Rules, Regulations and Referees


Rules, Regulations and Referees

Rules and Laws
 
All competitions / festivals have or will have RFU approval, where required.
 All competitions will be run in accordance with the RFU Regulation 15 for these age groups.
 Copies of the RFU Regulation 15 dated August 2023 are available to be downloaded opposite.
Pitch sizes maybe smaller than those stipulated in the RFU Regulation 15 which only efines maximum sizes.

Referees
 
Each club is expected to bring age group referees with them. Each team entered will need to bring one referee per team. A team not bringing a referee will be penalised 2 league points per game missed. Age group referees will be scheduled to referee when their teams are not playing so they are able to watch and support them.

Format of the competition
 
We expect a minimum of 6-8 teams per age group. There will be a league format so every team plays every other team.
 Each team will play three games per day.
 If there are 6 teams per playing group, then over the two days they will all play each other and then there will be a first place playoff, a third place play off and a fifth place play off. So all teams will play 6 games over the two days.

Playing numbers

U7                           4  players 
 U8                           6  players 
 U9                           7  players 
 U10                         8  players 
 U11                         9 players
 U12                        12 players

Maximum Squad sizes

U7                    7      U8              9
 U9                    12    U10            12
 U11                  14     U12            17

Coaches to decide how small their squad can be in accordance with the RFU Regulation 15.

Team numbers are in accordance with the RFU Regulation 15

The intention is for every player to play rugby in three competitive games per day no matter what level they play. We want clubs to travel with all those in each age group who wish to play.

Barbarian Teams

In order to maximise playing time of players over the two days, where a club has sufficent players for 1 and a half teams (for example) we would suggest that the remaining half make up the basis for a properly coached Barbarian team that we can promote months before the competiton commences, so that all Barbarian players and their parents know well before the festival where the player is playing,for whom and that the coaches will coach the team for the entire duration of the festival.

If you have additional / spare players for a Barbarian team at any age group in any festival please call us on 01628 600 230 or email us at rugby@internationalminirugby.com


Regulation 15 – As updated to August 2023


Tournament League and Play Off Scoring

The competition is played iaw RFU Regulation 15.  There will be no extra time (except injury time) in any circumstances. Matches will be stopped at 30-Nil. Where teams from the same club are due to play each other and do not the game will be a draw. If a team defaults ie. Cannot play because of injuries or absences that game will be a loss by 30-0 except for games against the same club. If a team defaults ie. Cannot play anymore games all games not played and played thus far will be treated for scoring purposes as if they had not been played and not be counted for any team. If teams fail to provide a referee their team will be deducted one league point per game missed. 

League Points  Three points will be awarded for a win and one point for a draw. 

If two or more teams have the same number of points, order will be decided as follows:

 1. Team with the greater points difference 

2. Result of match between teams with equal points 

3. Or further still by the toss of a coin

Play Off Stages (when played)  If the teams draw the play off games, the order will be decided as follows: 1. Team with the greater points difference in the league stages. 

2. Result of league match between teams in play off. 

3. Or further still by the toss of a coin There’ll be no extra time (except injury time) in any circumstances