Rules

DEFINITION & TERMINOLOGY

TERM

DEFINITION
Subs Team Players substituting for their team from the halfway line, on the referee’s side.
Play means the action of bringing the ball into play after a touch is affected or at the commencement or recommencement of the game. The ball must come into contact with the ground before it is passed or handed to a team mate.
Onside means in line with or behind a team mate who is legally able to participate in the game.
Defending Team is the team without the ball.
Attacking Team is the team lawfully in possession of the ball.
The Mark

is the position where the attacking player is at the time a touch is affected or of greater advantage to the non offending team at an infringement.
Halfway Mark is the point in the centre of a score line from where play is started or recommenced.
Halfway Line is the line that divides the field in half and the line, on or behind which defenders must stand, for the commencement of, or recommencement of, play.
Penalty Point is the awarding of a point to a team.
Attire is the apparel worn by players. It must consist of a minimum of Shorts and singlet or t-shirt, which must be of same colour. Footwear can be rugby boots or cross trainer shoes.
A Pass is the action of throwing or propelling the ball to a team mate who is beside (but not forward of the ball carrier), or behind the ball carrier.
Offside is being :- * In front of your team mate who has the ball, * Not retiring 5 metre after a touch, * Not retiring 5 metre after an infringement, * Being inside 5 metres of your opponent when the ball is “played”. *Not being on or behind the half way line at the commencement or recommencement of the game.
Touch is any contact on any part of the body, hair, clothing or ball and can only be made by a defending player.
Field of Play is a rectangle area 30 metres wide and 45 metre long. It is bounded by score lines and side lines, which extend 5 metres past the score line. Players must stay within these confines.
Team Mate is a player from your own team.
Team is a group of five registered players.
Infringement is a breach of the rules of the game and is subject to a player being dismissed from the field; and/or, possession being awarded to the non offending team; Infringements subject to the above actions are:
* Allowing the ball to fall to the ground whilst in possession
* Stepping prior to making a pass, after a touch, or at the commencement or recommencement of the game.
* Stepping on or outside the sidelines
* Not playing the ball when touched.
* Passing after being touched and prior to playing the ball
* Passing the ball forward
* On a change of possession, not returning the ball to the mark or handing it to the closest opponent.
* Being offside
* A defending player failing to effect a touch
* Interfering in the play the ball
* Unsportsmanlike behaviour The method of bringing the ball into play at an infringement is to simply touch the ground with the ball. The ball doesn't need to be tapped with the foot at any stage during the game.
Points are scored when the player in possession places the ball on or over their opponent’s defending score line.

General

A Current Player can only play for 1 team in a division (semi final/finals). A Current player is not allowed to play for more than 1 team in the same division (semi's & Finals).

It will be allowed for a current player to play for more than 1 team, but the teams must be in the same group. That player will be allowed to play for both teams in the Quarter Final Playoffs. If both the teams are in the same division, that player must choose and commit to 1 team for the semi's and finals. If the teams end up in different divisions, that player can represent both teams for the semi's and finals but divisions can only differ by 1. You can only play for 1 division above your current division or 1 division below. 

If a team is short on players, the team captain may get help from other team players from the same group /division. The number of player must be equal to the opposing team. Example - If a team is only 4 Players and the opposing team is 7 players then the team captain may get 3 players to help out from the same division. The league game will then be a valid game. If a team is more than 5 players they are not allowed to get help from other players.

If a current player helps a team, he/she must play a minimum of 3 games to qualify for quarter, semis and finals for that particular team. Provided the different teams are in the same group and with semi's and finals are not in the same division as his/her current team. 

Any team short on players for playoffs (Quarter, Semi's and Finals), may use players not involved with any teams currently in the season league. (Outside players). That player are not bound to the rule of playing more that 3 games for that team. 

*Any player/team not adhering to above mentioned rule, will cause their team/s to forfeit their playoff game. 

A mixed team must have at all times a minimum of 3 women on the field.

A Try scored by a female player will count as 2 points to their team.

No pay No Play – Touch Fever reserved the right to forfeit any team if there league fees is not up to date. The team captain is responsible for the team’s league fees.

Field of Play

 

TEAMS

A team will consist of five (5) players.

SUBSTITUTION

A Player can sub as many times as he likes. Thus to say, a player can appear more than once on the field in one game. A Substitution can only take place, when the defending team becomes the attacking team. The game must be static when a substitution takes place. All substitutes must be on the referee’s side of the field. A Player who wants to sub must sub on the side of the field where the referee is. No player is allowed to leave the field at the try lines end to make a sub. Players may substitute with each other at any time. Physical contact does not have to be made but the players.

