Berkshire County RFU

REGULATIONS

2009/2010

IMPORTANT NOTICE

CHANGE TO PUBLISHED GAME REGULATIONS

with immediate effect

To view the content of the RFU Regulations please visit www.rfu.com/regulations

To view Laws of the Game – Law 3 please visit www.irb.com

With effect from 24th August 2009 Game Regulation 7.3 – Front Row will read as follows:

7.2 Number of Replacements and Substitutes

League

7.2.1 The number of replacements and substitutes in all League Matches shall be as follows:

(a) National League 1 and National Leagues 2 North and 2 South (Levels 3 and 4): not more than five;

(b) at any Level below Level 4: not more than three (unless a variation has been authorised by the Organising Committee under Game Regulation 2.4).

7.2.2 The number of replacements and substitutes in all Play-Off Matches at any Level below Level 4 shall be not more than four.

Cup

7.2.3 The number of replacements and substitutes in all Cup Matches shall be up to eight in accordance with Law 3.15, the iRB Regulations and any current RFU Regulations relating thereto.

7.3 Front Row

Requirements

(a) With the exception of those Players who fall within Schools & Youth Regulation 2.2(b) (who are aged seventeen) no player may play in the front row of the scrum during contested or uncontested scrummages in adult rugby until he has reached his eighteenth birthday. Any breach of this Game Regulation shall be considered a serious breach and may give rise to a severe penalty.

(b) In the interest of safety

(i) in League and Play Off Matches each team must have at least five players

(or at Level 5 and below in League Matches, four players) in their nominated match squad, all at least eighteen years old (unless they are a player falling within Schools & Youth Regulation 2.2(b)), who are suitably trained and experienced to be capable of playing in the front row to ensure that on the first or second occasions (whether due to injury or consequent to a player(s) being temporarily suspended or ordered off) that a front row player is required to be replaced,

(ii) in Cup Matches each team must have at least six (6) fit and able players in the squad who can play at hooker, tight head prop and loose head prop who are suitably trained and experienced to ensure that on the first occasion that a replacement in any front row position is required (whether due to injury or consequent to a player(s) being temporarily suspended or ordered off)

the team can continue to play safely with contested scrums.

(c) Subject to (e) below in League Matches, Cup Matches and Play Off Matches if on any occasion other than a temporary blood injury uncontested scrums are ordered by the Referee having made enquiry of and having confirmed with the captain of the team (or such other person nominated by the Club as the manager or other person responsible for the team) there is no suitably trained and experienced front row replacement in accordance with 7.3(a) & (b) above due to injury, temporary exclusion (i.e. following a yellow card) or permanent exclusion (i.e. following a sending off)), the team concerned shall not be entitled to replace the player whose departure caused the uncontested scrums. On return to the field of play of a front row player who has been temporarily excluded the Match shall continue with contested scrums provided that it is safe to do so. Subject to (f) below the result of the match shall stand.

(d) Subject to (e) below where due to a temporary blood injury in League Matches, Cup Matches and Play Off Matches uncontested scrums are ordered by the Referee having made enquiry of and having confirmed with the captain of the team (or such other person nominated by the Club as the manager or other person responsible for the team) there being no suitably trained and experienced front row replacement in accordance with 7.3(a) & (b) above the team concerned shall be entitled to replace the player whose departure caused the uncontested scrums. In the event that the temporarily injured player has not returned to the field of player within fifteen (15) minutes so that the match can be safely played with contested scrums the referee must declare that scrums will uncontested for the remainder of the match and will ask the

team captain from the team which has failed to provide a suitably trained replacement to immediately remove from the field of play one player so that the match is concluded with the team failing to provide a suitably trained and experienced front row replacement comprising 14 players. Subject to (f) below the result of the match shall stand.

(e) In the event that in any League or Play Off Match to which these regulations apply the game is being played with uncontested scrums pursuant to regulation (c)and/or

(d) above two players from one team having been removed from the pitch and a third occasion occurs where due to injury, permanent or temporary exclusion or temporary removal for a blood injury of or to a front row forward from that team match

(i) In a League Match – the match shall be abandoned and subsequently the provisions of Game Regulation 18.2.2 shall apply.

(ii) Play-off matches – the match be abandoned. The result will then be determined by the appropriate Organising Committee of the League concerned. The Organising Committee may confirm or reverse the result and/or order the match to be replayed (on a date decided upon by the Organising Committee) and/or impose some other sanction.

(iv) Cup Competitions (including finals) – the result will stand subject to Game Regulation 7.3. (f) below.

