Surrey RFU
Youth League Competition
Season 2008/09

2, Woburn Close,
Frimley,
Surrey,
GU16 8NU

Telephone: 01276 509006
Mobile: 07976104552

email:- derekmugford76@hotmail.com (Weekends)
derek.mugford@uk.thalesgroup.com (Weekdays)

Dear All

Welcome to this seasons Surrey Rugby Junior Competition.

Just a quick note to put you into the picture of what happens, to whom, by whom and when! Please pass on these notes and attachments to all of your age group coaches.

For all of the “old hands” I apologise if this is teaching you to suck eggs but there may be something here that had slipped your memory and for the new club reps, welcome and I hope this tells you all you need to know.

My Name is Derek Mugford and I run the competition on a day to day basis for Surrey Rugby Youth and Schools . Peter Vernon is CB RDP Chairman ably assisted by Mark Lowe as Chairman of Management & Admin (Mark also doubles as the Surrey Registration Officer), and Rachel Wright who has recently taken over as Chairman of Surrey Minis & Youth. (You will all know Rachel from her days organising the masses at S&E). Rachel is currently sorting out a committee to help organise and adjudicate the Surrey Competition but until that committee is in place I am the person that your nominated club contact will deal with for answers to any queries. If I don’t know the answers I know people who will, so if you have any questions feel free to contact me through your rep or, if you prefer, directly.

I have placed a copy of the Season 2008/09 rules onto the Surrey website for you to peruse at your leisure, but I will outline the most important points below: -

The competition is run under standard RFU Rules, and is open to any side allocated to Surrey RFU.

To play in the competition All boys MUST be registered with your club and with the RFU Registration scheme.

Starting last season, there was a new registration initiative whereby each club can “log-in” and register their own players. Everyone has now had time to get used to this arrangement and we are looking to enforce the registration rules strictly this season, so beware, All Players Must be registered before they can play in any Surrey Competition Games.
Bear in mind that, If you field an unregistered player your side will be deducted points, so please ensure all of your players are registered.

If you have any questions on Registration, please contact Mark Lowe, 0208 3339143, 07801926774 or Mark.lowe@surreyrugby.com.

Leagues

(Generally) Each side plays all of the other sides in its league once during the season.

2 points are awarded to the winners of each game, 1 point each in the event of a draw but no points are awarded for losing. The side that amasses the most points is the League winner.

All age groups are run on a straightforward league format (with No knock out stages) with promotion & relegation up and down between the Leagues at the end of the season.

B Sides will be able to be promoted to play with the other A sides at U14’s.

When you are the home side, you, or your club representative, should contact your opponents (see attached sheet detailing all club contacts) to confirm the match details, usually a week or so before the game, and it’s also up to you to organise the referee (see under refereeing below).

Referees

We had hoped by now, to have appointed a Surrey Rugby Refereeing co-ordinator who would organise referees for all age groups, but due to various circumstances this has not been possible.

I realise that refereeing cover is a thorny issue and there are always problems associated when non-society referees are used to control League matches.

Unfortunately there are just not enough referees to go around and we are indebted to those willing volunteers who take control in a lot of the games played, especially at the younger age groups.

I must stress however that Teams should endeavour to find society cover where at all possible. (as per Rule 9.3)

Phil Dimes (London Society) is a good contact for referees but you need

To contact him early to give him chance to sort out his men.

Phil Dimes, 01932 401835

phil.dimes@londonrugby.com

So if you want Phil to supply you with Society Referees please contact him on ASAP.

Please note that due to the demands for refs and the lack of available personnel Phil can usually only try to provide coverage for U17’s upwards.

If, however, a society referee cannot be found, the home club shall attempt to find a referee who is mutually acceptable. If a referee cannot be found, the home club shall referee the first half of the game and the visiting team shall referee the second half.

Sides must inform their opposition if the referee has any connections with them and must offer the opposition the chance to provide a referee to officiate one half of the game.

Please note that non-society appointed referees should expect to be replaced at half time except where the visiting side waives their rights in this respect.

As the Home side, after the game please offer to provide your Society referee with their travelling expenses to save them the embarrassment of having to ask for them.

Rearrangement of Published games

As in previous seasons, You may still rearrange games, as long the new date is mutually acceptable to both sides.

However;
All rearranged games are to be played by the end of April

All rearranged games are to be immediately logged with the competition secretary who will keep a record of who requested the original postponement.

N.B. Most clubs will bend over backwards to set a new date, IF they are given enough warning!

If No acceptable date can be found, the side that cannot meet the published date will forfeit the game.

If you are the side that requests a postponement of a fixture, you must be aware that if that reorganised date is not met, for whatever reason, you will forfeit the game.

