Sussex RFU Club and Team Knockouts Regulations

Regulations covering - The Sussex Trophy, Sussex Shield, Sussex Plate, The Sussex Bowl, Sussex Vase, Sussex Salver, The Sussex Womens' Knockout  

Please note Rules 7 and 12 relating to unfit Grounds and the Home Clubs duty to find an alternative - Don't fall foul of the very simple rules.

Rules for the Sussex Knockout Competions  (Revised July 2010)

1.   The Competition shall be known as the Sussex Knock-out Competitions, and shall consist of two series one of four levels, one of three levels – Sussex Trophy, The Bob Rogers Cup, Sussex Shield, and Sussex Plate, and Sussex Bowl, Sussex Vase and Sussex Salver.   Entry for Clubs allocated to Sussex RFU, or whose main affiliation is Sussex RFU, is voluntary. Applications for new entrants must be received by the Organiser by 1st June of the preceding season. 

2.  Eligibility  is  restricted  to  fully paid-up players  registered  to  the Club, or, where  registration  is not required, regular playing members. 

3.  Players in teams below First XV, should be restricted to those regularly appearing for that team, or a lower one, and a player who has played in a higher KO competition during the current season may not  play  for  a  lower  side  in  a  lower  KO  competition  in  the  same  season.   Clubs  fielding  ineligible players will be withdrawn from the Competition.

4.   The County Competitions Committee shall appoint an Organiser(s), who will arrange  the Draws, collate the results, and, together with the Chairman of the Competitions Committee, or in his absence, the President or Chairman, deal with any disputes. Subject to the approval by the General Committee, the Organiser  shall  determine  the  level  at which Clubs  enter  the  competitions,  and  any  necessary byes,  seeding  or  additional  rounds.      The  Management  Committee  shall,  at  the  request  of  the Organiser, or in its own right, suspend, apply a playing sanction, or withdraw a Club for misconduct or contravention of the rules.   A Club shall have the right to be represented when its case is considered.

5.   The draw  for  the  first  and preliminary  rounds of each Competition will  normally be made at  the meeting  following  the AGM.   The Draws will consist of all eligible Clubs, excluding  those who have opted out, and suspended or seeded Clubs.  If a Club subsequently withdraws, the Organiser may, at his discretion,  award a  bye  to  the  remaining Club or arrange a match with another Club previously given  a  bye.    A Club  winning  the  Plate,  Shield,  Salver  or Vase, shall in  the  following  Season,  be placed  in  the Draw  for  the next  level up,  if  they do not automatically qualify under  the arrangements then in force.  
 
6.  Clubs drawn at home shall be responsible for informing the Organiser of the result by 1800 hrs on the Sunday  following  the match,  in a manner as determined by  the Organiser. If a home side  fails  to notify  the  result  in  time,  the  match  will  be  awarded  to  the  away  side.  Both  Clubs  shall  return results cards by first  post,  fax  or  e-mail,  on  the Wednesday  following  the match. Failure  to  return  a Match Card will  cause  the  offending  side  to be  deemed  to  have  lost  the match.

7. If  either  team  has  objections  about  the  ground  or  the  way  it  is marked  out,  they  must  tell  the Referee before the match starts.   The Refereewillattempt to resolve the issues, but must not start a match  if any part of  the ground  is considered  to be dangerous.    If a Club has complaints about  the state of the pitch before the day of the match, it is the Organiser’s duty to inspect (or appoint someone else to inspect) the pitch and notify both teams of its suitability. If a Club, drawn at home is unable to play at their ground on the appointed day due to ground or other conditions, they MUST:
 
   a) Contact the Organiser immediately 
   b) Find another (neutral) venue
   c) If they cannot, the opposition must be invited to host the match
   d) If the opposition cannot host the match, the home side must, in conjunction with the Organiser,  find another ground acceptable to both clubs.  The side originally drawn AWAY will retain Away advantage at any NEUTRAL ground, but concede it if they play at HOME.
 
 
8. The rules of the RFU Cups (other than Senior Cup) Competitions shall apply in the following areas (except  where  specifically  amended  by  these  rules),  -  Eligibility,  Replacements  (see  9  below), Colours, Postponed or Abandoned matches, Kick-offs and Delayed arrivals, Grounds.      (Note especially  RFU  rules  relating  to  ground  safety  and  keeping  the  touchline  free  of  spectators, replacements and officials.)  

9. (i) In rounds other than the Semi-finals and Final, a maximum of 3, and in the Semi-finals and Final a maximum of 7 replacements are permitted, unless the Teams agree beforehand to vary this number, and so advise the Referee.   
     (ii) These must include suitably trained and experienced players so that, on the first occasion in rounds other than Semi-finals and Finals, and on the first and second occasion in Semi-finals and finals,  (whether due to injury, or consequent to a players(s) being temporarily suspended or ordered off) that a front row player is required to be replaced, the team can play safely with contested scrums.  
     (iii) If any front row player requires to be replaced and his team cannot provide a replacement or other suitably trained and experienced player, at least 18 years old, from those who started the match, or from the nominated replacements to enable the match to continue safely with contested scrums, the Referee having made enquiry of the captain of the team, (or other such person nominated by the Club) the Referee will order uncontested scrums, and the team will be deemed to have lost the match.
   (iv) If on the second occasion in rounds other than Semi-finals and Finals, or the third occasion in Semi-finals and Finals, a front row player is required to be replaced, and a replacement cannot be provided, the game will go to uncontested scrums, and the final result will stand.  

10.  The  RFU  KO  rules  shall  apply  relating  to  Drawn  matches,  except  that  where  a  result  is  not determined in a Final, a replay will be held as soon as possible. (see note 1 below)

11.  The Sussex Society of Rugby Union Referees’ shall appoint Referees for all games. Applications should not be made by Clubs except  to confirm  re-playing of postponed or abandoned games.  The home club must advise  the Referee as soon as possible, if a match is postponed.     Each club must provide a Touch Judge, except where they are provided by the Society and Law 6b shall apply.

12.   Other than in exceptional circumstances, specifically permitted by the Organiser, the only acceptable  reason  for  cancelling  a  game  is  for  an  unfit  ground.   Clubs  not  playing  on  the designated  days  (other  than with  the written  permission  of  the Organiser),  or withdrawing  from  the competition may be subject  to sanctions, up  to and  including, omission  from  the Draw  the  following year.    Inability to raise a team will not be considered a valid reason.

13.   The finalists shall receive trophies and mementos determined by the Management Committee.

14.  All Clubs entering the competitions shall be deemed to have accepted the Rules as Published. Note 1 – (rule 10) RFU regulations state that: In all rounds except the Final, if, after 40 minutes of play each way the scores are level, there shall be an immediate period of extra time between the teams of 10 minutes each way, with a one minute interval.   If the scores are still equal, then the team that has scored the most tries shall go forward to  the next round.   If this does not produce a result, the team that has scored the most goals from tries goes forward to the next round.   If the scores still be equal, the visiting team shall go forward to the next round.  Please note that Rule 10 provides that, in Sussex, a replay is ordered.