TRU Women’s D3 Guidelines

UPDATE June 2024: The Women’s D3 Cup starting in 2024 won’t follow these guidelines.

This year we’re relaxing the women’s D3 structure to allow for true growth and maximum game time. The aim of this structure is to maximize ball in play time, and player development in a set up with more transferability to XV’s than traditional 7s. This should allow clubs to accelerate the growth of new players quicker and more effectively, while providing high involvement levels for experienced players and a competitive environment as you build numbers towards a XV’s squad.

Format and Pitch

10s

Play occurs lengthways (like a normal rugby match) but the 5 meter lines will be considered touch or dead ball. Use cones to indicate the new touchlines and dead ball area.

Tries are scored in the area between the 5 meter line and the normal try line.

7s

Play occurs on only half the field using the 5 meter line as try line and touch line as dead ball. Use cones to mark new touch lines out as 5 meter inside half way and 5 meter line in from the try line (this gives us the ability to run two games on one pitch simultaneously).

Play time

10’s halves are 10 minutes in duration with a 2 min half time.

7s halves are 7 minutes in duration with a 2 min half time.

Conversions

To maximize play time, conversions are not taken until end of game. This maximizes in game time and allows for “normal” XV’s conversions to be taken ie from tee at that time. Where both teams have had conversions, kickers should take them alternatively.

Penalties & free kicks

To be tapped and played in both variants – cannot be kicked for touch.

Scrum

3 players

5 players in event of 10s variant

Discipline

Yellow card = 2 minutes in sin bin

Red card eliminates play for remainder of games for that day

Lineout/Tackle/Breakdown and all other areas not mentioned standard laws apply.

We do ask that referees still submit cards if issued in WTR. TRU DC will review with understanding that matches are much shorter in duration.

Player selection

Clubs may loan players across WD3 clubs without restrictions.

Clubs loaning from a D2 or D1 team should do so on the honor system as the intent is to make sure new players are getting game time.

Competition

4 Teams (2 hours including time between games)

1 v 2

3 v 4

2 v 3

4 v 1

2 v 4

3 v 1

3 Teams

10 min break between fixtures and potentially back to back games. Would prefer four teams at each event if at all possible.