RRRC 7s Qualifier Tournament Rules and Regulations

General Provisions:

• Eligible teams that would like to participate in the RRRC 7s Series must be in good standing with USA Rugby, the Red River Rugby Conference (RRRC) and the Texas Rugby Union (TRU).
• If applying from outside the RRRC or the TRU, the team must be in good standing with a Geographic Union (GU) or a Local Area Union (LAU) and be approved by the RRRC Competitions Committee and the USA Rugby 7s Game Management Board. In order to be approved, teams must: submit a formal request to compete via email to the 7s Director.
• Teams must declare by the week before the tournament whether they are competing for TOLA or RRRC points.
• All RRRC teams must compete in three national qualifying tournaments, but one may be outside of the RRRC.  No qualifying points will be awarded for RRRC for any tournament outside of the RRRC.
• Each team will be required to check in with the RRRC Competitive Region Sevens Director or RRRC Representative with the required photo identification prior to their first match.
• Players may only play for one club in the tournament. A team that uses an ineligible player will forfeit that match and will be disqualified from the tournament.
• A match shall be played by no more than seven players in each team on the playing area. A player may be replaced on account of injury or substituted. A team cannot nominate more than five replacements/substitutes; up to five players may be replaced or substituted per game. A team may substitute the same player more than once as long as no more than 5 substitutions are made in total (World Rugby Law 3.4). See World Rugby Law 3.13 for exception. Temporary replacement for a blood injury to a player is permitted only at the referee discretion.
  1. Player Eligibility: Teams will be able to carry rosters comprised of 9 U.S. citizens and a maximum of 3 or 4 * legally-residing non-citizens at Club 7s qualifiers and the USA Rugby Club 7s National Championship. This change is to simplify individual player eligibility. * Each Roster may include a maximum of three (3) players who are not U.S. citizens or four (4) provided that one of these players is a Green Card holder.
  2. Roster Size: At events with approved tournament doctors, teams may also carry a 13th ‘traveling reserve player.’ Traveling reserves may only participate if one of the 12 rostered participants is ruled medically unable to compete for the remainder of the event by the approved tournament doctor.
• Only players, the referee, touch judges and medically trained persons may enter the playing area in order to tend to an injured player. During the interval, coaches, water boys and camera crews 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.
• A player sent off (red card) during any match is ineligible for the remainder of the tournament. Two yellow cards in a match is a red card.
• Any team arriving more than 5 (five) minutes after scheduled kick-off will forfeit the match. {At the discretion of the non-offending captain, the remaining time may be used to play an abbreviated match, but the result will remain a forfeit.}
• Teams are responsible for the behavior of their sidelines and are asked to pick up after themselves.
• Each team will be expected to provide a capable touch judge for all games in pool play. While it is preferred that players in this role complete the Level 1 Referee Course and have completed referee or Assistant Referee courses, it is expected that anyone filling this role complete their task in a fair and unbiased fashion in accordance with the law of the game and the wishes of the referee assigned to the match for which they are providing touch judge services. Failure to comply with this could result in disciplinary action taken against the team providing the touch judge up to and including forfeiture of matches, removal from tournaments or expulsion from the competition series.

Tournament Scoring

• 1st Place: 6 points
• 2nd Place: 5 points
• 3rd Place: 3 points
• 4th Place: 1 point

National Competition Changes:

Jurisdiction over the Club National 7s competition lies with the Sevens Game Board.  Eligibility changes and updates to national game board regulations can be found at: https://usa.rugby/eligibility.

Hybrid format for Red River Qualifiers #2 & #3:

In order to encourage increased participation and raise the level of competition within the Red River and TOLA competitions, a modified Hong Kong Style format will be used for the second (Spring, TX) and third (Location TBD) RRRC.  This format will combine RRRC qualifier and TOLA teams during pool play.  Teams will declare a week in advance of the tournament date whether they are seeking to earn TOLA or RRRC points.  (Note that if a club enters two teams in the 2D or 3D Qualifiers, one TOLA team and one RRRC team, the TOLA and RRRC rosters are locked.  Players may not cross-over between competitions / teams in the same tournament.).  In the event of a conflict between these rules and the TOLA Rules & Regulations in Qualifiers #2 & #3, the RRRC 7s Rules & Regs will apply.

