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RUGBY PENNSYLVANIA CONTACT RUGBY COMPETITION DOCUMENT SECTION 2 – Rugby Pennsylvania Laws of the Game This section defines the Rugby Union Laws of The Game for all rugby matches played under the jurisdiction of Rugby Pennsylvania involving contact (tackling) for school-aged players under the jurisdiction of Rugby Pennsylvania. All matches shall be played in accordance with the IRB's "Laws of the Game of Rugby Football" Please refer to http://www.irb.com/lawregulations/index.html. Rugby Pennsylvania Variations shall apply to all contact rugby matches presented in this document. Playing  with  fewer  than  15  players  .....................................................................................................  2  

RUGBYPA LAWS VARIATIONS ISSUED October 2013 Variation 1. Playing with fewer than 15 players Rugby Pennsylvania may authorize matches to be played with fewer than fifteen players on each team with the exception that each team must have at least five qualified tight-five players (two Props, Hooker, two Second Row) in the scrum at all times, except when there are less than 10 players on the field. Refer to the Laws of the Scrum for additional scrum requirements. In the event when there are fewer than the 5-required tight-five players, scrums must be uncontested.

Variation 2. Replacement Players A Replacement Player, (“substitution” or “subs”) is any player not participating as a starting player on the field of play at the time of match kick-off, or start of the game. Substitutions may only be made when the ball is dead and with the permission of the referee. There are no limits to the number of substitute players on a team or for any match. All players must be registered with Rugby Pennsylvania and USA Rugby through the player registration process outlined in Section 1 of the Rugby Pennsylvania Competition Documents listed on www.RugbyPA.org. Once a starting player (“player”) is replaced by a substitute, the player is considered “replaced” and may not rejoin the current game. Substitutes may only rejoin the match in the event that the referee declares the event a Blood Substitution (“blood sub”). A Blood Sub allows a bleeding player’s injury be assessed and treated before requesting permission to return to the game. In the event of a Blood Sub, the sub must be replaced by the returning player. The substitute will not be considered replaced and is available for future substitution. This substitution may be called during match time by the referee as well as requested by the coach during injury time or any normal stoppage of play. This applies to all regular season and Rugby Pennsylvania SBRO tournament games

Junior Rugby: Junior teams may nominate unlimited replacements/substitutes. Substitutions may only be made when the ball is dead and with the permission of the referee. This applies to all regular season and Rugby Pennsylvania SBRO tournament games Substituted players may rejoin the match at any time. This applies to all regular season and Rugby Pennsylvania SBRO tournament games Youth:

RUGBYPA LAWS VARIATIONS ISSUED October 2013 Youth teams may nominate unlimited replacements/substitutes. Substitutions may only be made when the ball is dead and with the permission of the referee. This applies to all regular season and Rugby Pennsylvania SBRO tournament games Substituted players may rejoin the match at any time. This applies to all regular season and Rugby Pennsylvania SBRO tournament games REDUCTIONS IN NUMBER OF PLAYERS The table below indicates the numbers of players when nominating different numbers of players. Number of Players 15 8 Forwards, 7 Backs 14 7 Forwards, 7 Backs 13 6 Forwards, 7 Backs 12 5 Forwards, 7 Backs 11 5 Forwards, 6 Backs 10 5 Forwards, 5 Backs 7 3 Forwards, 4 Backs .

LAW 9 – Methods of Scoring High School: Please review the High School Variations posted on the Rugby Pennsylvania and USA Rugby websites Rugby Pennsylvania does not deviate from USA Rugby Policy for High School Rugby. Junior: Scoring methods are allowed including tries, conversions and penalty kicks. Drop goals are permitted. Try Conversion Kicks – the kick at goal for tries inside the fifteen meter line will be attempted at point of which the ball is downed. For tries outside the fifteen meter line the ball may be place on the fifteen meter line Youth: Scoring methods are allowed including tries, conversions and penalty kicks. Drop goals are not permitted. Try Conversion Kicks – the kick at goal for tries inside the fifteen meter line will be attempted at point of which the ball is downed. For tries outside the fifteen meter line the ball may be place on the fifteen meter line

