HONG KONG RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION

1.Definitions

For the purposes of these Rules:

"Competitions" means all league and knock out competitions (including the League Competition, the Grand Championship and sevens and tens tournaments) organised by the Union and any other competition designated by the Union as a Competition for the purposes of these Rules and the term "Competition" shall be construed accordingly;

"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;

"Grand Championship" means the competition organized by the Union and played in accordance with Rule 16;

"IRB" means the International Rugby Board;

"Laws of the Game" means the IRB laws of the game, as amended from time to time;

"League Commissioner" means the Chairman of the LFCP;

"League Competition" means the competition organized by the Union and played in accordance with Rule 15;

"LFCP" means the league fixtures control panel appointed by the Union Committee;

"Referees Appointment Board" means the referees appointment board appointed by the Hong Kong Society of Rugby Football Union Referees;

"Registration Form" means the registration form issued by the Union from time to time;

"Season" means the 2003-2004 season;

"Transfer Period" means 1 April 2004 to 31 May 2004 inclusive;

"Union" means the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union;

"Union Committee" means the Union Committee established under the Union's articles of association; and

"Union Disciplinary Tribunal" means the disciplinary tribunal appointed by the Union Committee.

2. Competitions

2.1	The Union is responsible for organising and administering the Competitions.

2.2	Save for any exception set out in the rules and regulations of any particular competition, these Rules shall apply to all Clubs and in respect of all Competitions during the Season-with effect from 1 September 2003.

2.3	The entry procedures, format, divisions, sequence, timing and duration of the Competitions shall be determined by the Union not later than the end August 2003.

2.4	The League Commissioner shall have the absolute discretion to decide on the interpretation or application of these Rules or any matter not provided for in these Rules (including rectifying any administrative error) and shall give directions or make rulings as appropriate. The League Commissioner's decision shall be final and binding

2.5	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.

2.6	If any provision of these Rules is held by any court or competent authority illegal, void or unenforceable in whole or in part these Rules shall continue to be valid as to the other provisions thereof and the remainder of any affected Rules.

3. Effective Registration

3.1	A player shall be Effectively Registered with the Union:

(a)	if properly registered by his Club with the Union office before the end of the 2002-2003 season where such registration remains valid; or

(b)	upon lodgment of a properly completed Registration Form by his Club with the Union office, subject to any conditions to Effective Registration as the Union may impose;

	until such time as Effective Registration shall cease to have effect under the provisions of Rule 5.

3.2	No player may hold Effective Registration with more than one Club at any time unless approved by the League Commissioner at his or her sole discretion.

3.3	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.

3.4	The only and conclusive evidence admissible of a player's Effective Registration with a Club on any particular date is the computerised listing of players holding Effective Registration on that particular date such computerised listing being held by the Union.

3.5	No team may play or select as a replacement a player in any Competition match:

(a)	unless he holds Effective Registration with that Club; or

(b)	who is currently under suspension under these Rules or the Laws of the Game.
	Penalty: Where a team has been represented in any Competition match by a player or replacement who is ineligible or selected in breach of paragraphs (a) or (b) of Rule 3.5, that team may be treated as having forfeited that Competition match in accordance with Rule 15.4 and/or deducted up to four league points, as the LFCP considers appropriate.

4. De-registration

4.1	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.

4.2	Any Club may apply to de-register any of its players and such player in respect of whom application is made will cease to have Effective Registration with that Club seven days from the receipt of the application for de-registration by the League Commissioner provided that in any application by a Club to de-register a player the Club has notified and certified to the League Commissioner that it has notified the player of its application for that player's de-registration.

5. Loss of Effective Registration

A player will cease to have Effective Registration with a Club:

(a)	upon being Effectively Registered with another Club;

(b)	upon expiry of 3 days following a valid application for de-registration in accordance with Rule 4;

(c)	upon having Effective Registration cancelled or suspended by the League Commissioner for any reason;

(d)	upon the expiry of any work permit visa or other permit or consent required by law;

(e)	where Effective Registration is invalidated pursuant to Rule 6 below;

(f)	subject to the absolute discretion of the League Commissioner to decide otherwise, where that player plays for any team in or under the control of or a member of a union other than the Union more than 6 times in any twelve month period (save for a team selected by the national selectors of that other union);

(g)	where a player plays for Material Benefit (as defined in the IRB regulations) for any team in or under the control of or a member of any union other than the Union (save for a team selected by the national selectors of that other union); and

(h)	where and from the date upon which a current union to whom a Club had applied for consent to register a player (who had been granted Effective Registration pending a response from that union) advises that any consent or clearance is refused or withdrawn or delayed.

6. False or Misleading Information

Where a Club supplies incorrect or misleading information to the Union in any application to register a player or any signature on the Registration Form or other document is not the original signature of the person purported to have signed it the application for registration will be void and any Effective Registration will be invalidated from the date such Effective Registration would but for the incorrect, false or misleading information have commenced and the penalty provision in Rule 3.5 shall apply.

7. First Division Rules

7.1	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:

(a)	IRB and Asian Games eligible;

(b)	not ordinarily resident in Hong Kong; and

(c)	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 provided that any player who was registered by a Club with the Union prior to the end of the 2002-2003 season shall, for the purposes of this Rule 7.2, be deemed to be so ordinarily and legally resident in Hong Kong provided such player continues to play for the same Club during the Season.

