Rules of the Game - P4 and P5

Number of players

The number of players is six. A squad system of 10 players is permitted. Players can be substituted at any time with referees consent.

Pitch Dimensions

The pitch dimensions will be the 5-metre line to the 10-metre line using the touchline to a line length -ways down the centre of the pitch, for width. Therefore, the dimensions of the pitch are 35m x 35 m. This allows four pitches to be created on one full size rugby pitch.

Ball size
· Size 3

Duration of the Game
· 8 minutes Starts and Restarts
· The game start/restart with a 'tap and pass' from the centre of the pitch.
· After a try has been scored, the team conceding the try will restart the game .
· The scoring teams must be given reasonable time to return to their own half, before the game restarts.
· At all 'tap and pass' situations the defending team must be five metres back.

Open Play
· At no time can a ball be passed forward, when this happens a scrum is awarded to the non-offending team, unless advantage accrues.
· In open play, all tackles must be below the waist, therefore, tackling players are not allowed to target the ball. Referees - please provide warnings and only start to stop the game and penalise if the offence is recurring.
· The ball must be held in hands at all times.
· The hand off is not permitted.
· The ball must emerge from the ruck or maul within five seconds.
· The team in possession is responsible for the continuity of play. Therefore, if the ball does not emerge from a ruck or maul situation possession will go to the opposing team. This will be in the form of a 'tap and pass'. However, if the ball is prevented from emerging by illegal play, then the offending team will be penalised. · If a pile occurs, play is stopped immediately and restarted with a scrum, with the non-offending team having the put in.
· In a tackle situation, the player must release the ball immediately. Both the tackled player and the tackler cannot re-enter the game until they regain their feet.
· At least two passes must be made prior to scoring directly from set piece situations.
· No kicking is allowed.
· During all matches, in addition to the referee, one coach per team may be on the pitch to help shape the game.

Offside
· In the general run of play, a player is in an offside position if he is in front of the ball.
· If a player is in front of the ball and a player of his own team carrying the ball runs into him, the player is said to be accidentally offside. This results in a tap and pass to the non-offending team.
· If a player is in an offside position and deliberately plays the ball, a penalty is awarded. This takes the form of a 'tap and pass'.
· When joining a ruck and maul, all players must enter behind the rear-foot of their own team.

Tap and Pass
· A tap and passwill take place when the ball is passed forward or, 'knocked on' or a player is accidentally offside, or a pile up occurs.
· The ball is in touch when the ball or the player carrying the ball leaves the field of play. Contact with the touchline is off the field of play. In this situation, the game is restarted at the side of the pitch with a 'tap and pass'.

Scoring
· A try is scored when the ball is grounded on or over the goal line. Each try is worth one point.

Foul Play
· All foul play is penalised with a 'tap and pass'.
· In the case of persistent foul play or violent action, an individual player should be removed from the game and replaced by another member of the same squad. The player removed should take no further part in the game/festival or tournament.
· When a referee feels that the actions and/or attitude of a player is disrupting the game then he has the option of removing the player for the remainder of the half or game. This would be done by telling the coach to substitute the player.

Rules of the Game - P6

Number of players
· The number of players is eight, three forwards and five backs. · A squad system of 12 players is permitted. Players can be substituted at any time with referees consent.

Pitch Dimensions
The pitch dimensions will be touchline to touchline using the 5m line and the 10m line for width. Therefore, the dimensions of the pitch are 70m x35m. This allows two pitches to be created on one full size rugby pitch.

Ball size
· Size 4

Duration of the Game
· 8 minutes Starts and Restarts
· The game start/restart with a 'tap and pass' from the centre of the pitch.
· After a try has been scored, the team conceding the try will restart the game.
· The scoring teams must be given reasonable time to return to their own half, before the game restarts.
· At all 'tap and pass' situations the defending team must be five metres back.

Open Play
· At no time can a ball be passed forward, when this happens a scrum is awarded to the non-offending team, unless advantage accrues.
· In open play, all tackles must be below the waist, therefore, tackling players are not allowed to target the ball.
· The ball must be held in hands at all times.
· The hand off is not permitted.
· The ball must emerge from the ruck or maul within five seconds.
· The team in possession is responsible for the continuity of play. Therefore, if the ball does not emerge from a ruck or maul situation possession will go to the opposing team. This will be in the form of a 'tap and pass'. However, if the ball is prevented from emerging by illegal play, then the offending team will be penalised. · If a pile occurs, play is stopped immediately and restarted with a scrum, with the non-offending team having the put in.
· In a tackle situation, the player must release the ball immediately. Both the tackled player and the tackler cannot re-enter the game until they regain their feet.
· At least two passes must be made prior to scoring directly from set piece situations.
· Kicking is only permitted within 5 metres of a player's own goal line. If the ball is kicked over the opposition dead ball line, a scrum is awarded to the non-offending team on the kickers 5-metre line. · No coaches will be permitted on the pitch.