(f) If a Match is completed with or contains uncontested scrums, the Club that was responsible for causing uncontested scrums must upon the request of the Organising Committee (or \Committee in the case of Cup Match) provide to it such information as it may require including if requested a medical report identifying the injuries sustained by its front row players if the Club Doctor or other qualified person had attended the Match. The Organising Committee (or Committee in the case of a Cup Match) may take such action it deems appropriate (including altering the result or ordering a replay of the Match) in respect of any suspected, alleged or actual breach of this Regulation 7.3. as it shall decide and shall notify all Clubs. Any Club may appeal against the decision of the Organising Committee in accordance with Regulation 10.2.10.

“Man Off” Rule APPLICABLE WHEN DUE TO INJURY OR

DISCIPLINARY ACTION A TEAM CANNOT PLAY SAFELY WITH CONTESTED SCRUMS

RFU Competition	Incident resulting in uncontested scrums by Team A	Player status	Action	Outcome	Comment
All	Permanent FR Injury	Injured FR player has left the pitch	Replacement player NOT permitted to join the match as a result of this incident	Match continues with uncontested scrum. Team A plays rest of match with one less player than before incident	Team A has 14 players for rest of the Match

Level 1 & 2	Temporary FR Injury (BLOOD)	Temporary Injured FR player has left the pitch	Replacement player NOT permitted to join the match as a result of this incident	Match continues with uncontested scrum. Team A plays with one less player than before incident until TI player returns.	Team A has 14 players until TI player returns

Level 3 & Below	Temporary FR Injury (BLOOD)	Temporary Injured FR player has left the pitch	Replacement player permitted to join match.	Match continue with uncontested scrum for period of TI	If after 15 minutes TI player has not returned – an additional Player will be removed from the pitch and PI rule shall apply.

All	Permanent Exclusion (Red Card)	Permanently Excluded FR player has left the pitch		Match continues with uncontested scrum. Team A plays rest of match with one less players than before incident	Team A has 14 players for rest of the Match.

All	Temporary Exclusion (Yellow Card)	Temporary Excluded FR player has left the pitch		Match continues with uncontested scrum until TE is completed. Team A plays with one less player for period of TE.	Team A has 14players for period of TE. At end of TE, both players may return to field.

NUMBER OF REPLACEMENTS IN RFU COMPETITIONS 2009/10

RFU COMPETITION	NUMBER OF REPLACEMENTS	FRONT ROW REQUIREMENTS IN MATCH SQUAD
Guinness Premiership	Not more than eight (8)	at least six (6) fit and able players in the squad who can play at hooker, tight head prop and loose head prop who are suitably trained and experienced to ensure that on the first occasion that a replacement in any front row position is required (whether due to injury or consequent to a player(s) being temporarily suspended or ordered off) the team can continue to play safely with contested scrums.
Championship	Not more than seven (7)	In the interests of safety, each team playing in the Chamionship must have at least five (5) fit and able players in the squad who are suitably trained and experienced to ensure that on the first occasion that a replacement prop and on the first occasion that a replacement hooker is required (whether due to injury or consequent to a player(s) being temporarily suspended or ordered off) the team can continue to play safely with contested scrums.
National League 1	Not more than five (5)	each team must have at least five (5) players in their nominated match squad, all at least eighteen years old (unless they are a player falling within Schools & Youth Regulation 2.2(b)), who are suitably trained and experienced to be capable of playing in the front row to ensure that on the first or second occasions (whether due to injury or consequent to a player(s) being temporarily suspended or ordered off) that a front row player is required to be replaced, so that the team can continue to play safely with contested scrums.
National League 2 North & South (including Level 4 Play-Off)	Not more than five (5)
League Play-Offs (Level 5 & below)	Not more than four (4)
National League 3 SW, LSE, M & N (Level 5)	Not more than three (3)	each team must have at least four (4) players in their nominated match squad, all at least eighteen years old (unless they are a player falling within Schools & Youth Regulation 2.2(b)), who are suitably trained and experienced to be capable of playing in the front row to ensure that on the first or second occasions (whether due to injury or consequent to a player(s) being temporarily suspended or ordered off) that a front row player is required to be replaced, so that the team can continue to play safely with contested scrums.
Level 6 and below	Not more than three (3)
Champions Cup (Levels 4, 5 & 6)	Not more than eight (8)	Each team must have at least six (6) fit and able players in the squad who can play at hooker, tight head prop and loose head prop who are suitably trained and experienced to ensure that on the first occasion that a replacement in any front row position is required (whether due to injury or consequent to a player(s) being temporarily suspended or ordered off) the team can continue to play safely with contested scrums.
Intermediate Cup	Not more than eight (8)
Senior Vase	Not more than eight (8)
Junior Vase	Not more than eight (8)