Description
1.1 The competition
shall be called "The English Clubs Colts Knock-out Cup Competiton".
1.2 The competition will be organised by the Competitions sub-Committee of
the East Midlands Rugby Union. The decision of the Committee will be binding
and final on any matter not covered by these regulations and on their interpretation.
1.3 The winning Club team will be awarded the 'Ron Cox Memorial Cup', which
it will hold for the following year.
1.4 All matches in the competition shall be played under the Laws of Rugby
Union Football with the Rugby Football Union Under 19 interpretations, as
printed in the current RFU handbook.
Eligibility of Clubs
2.1 The competition
shall be open to any club situated in England, the Channel Islands and the
Isle of Man being a member of the Rugby Football Union, which organises their
own Club Colts Under 19 team.
2.2 Entry to the competition will be accepted when a completed entry form,
together with the entry fee, is returned to the organising committee by the
designated date.
2.3 No club may enter more
than one team in each season's competition.
Players
3.1 A club in the
competition may only play or select as a replacement, players who are Under
19 at midnight on the 31st August/1st September at the beginning of the current
season.
3.2 All players must produce
details of their RFU registration, or a photocopy of their birth certificate,
which is to be sent to the organisers after the first match in which they
participate.
3.3 A player will be deemed to have taken part when he is nominated on a team
list, whether as a player or as a replacement.
3.4 No player shall play for more than one club in the competition in any
one season.
The Draw
4.1 Matches shall
be played on the specified play-by date unless an earlier date is agreed between
the clubs. Kick-off times shall be agreed taking into account the travelling
distance of the away team.
4.2 Clubs drawn at home
have the right to play on their normal match day but throughout the competition
the club drawn at home must consult with their opponents before deciding on
the match day and kick-off time.
4.3 The early rounds will be played on an area basis with teams placed into
groups as per the four Divisions of the RFU.
4.4 The first named club to be drawn in a match shall be considered the Home
team and unless otherwise mutually agreed, the venue of that match shall be
the ground of such home team.
4.5 Club entries from each Division of the Rugby Football Union will be drawn
together prior to the beginning of the season, to determine the arrangements
for up to a maximum of 8 club teams to go forward to the national stage.
4.6 Cut-off dates by which each round of the competition has to be played
will be sent to clubs together with a copy of the RULES.
4.7 For ties to be played immediately after the Divisional matches qualifying
clubs from the North and Midlands Divisions will combine and the London and
South and South and South West Divisions will combine.
4.8 Any team which participates in and loses a match during the Divisional
section of the competition, will be entered into a 'Plate Competition' organised
to run alongside the main event.
4.9 Teams, which qualify for the Plate Competition, will play an extra round
in their Division before proceeding on the same lines as the Cup competition.
4.10 The Finals will be played on the annual May-Day Bank holiday.
4.11 Any team, which fails to attend the appointed venue in time for a match
to be played, will forfeit the tie.
Clash of colours/Identification of players
5.1 In the event of
Clubs having similar or clashing colours, the home team shall be responsible
for changing its colours, subject to the satisfaction of the appointed referee.
5.2 The jerseys of teams competing in the competition should be numbered as
per Regulation 17.1 of the International Rugby Football Board.
Postponed and abandoned matches
6.1 If conditions
prevent a match being played or, if a match is abandoned at any time before
half-time, it shall be played before the date of the next round on a date
to be agreed between the two clubs concerned or, failing agreement, as directed
by the East Midlands Competitions Committee.
6.2 If a match is abandoned at any time during the second half, the score
at the time of abandonment will be declared as the result.
Drawn matches
7.1 In all matches
except the Final, if after 35 minutes of play each way the scores are level,
the team that has scored most tries shall be the winner. If a result is not
obtained by this method then the team which has scored most goals from tries
shall be the winner. If a decision is still not forthcoming the away team
will be declared the winner.
7.2 In the Final, if after 35 minutes of play each way the scores are level,
the team that has scored most tries shall be the winner. If a result is not
obtained by this method then the team that has scored most goals from tries
shall be the winner. If a result is still not forthcoming the Trophy shall
be shared.
Notification of Results
8.1 Officials of the
winning club will be responsible for informing the organiser of the competition
of the result.
8.2 Team sheets and, where necessary, photocopies of birth certificates are
also to be sent to the organiser of the competition within 48 hours of a completed
match.
Referees and Touch Judges
9.1 The Home team
is responsible in arranging with their local Referees Society to appoint the
necessary officials for matches in all rounds up to the Quarter-Finals.
9.2 The East Midlands Referees Society will be responsible for the administration
of all appointments of match officials (a referee and two touch judges) in
conjunction with other relevant Referee Societies, for the Quarter-Finals
and the Semi-Finals, in both the main Knock-out Cup and the Plate Competition.
9.3 For the Finals the officials will be appointed by the East Midlands Rugby
Union Referees Society.
Match Arrangements
10.1 Home teams will
be responsible for match arrangements.
10.2 The home club is responsible for correctly and clearly marking its pitch
and it must make proper provision to ensure that (with the exception of the
touch judges) all spectators, replacements and officials are kept at a reasonable
distance from the field of play.
10.3 The Final will be played on a neutral ground within the East Midlands
Rugby Union constituent body area.
Protests, Disputes and Transgressions.
11.1 Any matters in dispute or any transgressions of these Rules, shall be referred immediately to the organiser of the competition by telephone if necessary, providing written confirmation follows within 48 hours. The Competition Committee shall have an absolute discretion to resolve any such protests or dispute as it shall think fit and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing may decline to act upon a protest validly made if it considers doing so to be in the interests of the Competition generally. As under Rule 1.2 the decision of the East Midlands Competitions Committee shall be binding