VETSFEST 2023 COMPETITION RULES
Regional Organising Committee Director: MARTIN OWEN
Tournament Director: MATT MITCHELL
Draw Director: GREG WATTS
Referee and MO Co-ordinators: MARK CHALLIS & JULIETTE MOCHRIE
Jurisdiction
Wooden Spoon is a member club of the Hampshire Rugby Football Union and as such any / all disciplinary matters will be dealt with by the RFU / HRFU disciplinary procedure. All teams taking part are representing Wooden Spoon as teams of Wooden Spoon (the rugby club and charity)
Law
The Laws of Rugby as defined by World Rugby will apply as well as RFU's domestic Regional Law Variation i e tackle height (please note this may be different to the Welsh, Irish and Scottish variations)
The referee is the sole arbiter of fact on the pitch. The decision of the Tournament Director is final. In addition to the Laws of Rugby the following local competition rules will apply...
-Bibbed players to indicate non-contact
-In knock out stages Suden Death Player Elimination Overtime.
Pitches and Timings
Matches will be 10 minutes each way with 2 minutes at half time. Pitches are numbered 1-6. We have scheduled only to use pitches 5 and 6 for pool stages and the men’s plate semi-finals. In the pool stages you should only need to travel to pitches 5 and 6 once.
Prompt kick-off of matches is critical. Please note the Pre and Post match procedures below. Knock out stage games will be posted next to the Match Control Centre and announced on the Team Managers WhatsApp group (admin only posts).
Pre Match Procedure
Team captains will meet the Referee and Pitch Marshall at the half time of the previous match beside the pitch they are scheduled to play on.
Even if there is no colour clash - the team named first in the draw will play in Wooden Spoon colours – the team named second in Regional Colours.
After the toss teams should warm up in the dead ball area of the pitch at the end they will start the match.
AS SOON as the final whistle is blown please roll onto the field. Games will kick off as soon as players from the previous game have cleared the field. Teams late for kick off will be penalised 1 point for every late minute.
Post Match Procedure
Clear the pitch quickly. Leave the match ball on the pitch. Captains will meet the Referee, ARs and Pitch Marshall to confirm the score. The Referee will return the match card to Tournament Control and the Pitch Marshal will communicate the result (including number of tries) over the radio to the Tournament Control.
Medical Attention
To call for medical attention please contact a Medic, Pitch Marshal or an Official. All injuries and concussions (or suspected concussions) will be recorded and reported using the Pro-Active Reporting App. Players suspected of a concussion will not be permitted to play on.
Medics will be on duty throughout the day with a base in the Medical Room clubhouse end of the grandstand. An Emergency First Aider will be on duty on every pitch and there will be two mobile ambulance vehicles on site.
Pool Stages
Teams will be awarded 3 competition points for a win, 2 for a draw and 1 point for a loss. All teams will progress to the knock-out stage (semi-final) in one of the competitions (cup, plate, bowl, shield)
Matches officials will record points and tries scored to help determine the final standing within each pool
In the pool stages a tied pool (teams with equal competition points) will be decided by the following criteria:
-The result of the match between the two teams
-Total points difference
-Tries scored
-Toss of a coin (or Rock-Scissors-Paper)
Knock Out Stages
The draw will be posted outside the Match Control Centre and announced on the Team Managers WhatsApp group please ask all team managers to pin the chat. This group will be Admin posts only.
Tied / Drawn Matches in the Knock-Out Stages (SDPEOT)
In knock-out games “sudden-death player elimination overtime” (SDPEOT) will be played.
At the end of normal time the referee will stop the game and remind both captains that we are entering SDPEOT. Teams will not change ends and play will commence from where the game ended (not with a restart from the centre of the pitch).
In SDPEOT the first team to score wins (try or goal kick).
At every penalty the offending player determined by the referee will leave the pitch reducing the number of players on that team.
Players selected to leave the pitch may not return to the match (i e may not substituted on).
At every scrum and every lineout both team captains will select a player from the opposition to leave the pitch. This will most likely be the best (or most annoying) player and should be considered a compliment.
