shall be made by the Managers of the clubs involved but if they are unable to agree the decision shall be made by the appointed Referee.

13. DISPUTES AND TRANSGRESSIONS
Any matters in dispute or any transgressions of these Regulations shall be referred immediately to the League Administrator. The League Administrator, after due consideration, will notify the interested parties of his decision.

14. ACCEPTANCE
Other than provided within these rules the RFU Regulations will apply. All clubs entering the Competition accept these Regulations as published. These Regulations supersede all previous Sussex League Regulations.

                                                                                                                                  SUSSEX COMPETITIONS COMMITTEE

Front Row Replacement Regulations

SUSSEX LEAGUES Sussex League Regulations state that teams playing in Sussex Reserve and Intermediate Leagues can have no more than three replacements, except by prior agreement. Sussex League Regulations state that teams playing in Sussex Leagues Two and below can have no more than seven replacements.

Now we have to turn to the RFU Regulations governing replacements, in conjunction with the Regulations covering Sussex Lower Leagues If a side from the outset of the game has to play uncontested scrums, they start the match with a ten "games" point penalty, i.e. 0 -10 at kick-off. (Sussex Regulation)

If a side has no replacements and a front row player is injured and leaves the field so that the game has to go to uncontested scrums, the game continues with no "game" points penalty to the side with the injured player, as they are now reduced to fourteen men, a penalty in itself. If the injured player remains on the field but uncontested scrums are called then the ten “game” points penalty applies. (Sussex Regulation)

If a side has up to three replacements they must be able, on the first occasion, to replace an injured front row player. If they are unable to do so they will incur a ten "game" point penalty at that time. (i.e. If the score is 10 - 15 and the away side have a front row injury but are unable to replace the front row player, the score would become 20 - 15 at that time.) If they are able to replace the front row on the first occasion, but not on the second occasion should that arise, then the game would continue with uncontested scrums but with no "game" points penalty as they have fulfilled the RFU Regulation with regard to replacements and the front row.

If a side has more than three replacements they must, under RFU Regulations governing front row replacements be able to replace an injured front row player on the first and second occasion. If they are unable to do so they will incur a ten "game" point penalty at that time. (i.e. If the score is 10 - 15 and the away side have a front row injury but are unable to replace the front row player on either the first or second occasion, the score would become 20 - 15 at that time.) If they are able to replace the front row on the first and second occasion, but not on the third occasion should that arise, then the game would continue with uncontested scrums but with no "game" points penalty as they have fulfilled the RFU Regulation with regard to replacements and the front row.

Under the RFU Regulations the match would continue but the side causing the uncontested scrums would lose the game. Under Sussex Regulations the game would continue to its conclusion and the score at the end of the game would stand.