"Club" means a club represented by a team participating in any Competition;

"Effective Registration" has the meaning in Rule 3.1 and the term "Effectively Registered" shall be construed accordingly;

"Fixtures Appeals Committee" means the fixtures appeals committee appointed by the Union Committee in accordance with Rule 12;

The Union is responsible for organising and administering the Competitions.

Where there has been any omission or error in these Rules the League Commissioner will have power to rectify such error or omission in the manner he or she sees fit including the power to make new and/or amend these Rules.

A player shall be Effectively Registered with the Union:

Players who change their Club registration during the Season may not compete in any remaining Competition matches during the season unless the player's continuing participation in any remaining Competition matches is agreed by both Clubs concerned and approved in writing by the LFCP. Players may only change their Club registration without the consent of their current Club during the Transfer Period. In the event of dispute, the player may appeal to the office of the League Commissioner.

Any player holding Effective Registration with a Club may, upon written application (duly signed by the player) to the LFCP, de-register from that Club and provided that the player has notified the Club of his application and certifies to the League Commissioner that he has so notified the Club the player will cease to hold Effective Registration three days from the receipt of the player's application by the League Commissioner.

upon being Effectively Registered with another Club;

All First Division teams are required to submit a completed team sheet to the Union by midday on the day immediately preceding the day of each match. Any subsequent amendments to a team must be submitted to the match referee and opposing team captain not later than thirty minutes prior to kick-off. Any amended team sheet shall be forwarded by the match referee to the Union office. The team sheet shall clearly indicate those players who are:

nominated to play in the front row.

7.2 A First Division team may not select in its match day squad of 22 more than 3 players who have not been ordinarily and legally resident in Hong Kong for 180 days immediately prior to a Competition match.

A team may nominate up to a maximum of 7 substitutes for each Competition match and, subject to this restriction, teams may substitute players at any time during a match.

Penalty: A team shall forfeit the Competition match or, where applicable, be deducted any Competition match points awarded in accordance with Rule 15 in respect of each Competition match where it fails to fulfil the requirements of Rule 8.2 or 8.3.

8.4

Where a team cannot contest a scrum with players who are suitably trained and experienced in the front row, play may continue but with uncontested scrums.

No Club may field a player in any team in any Competition match who, during the Season, has played 7 or more matches for any team in a higher division unless:

by reason of the specific rules of a Competition he is a member of a team that is relegated to that lower division; or

having made a prior written application to the League Commissioner not less than 3 days before such Competition match on his behalf, the Club concerned receives written permission from the Union office for that player to play in a lower division.

he is an Asian Games qualified player who has played his 7 matches in the 1st Division

Penalty: A team which has been represented by a player or replacement who is ineligible or selected in breach of Rule 9 may be treated as having forfeited that Competition match in accordance with Rule [15.6] and/or deducted up to four league points, as the League Commissioner considers appropriate.

Subject to Rules 10.2 and 10.3, no Club shall fail to fulfil its fixture obligations in respect of any Competition match on the date and at the time appointed for such fixture.

A Competition match fixture may be rearranged in the following circumstances:

Where for any special circumstances a Club is unable to field a team for a scheduled Competition match the Club affected must notify the LFCP and the scheduled opponents of all circumstances regarding the proposed postponement as soon as possible. If the LFCP and the scheduled opponents agree and the re-scheduled match can be played before the original date or the first available allocation thereafter, the LFCP may, in its absolute discretion, allow the match to be played without imposing any penalty.

Where the LFCP is of the view that a Club has unjustifiably failed to fulfil its Competition fixture obligations, the LFCP may deduct one Competition point from the Club and/or impose a fine in accordance with guidelines that are issued from time to time by the Union. Any fine imposed will be deducted from the offending Clubs subvention.

Penalty: Each team shall be deducted one Competition point.

An appeal against any LFCP or League Commissioner's decision made under these Rules must be made in writing to the Fixtures Appeal Committee. Where the appeal relates to the rescheduling of a fixture, notice of appeal must be made 7 days before the rescheduled fixture, stating detailed reasons.

The appeal will be considered and decided by the Fixtures Appeal Committee, comprising of three Union directors including, where possible, the Union Executive Director. All decisions of the Fixtures Appeal Committee will be made known to the relevant Clubs, and, where appropriate, before any disputed fixture is due to be played. The decision by the Fixtures Appeal Committee will be final in all cases.