IMPORTANT Note: if a front-row player is selected to leave the pitch all subsequent scrums will be uncontested.
Bibs and Touch Tackle Players
"To make VetsFestival a more inclusive event each team will be permitted to have two players on the pitch who will be designated “low/non-contact players”.
These two players will be identified by wearing an Official O’Neills bib. Bibs will be provided on each pitchLEAVE BIBS ON THE PITCH WITH PITCH MARSHAL. Teams are asked to embrace these variations in the spirit they are intended.
Actions of a bibbed player tackling an attacking player - To tackle a ball carrier a bibbed player must place two hands on the ball carrier (below shoulder height). Referees are encouraged, but not expected, to call “tackle” when an effective touch tackle is made.
Actions of the ball carrier being tackled by a player wearing a bib - The ball carrier must not run directly or deliberately at a bibbed player (PK). On being touch-tackled, the ball carrier must pass the ball immediately or go to ground (FK).
Actions of a defender tackling a ball carrier wearing a bib - A player wearing a bib may not be physically tackled or prevented from making ground by obstructing progress (PK). The defender must place two hands on the bibbed player below the shoulders. Referees are encouraged, but not expected, to call “tackle” when an effective touch tackle is made.
Actions of a ball carrier wearing a bib being tackled by a defender - on being touch-tackled a bibbed player must immediately pass the ball or go to ground (FK).
To preserve match-time, all kicks at goal (penalties and conversions) will be drop-kicked and taken without delay. If scored under the posts the ball may be kick from behind the posts.
Substitutions
Players may be substituted only at breaks in play and may roll on and off (and back on) only at a break in play and with the referee’s permission.
A player selected to leave the pitch during SDPEOT rules may not return to the pitch.
Match Officials
We aim to appoint teams of 3 MOs to all matches. Assistant Referees are especially encouraged to flag and report acts of foul play, but also to manage off-side lines and unsighted offences. Any abuse of Match Officials will not be tolerated
Cards
A player receiving a yellow card will leave the pitch for 3 minutes. A player sent from the pitch with a red card will not return to play at VF22. Red cards will be dealt with by the Hampshire Rugby Football Union and will incur a £40 administration fee (separate to any fines imposed by your team captain).
Final Ranking of Teams in the Rugby Competition
All teams will receive a ranking (1-16men / 1-12women). Where teams have tied - points difference will determine the final ranking.
The team winning the final of one of the competitions (cup, plate, bowl, shield) will be presented with the cup immediately following the final whistle. However, all teams are expected to attend the Awards Ceremony (after getting changed). All teams are encouraged to stay at Moseley RFC for the evening (late license and live entertainment)
Final Ranking of Teams in the Fundraising Competition
Funds Raised will be taken from the Just Giving Pages at lunch time on the day of VetsFest. Team totals will be adjusted to consider the percentage of players who are members/not members (at 1st September) ahead of the presentation.
The Overall Winner of Vets Festival
The Overall Winner of VestFest will be the team with the lowest combined score once the Rugby Competition ranking and the Fundraising Competition ranking have been multiplied together. In the event of a draw, the team with the greater funds raised total will be declared the winner. Note: In a change to last year - teams may now win the rugby competition trophy AND either the Fundraising or Overall Winners Trophy at Vets Festival.
The trophies which will be presented include:
· The Olly Stephen Memorial Cup Overall Winning Men’s Team (sponsored by Hadene)
· The Maddie Lawrence Memorial Cup Overall Winning Women’s Team (sponsored by Hadene)
· Fundraising Cup (Men’s & Women’s category) sponsored by Omerta
· Rugby Cup (Men’s category) sponsored by Rugbytots
· Rugby Cup (Women’s category) sponsored by Tokio Marine HCC
· Rugby Plate (Men’s & Women’s category) sponsored by Quark
· Rugby Bowl (Men’s & Women’s category) sponsored by Irwin Mitchell
· Rugby Shield (Men’s category) sponsored by Securitas
· Rugby Wooden Spoon (Men’s & Women’s category) sponsored by The Laser Monkey
· Outstanding Voluntary Contribution Award sponsored by Tokio Marine HCC