Brackets and Seeding

Brackets for all RRRC Sevens Qualifiers must be approved by the RRRC Sevens Directors and following one of the pre determined formats (4, Team, 8 Team, 10 Team, etc…) as outlined in document “RRRC Qualifier Official Brackets.” Seeding will be done as follows:

• Seeding for the first tournament of the competition season will be based on previous years finish in the competition standings. Teams with no previous history in the competition will be seeded on a best effort basis by the RRRC Sevens Director according to reputation and non-qualifying competition history.
• RRRC 7s subcommittee will be responsible for all seeding and tournament bracket scheduling and format for any qualifier event. Tournament seeding will be based on a team’s performance at qualifying RRRC/TOLA hybrid tournaments, not on standings in RRRC or TOLA. If a “seeding tournament” is identified prior to first qualifier tournament, results of seeding tournament will be used to determine ranking for first qualifying tournament, if no seeding tournament is identified, the 7s committee will seed teams based on previous year’s performance, overall performance history and competitive reputation. An effort will be made to avoid placing two teams from the same origin club in the same pools during pool play.
  • If multiple teams are tied for tournament seeding, seeding hierarchy will be based on the following (from current competitive cycle):
  • (Head to head results – winning percentage): The team with the highest winning percentage against the team or teams with which they are tied shall receive the higher seed, if a tie still remains unresolved, then:
  • (Head to head results – average point differential per match) The team with the highest point differential average in head to head matches shall receive the higher seed, if a tie still remains unresolved, then:
  • (Average tournament result – ie. One 2nd place and one 4th place = 3rd place average) The team with the highest average tournament result shall receive the higher seed, if a tie still remains unresolved, then:
  • (Highest tournament finish) the team that achieved the highest result in any one qualifying tournament shall receive the higher seed. If the tied teams achieved the same results over multiple tournaments, the team achieving the highest result in the most recent tournament within the competitive cycle will receive the higher seed, if a tie still remains unresolved, then:
  • (Coin Toss) The tie will be resolved by the toss of a coin between the Team Managers concerned by the RRRC Sevens Director or RRRC representative.

Pool Play (round robin) Matches

Play in the pool phase of the tournament will consist of matches between teams in the same pool on a round robin basis. (Pool Play) No extra time will be played in pool matches. Points will be awarded for these matches on the following basis:

Win = 3 points Draw = 2 points Loss = 1 points No show = 0 points

If a Team willfully refuses to play, or willfully abandons a Match in progress, without the prior consent of the Match Referee, then, subject to confirmation by the Disputes Committees, that Team will be expelled from the Tournament.

If a Team has been expelled from the Tournament, for whatever reason, then 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 for the purposes of determining standings in the pool competition table, 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.

Tie Breaker Rules

Position in the pool competition table shall be determined by competition points as set out above with the highest to lowest points ranked in each pool. In case of two or more teams having the same point total the following tie breaker rules shall apply:

• (Head to Head) If at the conclusion of the pool stage two Teams are equal on competition points for any position in the pool, such position in the pool competition table 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 competition table. If the Head to Head match is a draw or multiple teams are equal in Head to Head competition then the following process shall be used to determine the placing.
• (Head to Head – Delta Score) The margin of points scored for and against a Team in only those matches between the tie breaker teams shall be considered. The Team with the highest positive margin of points shall be ranked higher in the pool competition table: If the tie remains unresolved then:
• (Head to Head – Delta Tries) The margin of tries scored for and against a Team in only those matches between the tie breaker teams shall be considered. The Team with the highest positive margin of tries shall be ranked higher in the pool competition table: If the tie remains unresolved then:
• (Head to Head – Total Points Scored) The Team that has scored the highest number of points in only those matches between the tie breaker teams shall be ranked higher in the pool competition table: If the tie still remains unresolved then;
• (Total point Differential) The Team that has achieved the greatest point differential in ALL their pool Matches shall be ranked higher in the pool competition table: if the tie still remains unresolved then:
• (Total Points For) The Team that has scored the most points in ALL their pool Matches shall be ranked higher in the pool competition table: if the tie still remains unresolved then:
• (Total Points Against) The Team that has allowed the least amount of points scored against them in ALL their pool Matches shall be ranked higher in the pool competition table: if the tie still remains unresolved then:
• (Tournament Seed) The Team with the higher seed entering the tournament shall be ranked higher in the pool competition table: if the tie still remains unresolved, then:
• (Total Tries Scored) The Team that has scored the highest number of tries in ALL their pool Matches shall be ranked higher in the pool competition table: if the tie still remains unresolved then:
• (Total Score) The Team that has scored the highest points in ALL their pool Matches shall be ranked higher in the pool competition table: if the tie still remains unresolved then:
• (Coin toss) The tie will be resolved by the toss of a coin between the Team Managers concerned by the RRRC Sevens Director or RRRC representative.

