1. These Administrative Instructions apply
to all clubs playing within the London & SE Division EXCEPT where such
Administrative Instruction is deemed to be in conflict with the Game
Regulations (GR) or any subsequent ruling, amendment or clarification which may
be made from time to time by the RFU.
2. Reporting
of Match Results
The Match Result of every game
played in the Competition shall be reported in two ways as follows:
a. By
Telephone
On the day of the
match the HOME club shall notify the result by telephone to the correct number
and within the times specified as circulated to all Clubs prior to the start of
the season.
b. By
Match Result Card
Both Clubs shall
complete a Match Result Card as supplied which shall be posted so as to reach
the Divisional Secretary not later than the Wednesday after the match.
3. Non
Playing of Matches on the Appointed Date
GR 15.2(i)
requires a club to play all and each of its fixtures on the dates fixed pursuant
to the Game Regulations. It is the
responsibility of the home club to ensure the availability of a pitch at their
normal home ground or elsewhere.
Where the League
Secretary rules that the failure to play a match on the appointed date is
unjustifiable and therefore in breach of GR 18.6.2, the offending club shall be
deducted a minimum of TWO Championship points and the game shall not be
replayed.
In general, the
only justifiable postponement is that due to weather conditions.
Except that: the
Organising Committee reserves the right to allow a postponement caused by
wholly exceptional circumstances totally beyond the control of the Club or its
members or by virtue of local or National emergency.
4. Postponed
and/or Abandoned Matches
Prior to the day
of a match, no match shall be postponed, for whatever reason, before and
without consultation with the League Secretary which shall be conducted only by
and through the Nominated Club Contact. Where the issue is pitch condition, the
League Secretary may require that the home Club arranges, or accepts a third
party arrangement, for a pitch inspection by the appointed match referee or,
where he is not available, another neutral referee.
Where a match is
postponed on the day of the match but before the arrival of the opponents at
the venue, such postponement shall be notified by the home club immediately to
the League Secretary and to the opposition only by and through the Nominated
Club Contacts.
Where a ground is
pronounced unfit or is unavailable for play for any other reason, and the
scheduled match is the first of the two games in the season between the clubs,
the venue SHALL, where time allows, be reversed if the opposition’s pitch is
fit and available to play. In these circumstances the scheduled home team shall
remain the home team for the purposes of the Regulations and these
Instructions.
Following a second
postponement, the Home Club must take all possible steps to ensure the match is
played on the third date. This must include the provision of a suitable
alternative pitch and, for the avoidance of doubt, this will include the
opponent’s pitch if it is available. This will also apply to the return fixture
even if that would mean both matches between the two clubs being played at the
same venue.
A match postponed
or abandoned because of weather or a match not played on the scheduled date for
reasons acceptable to the Organising Committee shall be played on the “Next
available Weekend” (NAW) in accordance with GR 18.5.1.
For the 2008/2009
season, the Weekends immediately AFTER Christmas Day and New Year’s Day shall
not be deemed to be a “NAW” unless both participating clubs agree. Easter SHALL be a ‘NAW’.
5. “Next
Available Weekend” (NAW) protocol
Matches rearranged
in accordance with GR 18.5.1 will be scheduled as follows:
As soon as it is
known that both clubs are available the rescheduled date will be
CONFIRMED. With the exception of the
circumstances described in the last paragraph below this date will not be
changed.
If the
availability of one or both clubs cannot be confirmed but remains possible,
then the match will be scheduled as PROVISIONAL for that ‘NAW’.
If two or more
matches become available at the same time for confirmation on the same ‘NAW’
then the longest outstanding original scheduled fixture will take precedence.
The committee
shall have absolute discretion, subject to the right of appeal, to alter the
above protocol if:
it is apparent
that an alternative sequence would conclude outstanding matches earlier than
might otherwise occur or;
in their opinion,
it is beneficial to the competition, e.g., to prioritise end-of-season fixtures
with a view to concluding promotion and relegation issues including play-offs.
6. Reporting
of Postponed and/or Abandoned Matches
a. Both Clubs shall report the
postponement or abandonment of a match to the League Secretary as soon as
practical stating the full reasons and, in the case of abandonment, the score
and the time elapsed in the game before it was abandoned.
b. Separately and additionally, the home
Club shall notify the Results Service of any postponement or abandonment of a
match. Where a match is postponed at any time BEFORE 2 pm on the day of the
match, the Results Service may be notified either by FAX on 01502 – 538670 or
by e-mail to mikeward@therfu.com provided that such notification is received
before 2 pm.
