Clubs
2007-2008 SEASON
Structure of the 2007 – 2008 TRU’s Men’s Club Competitions:
Premier/Division One
Each of the four RSL/Division1 teams (Austin Blacks, Woodlands, HARC, and Dallas Harlequins) will play each other home AND away — six league matches per team. Each will also play each of the six Division II teams (Huns, Bay Area, Shreveport, Baton Rouge, San Antonio, and Dallas) home OR away — six more league matches per team. Final Divisional standings will include results in all 12 league matches and be based on league points: 4 points for a win, 2 points for a draw, 1 bonus point for scoring 4 or more tries, 1 bonus point for losing by 10 points or less. The top three teams in the league will advance to the West TU Championship Playoffs. The Dallas Harlequins will not advance to the West TU playoffs.
Division Two
In the Division Two competition the six teams (Huns, Bay Area, Shreveport, Baton Rouge, San Antonio, and Dallas) play each other home OR away plus the RSL/Division One teams home OR away for a total of 9 league matches. Advancement to the West TU playoffs is based on league standings in all 9 matches using the same points system as Division One i.e. 4 points for a win, 2 points for a draw, 1 bonus point for scoring 4 or more tries, 1 bonus point for losing by 10 points or less. [Note that there will be no TRU Div.II Championship Tournament]
Division Three
The Division III competitions will consist of 2 leagues
North – Ft Sill, Denton, Diablos, Fort Worth, Arlington, DARC, Oklahoma Crusaders
South – Midland, UT Grads, Huns, Alamo City, McAllen, Corpus Christi,
Within each league each team will play each other home AND away.
The TRU State Championship playoffs will be a 4 club semi-final and final weekend State Championship. The top teams will then advance to the West TU playoffs depending upon how many seeds Texas is allocated.
Regulations Specific to TRU Premier/DI/DII League games that Count as a Western Sub-Regional League game:
All Division One and II Clubs should check the West TU website on a regular basis to ensure they are up-to-date and familiar with the latest regulations. Such regulations apply to those games between Texas Division I and II clubs that compete within the Western Sub-Regional League.
Participating Club Information
Each participating club is required to submit the following information to the Western Administrative office before the beginning of the competitive season:
[1] Complete league match schedule.
[2] A computer generated map to their home field area, and/or detailed written directions (from all directions) to their field.
[3] A complete description of their playing kit including jersey, shorts, and socks. Both the colors and design of the jerseys are required, and should include both a primary kit and an alternate playing kit, if applicable.
[4] The names, current phone number, and e-mail address for at least three club officials to be used in emergency contact situations.
The WesT TU Website will include information about the style and colors of all participating Division One clubs playing kit. Clubs are asked to discuss potential conflicts with each other well before the match to avoid last minute problems
Results Reporting
To provide accurate and timely league standings both participating clubs are required to submit the results of each league match. The West TU website will contain a submission form available to print. The form will require the names of every player in the match, the score of the match, the number of tries scored by both teams, the kick off time, the conditions of the field, the condition of the kit of both clubs, any discipline activity during the match, and the name of all persons who scored any points during the match.
The referee for the match will also submit a shorter version of the form as well.
All match report submissions must be received in the Western administrative office within 48 hours of the conclusion of the match. The score of the match must be phoned, faxed, or emailed to the administrative office within 12 hours of the conclusion of every league match. The Western Rugby Union will post the updated and current league standings after each weekend of league play. The Western administrative office will compile the results received from the match reporting process described above.
Penalties and Fines
The West TU will assess penalties and fines for failure to abide by the requirements for participation in the Regional Leagues.
Late kick Off
The offending club will be assessed a $50 fine for the first instance of late KO. For second and subsequent lateness, the fine will be $100 each instance. A club, which is consistently late for KO, may be removed from participation in the league.
Defaulting on League Matches
A defaulting club will be fined $500 for the first instance of default. Second instance will result in a $1000 fine. Additional defaults will cause a club to be removed from league participation.
Playing Kit
For EACH instance of failure to abide by the published regulations a club will be fined $50.
Field Conditions
The home club is solely responsible for the conditions of the pitch. For each instance of failure to properly mark the field, provide suitable field flags, goal post pads, and crowd control barriers the home club will be fined $50.
Submission of Match Schedule
A club that fails to submit its complete regional league match schedule on the schedule detailed above will be fined $250.
Submission of Club Information
A club that fails to provide all the required information on the schedule above will be fined $100.
Use of Ineligible Players
A club using ineligible players (as defined in terms of membership and/or nationality) in any league match will have the match declared a forfeit loss. Additionally, they will be fined $500 for the first violation and $1000 for each subsequent infraction. Clubs found guilty of using more than two ineligible players during the competitive season will be removed from participation in league play.
Use of Uninsured Players
Every player must carry an active medical insurance policy at all times. If it is found that a player played in a match without valid medical insurance in place, the club using such player will have the match declared a forfeit loss. The only exception to this penalty will be if the player fraudulently claimed he had valid medical insurance by presenting false insurance papers. If it is later found the club was complicit in the deception, the forfeiture will be reapplied. The offending player will be fined $500 and declared “ineligible” for six months from the date of infraction. Each club has to inform their players that, when the player signs his CIPP forms, he is attesting to the fact that he has the required minimum insurance. If the club fails to carry out this �due diligence � and knowingly fields a player who does not have insurance then they will be subject to severe sanctions, in addition to the match forfeiture mentioned above.