7.3	During the Season, each First Division team must select in its match day squad of 22 not less than six players who are eligible to represent Hong Kong in accordance with IRB regulations. At least one player in the match day squad of 22 must also be eligible to play in the Asian Games and must play in the starting line up or come on as a replacement in each Competition match.
	Penalty: A First Division team may be treated as having forfeited each Competition match in accordance with Rule 15.4 and/or deducted up to four league points, as the LFCP considers appropriate, in respect of each Competition match where such team has not complied with Rule 7.1, 7.2 or 7.3.

8. Numbers of players

8.1	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.

8.2	All teams must be able to start a match and contest the first scrum using players who are suitably trained and experienced to play in the front row.

8.3	First Division teams must contain at least four front row players.

	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.

9. Restriction on playing in lower divisions

9.1	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:

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

(b)	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.

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 15.4 and/or deducted up to four league points, as the LFCP considers appropriate.

10. Postponement of matches

10.1	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.

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

(a)	where three or more players from a team are unable to play in a scheduled fixture because of Union representative commitments provided that the union is notified ten days prior to the commitment or within 24 hours of squad announcement, whichever period is less, the Club affected must notify the League Commissioner and the scheduled opponents in writing giving preferred alternative dates for playing the match; or

(b)	where the match referee (appointed in accordance with law 6 of the Laws of the Game), decides a match should not be played or to abandon a match because of weather conditions or for any other reason. The referees decision shall be final. If a Competition match is abandoned when sixty or more minutes have been played, then the score at the moment of abandonment shall stand and be deemed the final score in the match; or

(c)	if safety, weather or any other conditions prevent a match being played provided that the Club seeking to rearrange a fixture must notify the League Commissioner and the scheduled opponents of all circumstances regarding the proposed postponement as soon as possible.

10.3

In the event that a match is to be rearranged in accordance with Rule 10.2 the fixture will be re-scheduled for a time, date and venue as both teams shall agree or as determined by the League Commissioner in its absolute discretion (taking account of pitch availability, reasons for postponement and preferences of the scheduled opponent) in the absence of agreement, within 21 days before or after the original scheduled date or such other time as the League Commissioner may approve.

10.4

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

11. Failure to honour fixtures

11.1

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.

11.2	No match may be rearranged by agreement between Clubs without the prior written consent of the League Commissioner.
	Penalty: Each team shall be deducted one Competition point.

12. Appeals

12.1	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.

12.2

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.

13. Effect of forfeiture of 3 or more matches

Any team which forfeits 3 or more matches in the same Competition shall, in addition to any other penalty, be liable to disqualification from that Competition at the absolute discretion of the LFCP.

14. General Competition rules

14.1	First Aid cover:

(a)	teams must make their own arrangements for first aid cover in particular, by bringing with them their Union provided First Aid Kit. Neither the Union nor any referee are obliged to provide or be responsible for first aid.

(b)	before the start of a match, the referee should ask the respective teams whether they have a person who will be responsible for first aid cover. Where one or both teams have no such person, this should be taken into account for the purposes of the Referees 31 Trophy.

(c)	(where such a person is present the referee should do no more than allow an injured player to leave the field to receive treatment (which is preferable since it avoids delays in play) or allow the first aid person on to the field to administer treatment. The first aid person may come onto the field to administer treatment without notice in the case where a player is down.

(d)	Where no such person is present, the Laws of the Game provide that the referee shall make a decision as to whether the player may be replaced. There is no obligation on a referee to provide or to be responsible for first aid.

14.2

Team uniforms:

Clubs must inform the Union of the colours of their team uniform; jersey, shorts and socks. Jerseys shall be consecutively numbered with a minimum number size of 250 mm so as to be easily discernible. No two players in the same team should display the same number. Failure to comply should be taken into account for the purposes of the Referees 31 Trophy and may lead to a fine at the absolute discretion of the LFCP in accordance with guidelines that are issued from time to time by the Union.

15. League Competition rules

15.1	The Season will commence with an ADICS playoff for the 1st Division and a 3 week knockout competition for divisions 2 to 5. The top 2 teams from the ADICS playoff and PLA will then play in ADICS together with two Chinese teams.

	Whilst ADICS is being played, the top three teams from each respective lower division (from divisions 1-4) will move up a division in place of the missing ADICS teams. The 5th Division will consist of last seasons 5th Division teams. All divisions will then play a one round Round Robin called the Minor League which will last 5 weeks.

	On return of the ADICS teams, those teams that moved up a division for the Minor League to divisions 1 and 2 will return to their former divisions. The top 3 teams from the Minor League 3rd and 4th Divisions remain in their respective divisions whilst the lower 3 teams in divisions 3 and 4 from the Minor League move down a division. The Minor League 5th Division teams will remain in the 5th Division for the Major League. The Major League competition will be in a two round Round Robin format for Divisions 1-5. The 6th Division format will be determined after Clubs have confirmed their new teams.

15.2	All teams will then proceed to play in the Grand Championship, the competition format being contained in Rule 16.