Where a match is
postponed after 2 pm on the day of the match and/or no prior notification has
been sent in accordance with this clause, the Instructions relating to the
Reporting of Results in 2 (a.) apply.
c. For the purposes of reporting to the
Results Service in accordance with 2 (a.) above, a postponed or abandoned
match, which includes a match which goes to uncontested scrums, IS A RESULT on
the day and shall be reported as such together with the details.
d. Subject only to the exception contained
in Game Regulation 7.3.2 (player(s) temporarily suspended from the field of
play), as soon as a match goes to uncontested scrums it is deemed to be abandoned. The result must be reported to the Results
Service as ‘Match Abandoned’ irrespective of the score at the time and the time
remaining.
7. Nominated
non-available weekend
For the 2008/2009
season each Club in the Competition may nominate ONE non-league Weekend to be
designated “non-available for the rearrangement of a postponed/abandoned
match”. This must be made in writing to the League Secretary and to the
Divisional Secretary NOT LESS THAN EIGHT WEEKS in advance of the date
nominated. The League Secretary and/or the Divisional Secretary will
acknowledge the nomination in writing which shall be retained by the Club as
evidence of such agreement. In the event that eight weeks notice is not given
such nomination will automatically be ineffective
A Club cannot
nominate a scheduled League Weekend or a Weekend scheduled for a play-off
match.
8. Rulings,
Decisions and Appeal Procedures
a. The League Secretary is delegated by
the Organising Committee to make all primary decisions with regard to any Regulation
and any of these Instructions in respect of all clubs within that league.
b. The League Secretary shall apply any
sanction in writing in accordance with GR 10.2.3 and 10.2.4.
c. The Club will then have 7 (seven) days
from the date of receipt of the written notification to request a review by the
Organising Committee in accordance with GR 10.2.5 to 10.2.9. Such request must be in writing to the
Divisional Secretary stating the full grounds and accompanied by a payment of
£50.00 (made payable to “London & SE RFU Competitions Account”) which will
be returned if the request is successful.
d. Requests for a review not lodged within
the 7 days will be adjudged to be 'out of time' and will not be heard.
e. A club has a further right of appeal to
the RFU as specified in GR 10.2.10.
f. Clubs should be aware that the imposed
sanction may be increased as well as decreased on appeal. (This particularly applies to an appeal which
is deemed to be frivolous). All costs
(including travel, hire of facilities and ancillary equipment etc.) of a
rejected appeal will be borne by the Club.
Costs will not be invoked until the appeals process has ended.
9. Appointment
of Referees.
GR 8.1.3(b)
provides that it is the home Clubs responsibility to liaise with the appointed
match officials directly to ensure they are aware of the arrangements and have
the appropriate directions to the venue for the match. ‘Directly’ shall not be deemed to include
messages left with a third party or automated answering services without a
confirmed response from the match official(s). Failure to adhere to this will
be taken into account should a game be postponed because of the lack of a match
official.
Where the
appointed referee is delayed or fails to arrive or where, during the course of
a match, the referee is injured or is otherwise unable to continue, the two
captains shall use their best efforts to agree to a substitute referee so
allowing the match to be completed.
It is the
responsibility of the home club to ensure the appointment of a referee for all
matches including rearranged matches and play-offs.
10. Replacements
and substitutes specific to Off-shore clubs (Jersey & Guernsey)
a) In all matches involving an off-shore
club in
b) In the interest of safety each team
playing in a match involving an off-shore club must have at least five players
in their nominated match squad, all at least eighteen years old, 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, the team can continue to play
safely with contested scrums.
c) If on any occasion any front row
player requires to be replaced and his team cannot provide a replacement or
other player suitably trained and experienced at least eighteen years old from
those who started the match or from the nominated replacements to enable the
match to continue safely with contested scrums the referee, having made enquiry
of and having confirmed this fact with the captain of the team or such other
person nominated by the Club as the manager or other person responsible for the
team, the match will continue with uncontested scrums. If the match is completed with uncontested
scrums the result will stand. However the Organising Committee may take other
action in respect of any suspected, alleged or actual breach of 10(a) above
and, in any event, review the circumstances where a match is completed with or
contains uncontested scrums in accordance with GR 7.3.1(d).
d) For the avoidance of doubt the
provisions of this Instruction will apply to matches taking place in the
11. New
Club entries
Entry to the
Competition is controlled solely by the Organising Committee. A club wishing to
enter the Competition in the following season shall signify this fact in
writing to the Divisional Secretary by 1st April of the current season and to
the Chairman and/or Secretary of the relevant Constituent Body Competitions
Sub-Committee. That Sub-Committee shall consider the application and make
recommendation to the Organising Committee.
In addition; the
Club must satisfy all entry requirements laid down from time to time by the
Organising Committee not later than 30th April in the current season. For entry
in the 2009-2010 season these requirements include; having effective
registration to the Club of a minimum of 25 players of whom at least six shall
be capable of playing in the front row in accordance with Game Regulations;
being able to display the ability to sustain a full League Programme of
fixtures on the appointed dates; having held full membership of the appropriate
Constituent Body for a period of not less than one complete season and; holding
the rights to play on a suitable ground throughout the currency of a League
season without interruption.