Offside
· In the general run of play, a player is in an offside position if he is in front of the ball.
· If a player is in front of the ball and a player of his own team carrying the ball runs into him, the player is said to be accidentally offside. This results in a scrum to the non-offending team.
· If a player is in an offside position and deliberately plays the ball, a penalty is awarded. This takes the form of a 'tap and pass'.
· When joining a ruck and maul, all players must enter behind the rear-foot of their own team. *From a kick a player can be put on side in the following ways: · The offside player immediately retires 10 metres from the player waiting to play the ball.
· The kicker and any player behind him runs in front of the offside player prior to that player playing the ball.
· An opponent receiving the kick advances 5 metres.

Scrum
· A scrum will take place when the ball is passed forward or, 'knocked on' or a player is accidentally offside, or a pile up occurs.
· A scrum will be formed by three forwards from each team (prop, hooker, prop). · There will be no pushing or wheeling of the scrum.
· Any scrum which wheels or moves shall be reformed immediately.
· At a scrum, both hookers must attempt to strike for the ball.
· A hooker must not strike for the ball until the ball touches the ground.
· The scrum must stay bound until the ball has emerged.
· The scrum half must pass when the ball has emerged.
· The scrum half of the team not winning the ball must remain behind the rear foot of, and close to, his own scrum, until the opposition has handled the ball. Both sets of backs must remain five metres back from the scrum, until the ball has emerged.

Ball in touch
· The ball is in touch when the ball or the player carrying the ball leaves the field of play. Contact with the touchline is off the field of play. In this situation, the game is restarted at the side of the pitch with a 'tap and pass'.

Scoring
· A try is scored when the ball is grounded on or over the goal line. Each try is worth one point.

Foul Play
· All foul play is penalised with a 'tap and pass'. · In the case of persistent foul play or violent action, an individual player should be removed from the game and replaced by another member of the same squad. The player removed should take no further part in the game/festival or tournament.
· When a referee feels that the actions and/or attitude of a player is disrupting the game then he has the option of removing the player for the remainder of the half or game. This would be done by telling the coach to substitute the player.

Rules of the Game - P7

Number of players
· The number of players is ten, five forwards and five backs.
· A squad system of 12 players is permitted. Players can be substituted at any time with referees consent.

Pitch Dimensions
· The pitch dimensions will be 70m x 45m.

Ball size
· Size 4

Duration of the Game
· 8 minutes Starts and Restarts
· The game start/restart with a 'tap and pass' from the centre of the pitch.
· After a try has been scored, the team conceding the try will restart the game.
· The scoring teams must be given reasonable time to return to their own half, before the game restarts
. · At all 'tap and pass' situations the defending team must be five metres back.

Open Play
· At no time can a ball be passed forward, when this happens a scrum is awarded to the non-offending team, unless advantage accrues.
· In open play, all tackles must be below the waist, therefore, tackling players are not allowed to target the ball.
· The ball must be held in hands at all times.
· The hand off is not permitted.
· The ball must emerge from the ruck or maul within five seconds.
· The team in possession is responsible for the continuity of play. Therefore, if the ball does not emerge from a ruck or maul situation possession will go to the opposing team. This will be in the form of a 'tap and pass'. However, if the ball is prevented from emerging by illegal play, then the offending team will be penalised. · If a pile occurs, play is stopped immediately and restarted with a scrum, with the non-offending team having the put in.
· In a tackle situation, the player must release the ball immediately. Both the tackled player and the tackler cannot re-enter the game until they regain their feet.
· At least two passes must be made prior to scoring directly from set piece situations.
· Kicking is only permitted within 5 metres of a player's own goal line. If the ball is kicked over the opposition dead ball line, a scrum is awarded to the non-offending team on the kickers 5-metre line. · No coaches will be permitted on the pitch.

Offside
· In the general run of play, a player is in an offside position if he is in front of the ball.
· If a player is in front of the ball and a player of his own team carrying the ball runs into him, the player is said to be accidentally offside. This results in a scrum to the non-offending team.
· If a player is in an offside position and deliberately plays the ball, a penalty is awarded. This takes the form of a 'tap and pass'.
· When joining a ruck and maul, all players must enter behind the rear-foot of their own team. *From a kick a player can be put on side in the following ways:
· The offside player immediately retires 10 metres from the player waiting to play the ball. · The kicker and any player behind him runs in front of the offside player prior to that player playing the ball.
· An opponent receiving the kick advances 5 metres.