Qualifier Bracket (Knock Out) Round

During the Knock-out Competitions, 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 five minutes. After each period the Teams will change ends without interval. In extra time the Team which scores the first try will immediately be declared the winner without further play.

Before extra time starts, the referee organizes a toss. The winner of the toss decides whether to kick off or choose an end. If the winner of the toss decides to choose an end, the opponents must kick off and vice versa.

The Team that first kicked off will do so again in the first period of extra time, and subsequent kick-offs will alternate between the two sides.

The duration of Matches, will be seven minutes each half with a one-minute half time interval.

Abandonment of a match (unwillfully)

Apart from the willful abandonment of a match and subsequent expulsion the following shall apply. In the event of a Match having to be stopped after its commencement under the provisions of the Laws of the Game, then subject to confirmation by the Disputes Committee, the following procedure shall apply:

Pool Matches:

• Where a pool Match has been abandoned either at half-time or at any time in the second half the result and any points and tries scored by each team in the match shall stand.
• Where a pool Match has been abandoned during the first half the result shall be declared a draw.
• Where a pool Match has been declared a draw then for that Match each Team will be awarded two Match points and any points and tries scored will count towards the total points and tries scored by each Team in all their pool matches.

Knock Out Matches:

• 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 Team having scored the most tournament points shall be declared the winner. If this does not produce a winner then the team that scores the most Try’s in the tournament shall be declared the winner. 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 Disputes Committee which shall decide the most appropriate method for determining the winner of the tied knock out Match.
• If a Match has been abandoned during the first half the result shall be declared a draw and the Team having scored the most tournament points shall be declared the winner. If this does not produce a winner then the team that scores the most Try’s in the tournament shall be declared the winner. 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 Disputes Committee which shall decide the most appropriate method for determining the winner of the tied knock out Match.

Tournament:

• If a tournament must be abandoned due to unforeseen circumstances prior to its completion, all teams will receive the maximum available points for which they are still eligible at the point in time that the tournament is abandoned.
• Host teams will refrain from creating conflicting divisions such as “open, social, super social, etc” that discourage participation in RRRC/TOLA hybrid competition. Exceptions may be made for large tournaments with an adequate amount of registered RRRC/TOLA teams participating. Any exceptions must be approved by RRRC 7s committee prior to announcing tournament registration.

Withdrawal:

• If a team withdraws from a tournament prior to the release of the schedule, the tournament will be re-seeded according to the amount of teams expected to participate.
• If a team withdraws from a tournament after the release of the schedule, the team will be disqualified from national tournament advancement and the host club will be asked to enter a replacement team. Tournament schedule will not be amended after it is published for late entries or withdrawals. While an effort will be made to find a replacement team for the late withdrawal (such as the host B-side), the schedule will stand as published (with replacement team slotting in to the scheduled matches of the withdrawing team – there will be no reseeding). If no such replacement is available, the abandoned games shall be treated as a bye and the score shall be recorded as a 18-0 win. Late withdrawal teams will be barred from gaining RRRC or TOLA points for current competitive cycle and may face a 5 point deduction for following competitive cycle.

Disputes & Disciplinary Committee

The Disputes committee for each Tournament shall be comprised of the RRRC Sevens Director or RRRC Representative, the Tournament Host/Director and the Head Referee for that Tournament.

Example of Combined RRRC / TOLA Format for Qualifiers #2 & #3:

 As a hypothetical example, if 12 teams register for a tournament and 4 of those teams declare that they are seeking RRRC points, the tournament format would feature 4 pools of 3 teams. Teams would play 2 pool play matches from which seeding into the knockout rounds will be determined (see illustrations below). The top teams from each pool would then advance to the Cup/Plate round, the second place teams in each pool would play for the Bowl, and the third place teams in each pool would play for the Shield.  At the end of the tournament, teams will be ranked by their finish, and the highest finishing team that declared it was playing for RRRC points will be awarded top RRRC points, the next highest finishing RRRC team will be awarded second place RRRC points, and so on.  Similarly, the top finishing TOLA team will be awarded top TOLA points, the TOLA team finishing second highest of the TOLA teams in the tournament will get second place TOLA points, etc.

The pools, knockout round brackets, and results in the hypothetical example above would look something like this:

Pools:

Knockout Round Brackets:

Tournament Results: