Tournament Rules
THE AIR NZ RIPPA RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP: INTRODUCTION TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Team Announcement
Each Participating team will submit a list of all team members for The Air NZ Rippa Rugby Championship on the New Zealand Rugby School Declaration Form. Changes can only be made to that list with the prior approval of NZ Rugby.
Team Size and Age
The tournament teams shall be limited to the ten members specified in the School Declaration Form, comprising five boys and five girls, and will be accompanied by two adult team chaperones (one male and one female). Players must be in Year 6 (10 year olds) although they can be in Year 5 if schools are struggling to fill the team because of the size of the school.
No replacement of injured players – there will be no replacement of injured players in the named team of ten players.
If a player is injured such that he/she cannot continue in the tournament, then the team will play the remainder of the tournament with its remaining fit players.
TOURNAMENT RULES
Laws The tournament shall be played according to the current rules of The Air NZ Rippa Rugby Championship
Team Kit
(a) Each participating team will be provided with a t-shirt and shorts for each player. The provided t-shirt and shorts must be worn by players when participating in games, unless dispensation is given by the Tournament Manager.
(b) Rippa Rugby belts and flags will be supplied by NZ Rugby. These belts and flags must be worn by players when participating in games.
(c) Mouth guards must be worn by players when participating in games. Individual members of teams will be responsible for supplying their own mouth guards.
(d) Players will play games in bare feet.
(e) Players must not wear any jewellery (including watches) during games.
(f) The participating school shall be responsible for the arrangement or provision of any items of formal or informal clothing or footwear, or related accessories, for its team.
Insurance
The participating schools, and/or individual members of its team, are responsible for making their own arrangements for, and bear the costs of, insurance against loss of the team kit and all personal baggage and effects (including money). NZ Rugby accepts no responsibility for losses sustained during the tournament, or during travel to or from the tournament.
Tournament Format
The Air NZ Rippa Rugby Championship will be hosted by NZ Rugby from Sunday 25th August to Tuesday 27th August 2019. The tournament format will involve teams being divided into four pools of 6 or 7 teams each; with each team playing each other team in their pool (but pool 3 and 4 will have one extra match taken from other pool to equate to 6 matches each pool).
Points – Pool Matches
Play on both days of the tournament will consist of six matches. No extra time will be played in pool matches. Competition Points will be awarded for these matches on the following basis:
Win = 4 points
Draw = 2 points
Loss = 0 points
No show = 0 points
Scoring four or more tries = 1 bonus point
Loss by 5 points = 1 bonus point
Following the completion of pool matches teams will be ranked within their pool based on the total number of competition points accumulated. Teams will progress to Semi Finals (or not) based on where they are ranked at the completion of pool matches.
If a team does not present itself to play a match or is unwilling or unable to continue a match, without the prior consent of the Tournament Manager, then, the team will be considered to have defaulted the match and subject to confirmation by the Tournament Manager, that team will be expelled from the tournament.
If a team has been expelled from the tournament, for whatever reason, then a) that team shall be deemed to have been awarded no pool competition table points and to have scored no tries or points in the pool matches; and b) for the purposes of determining rankings in a pool, all match results against such team shall be deemed null and void. This means that all pool competition table points awarded in matches against the expelled team and tries and points scored or conceded in matches against such team will not be taken into account in determining standings in the pool competition table.
If a team defaults a match, but is not expelled from the Tournament, the opposition team in that match will be awarded the win plus a 4-try bonus point, and will be deemed to have scored 4 tries in the match.
Determining Competition Standings
(a) Position in the pool competition table shall be determined by competition points as set out above.
(b) If at the conclusion of the pool matches two or more teams are equal on competition points for any position in that pool, such ranking will be determined on the result of the match between the two equal teams. The team that won that match shall be deemed to have finished higher in the pool.
(c) If the match between the two teams equal on competition points at the end of the pool matches was a draw, or there are more than two teams on equal points and the process in (b) does not provide a result, then the following process shall be used to determine the rankings.
(i) The margin of tries scored for and against a team in all pool matches shall be considered. The team with the highest positive margin of tries shall be ranked higher in the pool. If the tie still remains unresolved then;
(ii) The team that has scored the highest average number of tries in the pool matches shall be ranked higher in the pool. If the tie still remains unresolved then;
(iii) The tie will be resolved by the team that scored the first try in the match between the two teams being ranked higher in the pool. If the tie still remains unresolved then;
(iii) The tie will be resolved by the toss of a coin between two of the team chaperones concerned.
Semi-Finals, Final Qualifiers
The top team from each pool will qualify for the semi-finals. The winners of the semi-finals will advance to the final while the losers of the semi-finals will play each other in the bronze final.
Semi-Finals, Final drawn matches
During the semi-finals and final, in the event of a match being drawn at the end of normal time, extra time will be played until a winner is determined. Extra time will be in periods of four minutes. After each period the teams will change ends with a one-minute interval. In extra time the team which scores first will immediately be declared the winner without further play. The Team that first passed off will do so again in the first period of extra time, and subsequent pass-offs will alternate between the two sides.
Duration of Matches
The duration of matches will be seven minutes each half with a two-minute half time interval.
Abandonment
Apart from where a team defaults a match, in the event of a match having to be stopped after its commencement under the provisions of The Air NZ Rippa Rugby Championship Rules, then subject to confirmation by the Tournament Manager, the following procedure shall apply:
(a) Pool Matches
(i) Where a pool match has been abandoned either at half – time or at any time in the second half the result and any tries scored by each team in the match shall stand.
(ii) Where a pool match has been abandoned during the first half the result shall be declared a draw.
(iii) Where a pool match has been declared a draw then for that match each team will be awarded two competition points (plus any four-try bonus point/s applicable) and any tries scored will count towards the total tries scored by each team in all their matches.
(b) Semi-Finals, Final
(i) Where a match has been abandoned either at half time or at any time in the second half the result shall stand. If both teams are tied then the provision within above clause shall be used to ascertain a winner.
(ii) If a match has been abandoned during the first half the result shall be declared a draw and the provisions within above clause shall be used to ascertain the winner with points scored in all matches in the tournament taken into consideration. However, if one of the teams participated in a pool where a team was expelled, for whatever reason, then the matter will be referred to the Tournament Manager who shall decide the most appropriate method for determining the winner of the tied match.
Playing Area
Only players, the referees and ambulance representatives, in order to tend to an injured player, may enter the playing area. During the interval team chaperones and replacements/substitutes may enter the playing area but they must leave it before resumption of play and must not do anything to delay the punctual resumption of play.
Player Sent from Field
A player sent from the field by the referee in a match, will not be permitted to play again until the matter has been dealt with by the Tournament Manager who may impose sanctions including, but not limited to, issuing a warning, suspending the player for one or more matches, or expelling the player from the tournament.
Toss
The toss to decide who will pass off and to choose ends will take place before the match. The toss shall be conducted by the match referee with the captain of each team in attendance.
Colour Clashes
For any match where there is a colour clash, the team wearing the alternate kit will be determined by the Tournament Manager, and bibs will be provided for that team to wear.
Technical Zone
Each team is allowed to have the two chaperones and three reserve players in the technical zone during matches. The three reserve players must be wearing their team t-shirt and shorts and the two chaperones must be wearing their team t-shirts.
Match Officials
The NZ Rugby will appoint all referees for the tournament. The Tournament Manager will appoint the referees for each fixture.
Tournament Manager
The Tournament Manager will be responsible for matters related to the playing enclosure, the conduct of matches and the elements related to teams in the organisation of each match.
OFFICIAL FUNCTIONS AND CEREMONIES
All team members and chaperones are expected to attend all official functions and ceremonies.
TROPHY AND MEDALS
(a) A trophy shall be presented at the conclusion of the final to the winning team. The trophy shall remain the property of the winning team.
(b) Medals will be awarded to all members of the teams placed first, second and third in the tournament.
TRANSPORT, ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS
NZ Rugby is responsible for making all accommodation and ground transport arrangements for teams, the costs of which will be borne by NZ Rugby. Participating teams will be accommodated according to the following principles, and are not entitled to make their own accommodation arrangements.
Accommodation
NZ Rugby will fund accommodation costs at the designated accommodation venue for 10 players and 2 adult chaperones on the nights of Sunday 25th August 2019 and Monday 26th August 2019.
(a) The accommodation for team members will be shared dormitory accommodation;
(b) Accommodation will be booked by the NZ Rugby;
(c) Any additional accommodation requirements and any incidental costs such as telephone calls, extra meals, etc., will be organised by and at the cost of the participating schools.
Meals
NZ Rugby will supply the following meals for the team members plus chaperones:
(a) An evening meal on Sunday 25th August 2019;
(b) Breakfast, lunch and an evening meal on Monday 26th August 2019; and
(c) Breakfast and lunch on Tuesday 27th August 2019.
Transport to and from The Air NZ Rippa Rugby Championship
NZ Rugby will arrange and pay for transport for the ten team members plus two chaperones to and from Wellington from their closest appropriate airport or coach terminus, and internal transfers in Wellington. Transport will be by air, or by coach at the discretion of NZ Rugby.
LAUNDRY
Laundering of team kit and personal items will be the responsibility of the individual teams.
OTHER COSTS
NZ Rugby will not be responsible for any other travel, accommodation, or incidental expenses, and in particular and without limitation will not be responsible for any costs relating to team supporters, or for travel costs to a team’s departure point or from its homecoming point.
MEDICAL
For the avoidance of any doubt, it is the sole responsibility of the participating school to ensure that all team members are medically and physically fit to attend and to participate in the tournament and that only team members that are medically and physically fit shall participate in any match in the tournament.
Match Venue Medical Facilities
The Tournament Organisers will provide ambulance staff at the match venue on Monday 26th and Tuesday 27th September 2019.
Medical Fees and Costs
Costs of medical attention at a match venue will be borne by NZ Rugby. Any and all medical costs incurred away from the playing enclosures, including on a match day, will be borne by the participating school or individual.
(a) The cost of treatment for illness contracted or injury sustained (including without limitation any dental treatment) by a Member of any Team at any time during the Tournament Term shall be the responsibility of the Participating school/individual.
(b) In addition to the costs described above the Participating team shall be responsible for strappings, bandages, mouth guards and similar items.
CONDUCT
Each participating team and its members agree and acknowledge that:
(a) They will participate in the tournament to the best of its and their ability;
(b) They shall comply with the provisions of The Air NZ Rippa Rugby Championship Rules;
(c) The representation of a positive image of the tournament is vital to the success of the tournament;
(d) The Tournament Manual (distributed to all participants) is necessary to ensure such representation and it must therefore be strictly complied with and enforced; and
(e) The organisational rules for the tournament have been established to facilitate the staging of a well ordered and successful tournament, and compliance therewith and enforcement thereof is essential to ensure such success.
OTHER MATTERS
(a) The Participating School agrees to accept responsibility for, and shall before departure; ensure that one of its team’s Chaperones pay for all items and services procured not specifically provided for by NZ Rugby pursuant to the Tournament Manual.
(b) Should any participating team and/or any member of its team fail to comply with any of the terms of the Tournament Manual the Tournament Manager may impose such sanctions upon the participating team and/or members of its team as they see fit including, but not limited to, issuing a warning, suspending players, chaperones or the team for one or more matches, or expelling players, chaperones or the team from the tournament.
(c) The Tournament Manager has full discretion to rule on any other matters and make a final determination on any issues referred to in the Tournament Manual or other issues not specifically mentioned in the Tournament Manual.