Scrum
· A scrum will take place when the ball is passed forward or, 'knocked on' or a player is accidentally offside, or a pile up occurs.
· A scrum will be formed by five forwards from each team (prop, hooker, prop and two locks).
· There will be no pushing or wheeling of the scrum.
· Any scrum which wheels or moves shall be reformed immediately.
· At a scrum, both hookers must attempt to strike for the ball.
· A hooker must not strike for the ball until the ball touches the ground.
· The scrum must stay bound until the ball has emerged.
· The scrum half must pass when the ball has emerged.
· The scrum half of the team not winning the ball must remain behind the rear foot of, and close to, his own scrum, until the opposition has handled the ball.
· Both sets of backs must remain five metres back from the scrum, until the ball has emerged. Referees - please enforce this rule rigorously.

Ball in touch
· The ball is in touch when the ball or the player carrying the ball leaves the field of play. In this situation the game is restarted with a lineout as follows:
· When a lineout is formed all forwards will be involved. One to throw in, or mark the thrower, the others forking the lineout, 3 metres from the touchline.
· The players stand in two straight lines opposite the player throwing the ball in with a one-metre gap between them.
· The ball is thrown down the middle of two lines.
· Only the players of the team throwing in are allowed to jump for the ball. The player from this team must jump and catch the ball with both feet off the ground and hands above their head.
· The forwards of the non-throwing in team must not jump for the ball, keep hands below head height and must not interfere with any player in the opposition until the jumper playing the ball have landed.
· However, if there is a poor throw, the opposition may catch and play the ball.
· If the ball emerges immediately from the lineout the scrum half must pass and as in other 'set pieces' the two pass rule applies before scoring.
· When the ball is caught, the lineout maybe driven. The defending team need not tackle below the waist to prevent the drive. Once the maul forms, the ball must emerge within five seconds. If this drive happens the lineout is over and therefore the scrum half may pass or break.
· All backs must remain 5 metres back from the lineout until the ball has emerged or until it has been driven.
· If the ball is not thrown in straight or not thrown three metres then the opposition has the choice of the throw again or a scrum 10 metres in from touch.

Scoring
· A try is scored when the ball is grounded on or over the goal line. Each try is worth one point.

Foul Play
· All foul play is penalised with a 'tap and pass'.
· In the case of persistent foul play or violent action, an individual player should be removed from the game and replaced by another member of the same squad. The player removed should take no further part in the game/festival or tournament.
· When a referee feels that the actions and/or attitude of a player is disrupting the game then he has the option of removing the player for the remainder of the half or game. This would be done by telling the coach to substitute the player.

S1

All games will be 13 a side.

Scrum
A scrum will consist of six forwards in a 3:2:1 formation.
The scrum must be formed and the ball put in as soon as it is available. Both hookers must attempt to strike for the ball.
The ball must emerge from the scrum quickly and without intentional delay. All forwards must remain bound until the ball has been handled by a back of the side winning the ball.
The scrum-half of the side not winning the ball must remain behind the middle of, and close to, the scrum until the ball has been handled by a back of the side winning the ball.
All other backs must remain behind the hindmost foot of the scrum until the ball has emerged.
Outside their own 22m area the first and second players to play the ball must not kick it

Line-out
All forwards must be involved except at 'quick throws'. One forward will throw in with the defending thrower remaining in close proximity to the front of the line-out. He cannot join the line until the ball has been played.

The line-out will be formed without delay and the ball thrown in as soon as it is available.

The front of the line can be brought closer to the touchline than 5m at the referees discretion.

Only the team throwing in are allowed to jump for the ball. The first player to play the ball must attempt to have both feet off the ground and hands above head height.

The non-throwing team must not contest for the ball until it has been played. They may not jump nor interfere with any opposition player and must keep their hands below head height until the ball has been played.

Outside their own 22m area the first and second players to play the ball emerging from the line-out must not kick it.
All other backs must remain 10m back from the line of touch until the ball has emerged.

General Play
In OPEN PLAY the team in possession is responsible for the continuity of play. When play is stopped at ruck and maul situations possession will go to the opposing team and the game restarted with a FREE KICK.

A FREE KICK may only be taken as a TAP KICK AND IMMEDIATE PASS. A FREE KICK cannot be kicked directly into touch nor for goal. No player may take a tap kick and run himself. The opposition must retire 10m from the mark of the kick and may only move forward once the ball has been tapped.

A PENALTY KICK can be kicked for goal or directly into touch. A player can take a tap kick and run himself. Any PENALTY KICKS awarded for foul play will be awarded at the centre of the offending team's 22m line or the place of infringement if closer than the 22m line.

CONVERSIONS will be taken in line with where the try was scored or on the 15m line if closer.

After a score the team losing the score will restart the game with a tap and immediate pass at the centre of the half-way line. The opposition must remain 10m away until the ball has been tapped.

Three points are awarded for a try and one for a penalty, drop goal or conversion.