MODE OF PLAY

  • The object is to score more points than your opponent.
  • The referee will affect a toss with both captains with the winner of the toss having the choice to either attack or defend as well as a choice of ends. If a drawn game results in a “Shoot-out”, the winner of the toss at the commencement of the game has the first (and same), choices for the Shoot-out.
  • The game is commenced and/or recommenced (after a point is scored) by placing the ball anywhere along the score line by the team commencing play or who were just scored against. Upon the referee blowing the whistle, the ball is picked up by an attacking player and must be passed immediately -the player picking up the ball cannot take a step before passing unless that step is part of the passing action.
  • Any infringement by the attacking team at the commenced or recommenced is a change of possession and the ball is taken by the non offending team to the halfway mark of their score line for the restart.
  • The player in possession of the ball may run or pass the ball in an attempt to negotiate the opposition. To retain possession, the attacking team must not allow the ball to touch the ground (unless after a touch to bring it back into play) - this applies even when the defending team may cause the ball to go to ground. The ball cannot be kicked.
  • If a touch is effected on a player in possession, that player must return to the mark and play the ball, (i.e. touch the ground with the ball), then immediately effect a pass, again without taking a step before passing, unless that step is part of the passing action
  • The offside lines will be determined by the referee on the side of the field. After a team loses possession of the ball, they must fall back on the mark of the referee in order to claim a touch. Any player, who doesn’t make effort to fall back to the referee’s mark, will be penalized for offside. A player busy falling back who are not interfering with the game will not be penalized for offside.
  • The ball must be allowed to be cleared after a touch is affected. Any infringement at the play the ball will result in the infringing player being ordered to take a position ten (10) metres from the mark (other player only five (5) metres). In the case of any such infringements within five metres of the score line, a penalty point may be awarded.
  • If a touch is affected on the ball in flight, by a defending player, the attacking team has advantage if they can retain the ball.
  • Any unsportsmanlike behaviour will result in the mark for the infringement being advanced five metre towards the score line.
  • A team in possession may score one point by placing the ball on or over the score line (within the boundaries of the extended sidelines), prior to, or without being touched. xiii) After scoring a point the ball is to be left on the ground at the mark, or immediately given to the closest opposition player. Failure to adhere to either of these rules may result in an immediate Penalty Point awarded against the offending team at the other end of the field. Play will recommence as per normal after a point is scored.
  • The game is of forty minutes duration played in twenty minute halves with a one minute half time break.
  • If the game is interrupted by the weather or a power failure the score as it is will stay the same if 40% of the game was completed. If not the game will be rescheduled for a other day.
  • The winner of the game is the teams with the most points.

PLAYER DISCIPLINE

  • Unsportsmanlike Behaviour is subject to a loss of possession, dismissal from the game and/or a loss of five meters for the offending player's team. It includes :- * Throwing the ball away/or very high in the air at a change of possession. * Continual breaches of the rules. * Fighting or using physical force in the game. * Back chatting referees or officials. * Tripping. * Swearing. * Any actions considered by the referee to be bad sportsmanship.
  • If a player is dismissed from the game they can no longer take part in that game but may be substituted by one of the other four team mates. The player must leave the playing area and cannot sit with the rest of the team.
  • Players may be dismissed for a period of time at the absolute discretion of the referee. A team mate may substitute for any player sent off for a period of time provided they have not been dismissed for the remainder of the game.

 

DRAWN GAMES

  • In the event of drawn games and when a single winner is required the “One Touch Sudden Death” concepts is used :-
  • The Sudden Death is a system where one team, using the whole field have to negotiate through the other team and score a point without being caught in possession (touched) and/or causing an infringement. The “Sudden Death” is commenced as per any game.
  • A team has one attempts to score points then the roles are reversed. If no result is obtained the sequence continues one set at a time until each team has completed the same number of attempts to score and a result has eventuated.

REFEREES

  • One referee will officiate at each game. He will stand outside the sidelines. He is the sole judge of the rules and matters associated with the sidelines.
  • The referee may call a defender “offside” and any subsequent contact between the defender and the player in possession will not be deemed a touch until the defender has retired to a position where they can legally affect a touch. If an illegal touch is effected the referee may call play on and/or penalise the offending player if no advantage is apparent.

REFEREE’S SIGNALS

For ease of adjudication, there are only three basic signals to be used by the referee.

They are:
a) Arm held vertically in the air to signal an infringement
b) Arm held horizontally at shoulder height to indicate what team has possession.
c) Arm pointed at an angle to the ground indicating the awarding of a point.
d) Referees will call their decisions to the players and need only acknowledge each other by a nod or affirmation before awarding a point. The arm may be held vertically in the air to signal the Tournament Control area they are ready to commence a game.

 

* The time of the games may be varied to suit the environment and skill level of
participants

* This Rules can be adjusted to cater for the environmental and outdoor conditions to ensure the safety of all participants.