RUGBYPA LAWS VARIATIONS ISSUED October 2013

LAW 15 – TACKLE: BALL-CARRIER BROUGHT TO THE GROUND Players should be taught good tackling techniques. The following areas are of particularly importance: No player shall use the technique known or referred to as ʻSqueezeballʼ and no person involved in the teaching or coaching of Contact Rugby may teach or coach or encourage Under-15 players to use the ʻSqueezeballʼ technique. Penalty: Penalty Kick Note: 'Squeezeball' is a technique where the ball carrier goes to ground, head forward (touching or close to the ground), irrespective of immediate contact with opponents, usually keeping parallel to the touchline, holding and protecting the ball close to the chest and, when on the ground, pushes the ball back between the legs. No player shall use the technique known or referred to as the scrag-type tackle (i.e. swinging the player round by the shirt) must be considered dangerous play and must be penalized. Penalty: Penalty Kick No player shall use the technique known or referred to as the “dump tackle” (i.e. lifting the ball carrier off the ground and then slamming the ball-carrier to the ground violently) must be considered dangerous play and penalized. Penalty: Penalty Kick No player shall use the technique known or referred to as The tap tackle (i.e. tapping the ankle of the ball carrier) must be considered dangerous play and must be penalized. Penalty: Penalty Kick Fending Players will be permitted to fend off, however the arm must be presented prior to contact and must be below the shoulders, other wise Penalty: Penalty Kick

LAW 19 – TOUCH AND LINE-OUT Junior: Line outs will be played in full accordance to IRB Laws. Quick throw inʼs will be permitted in accordance to IRB Laws

RUGBYPA LAWS VARIATIONS ISSUED October 2013 A coach may request uncontested lineouts and at any time prior to or during a match and it must be honored – no exceptions If uncontested lineouts are requested, then all forwards must participate in the line out and a team may not reduce numbers in the line out. Youth: It is required that all forwards participate in the line out. A team may not reduce numbers in the line out. Quick throw inʼs are not permitted A coach may request uncontested lineouts and at any time prior to or during a match and it must be honored – no exceptions If uncontested lineouts are requested, then all forwards must participate in the line out and a team may not reduce numbers in the line out.

LAW 20 – SCRUM Number of players: Eight A standard scrum must have eight players from each team. All eight players must stay bound to the scrum until it ends. Each front row must have three players in it, no more and no less. If 15 players are participating in the match, the scrum formation must be 3-4-1 with the single player (Number 8) shoving on the two locks. Penalty: Penalty Kick

Front rows coming together The new scrum engagement sequence per IRB laws will be implemented and practice. The sequence should be: crouch, bind, set. Any player at any stage in a scrum who has or causes an opponent to have, the shoulders lower than the hips must immediately be penalized.

Penalty: Penalty Kick Maximum push: High School: A team in a scrum must not push the scrum more than 1.5 meters towards their opponentsʼ goal-line. Penalty: Free Kick Junior: A team in a scrum must not push the scrum more than 1 meter towards their opponentsʼ goal-line.

RUGBYPA LAWS VARIATIONS ISSUED October 2013 Penalty: Free Kick Youth: A team in a scrum must not push the scrum more than 1 meter towards their opponentsʼ goal-line. Penalty: Free Kick

Wheeling A team must not intentionally wheel a scrum. An unintentional wheeled scrum will be stopped and restarted by the referee. Penalty: Free Kick

Ball must be released from scrum A player must not intentionally keep the ball in the scrum once the playerʼs team has heeled the ball and controls it at the base of the scrum. Penalty: Free Kick

Additional Variation If playing in a scrum formation without flankers, the 8-man and/or scrumhalf will not be permitted to pick-and-go – the ball must be presented to the offensive backs. Penalty: Re-Scrum

Uncontested Scrums Junior: A coach may request uncontested scrums at any time prior to or during a match and it must be honored, no exceptions Youth: A coach may request uncontested scrums at any time prior to or during a match and it must be honored, no exceptions

Scrum offside This is the offside line five meters behind the hindmost feet of the scrum. Scrum half offside lines (must be in close proximity to the scrum as present Law or must retreat five meters)

RUGBYPA LAWS VARIATIONS ISSUED October 2013

Identification of scrum half offside lines The scrum half whose team does not win possession of the ball must not move to the opposite side of the scrum and overstep the offside line. The non-ball-winning scrum half can follow the ball but must stay behind the ball which is the offside line.

Kicking following a scrum restart High School: Kicking for goal is permitted according to IRB laws with U19 variations Junior: Kicking for goal is permitting with the exception that a player cannot kick a free ball in play off the ground. All kicks must leave the hand of the kicker. Youth: Kicking is permitting with the exception that a player cannot kick a free ball in play off the ground. All kicks must leave the hand of the kicker.