Result Cards
I try to update the leagues on a daily basis so getting your scores to me quickly means an end to the false impression of a team’s league position because of undeclared games.
The scores will be entered after I receive a results card.

After the match, BOTH the home side and the away side must fill out a result card, stating your team, players, Registration Numbers, opposition and the final score. The referee must then sign the card. You must keep that card for inspection if required.

A copy of that card must be sent through to me either by post or email so that I can register the result.

If you email the card to me you do not need to scan the referees signature simply transfer the details.

Result cards (by post or email) must be sent within 48 hours.

If I do not receive a result card I will not credit you with your points and I will penalise you a point. This penalty point will be refunded as soon as I receive a completed Result Card.

Please Note that this season, if I have not received a result card after 4 weeks from the fixture date the penalty point will become permanent.

See Result Card download on the Surrey website.

See attached Result Card

For the purposes of recording a result in The Competition, no team may win by a margin of more than 40 points. If a game reaches a score difference of 40 points, the referee shall suspend the game and call the team managers together, They have to agree either to end the game at that point or to continue. If they agree to continue this may be in an agreed modified form (e.g. for a reduced time period, with any number of substitutions made, restarted after coaches have had sufficient time to instruct players etc).

If a result is submitted which shows a margin of victory greater than 40 points, the winning team score shall be reduced accordingly.

Surrey RFU Website

The Surrey Web site, www.surreyrugby.com has developed over the last couple of seasons to encompass all aspects of Rugby within Surrey.

On the site, you will find a series of links, which will route you into the Youth Rugby competitions, simply select the “Youth & Schools” drop down menu, then select “Competition”, then click on “Leagues, Surrey Boys & Girls Leagues” and then choose the league you want to look at.

New Sides

All New sides will enter their age group in the lowest league of that age group, as per existing Rule 2.4

At the end of each season, ALL sides will be subject to promotion and relegation between the leagues, as per existing Rule 3.3.

Rule Changes
Please note the following Rule Changes

4.

Players must play within the correct age group as determined by date of birth (i.e. determined as being under the specified age at midnight on 31 August at the beginning of the season in which the matches are to be played).

If a team has insufficient players for the age group, those from one year younger may participate.

NB1 Players from the younger age group must not exceed 50% of the total number of players and substitutes.

5.10 If I have not received a result card after 4 weeks from the fixture date, the penalty point will become permanent

Rachel organising an All Clubs Forum, to be held on 14th October.

Please be aware that at this meeting, changes to the competition rules will be discussed.

If that Forum and the Organising Committee agree that a particular rule should be changed, the intention will be to ratify the rule change so that it effects this seasons competition.

(N.B. Any new or amended rules will retrospectively affect any games already played)

As mentioned above Rachel is currently organising a Competition Overseeing Committee.

This committee will discuss and review all Rules but especially the following :-

Rule 7.1 40 Point Rule

Rule 6.5 “A” Players playing for their “B” side

Rule 9 Validity of Referees

N.B. Until this committee has reached its conclusions these rules will remain as per detailed in the published Rules for 2008/09

Other Rule changes have been suggested by various clubs, these have been discussed but it has been agreed that the following will remain in place

*

Separate League competitions will continue for U17’s & U18’s
*

U17’s games will continue to cover the “whole season” not just the post Christmas period.
*

If a new date cannot be agreed, in the event of a match being postponed due to weather conditions, No points will be awarded to either side

The competition is based on fair play and is set up to help players progress their careers in rugby.

Although verbal support is actively encouraged there is no place for the barracking of the opposition, referee or rival supporters by players, team officials or especially from ones own supporters. Please help us to promote the game by ensuring that no untoward outbursts cause offence, intimidation or ill feeling.

Kick Off Times

As you are aware the “Standard” kick off times for League matches is 11:00 for U13’s – U17’s and 14:00 for U18’s & U19’s.

Due to various circumstances, mini’s at home, pitch congestion etc the following clubs have asked for different Kick off times. (Please check on times when arranging fixtures)

Chipstead U17’s & U18’s – 13:00 dependent on Pitch availability

Chobham U13’s – U17’s 12:00/12:30 if the mini’s are at home

Cobham U13’s – U17’s 12:30 dependent on Pitch availability

Esher U13’s – U17’s 12:30 if the mini’s are at home

Farnham U13’s – U17’s 12:30 if the mini’s are at home

Guildford U18’s 12:00 or 13:00

Haslemere dependent on Pitch availability
London Irish dependent on Pitch availability
Mitcham 12:30 dependent on Pitch availability

Old Caterhamians U18’s 11:00
Old Midwhitgiftian dependent on Pitch availability

Old Reigatians U18’s 12:30
Old Ruts dependent on Pitch availability

Reeds Weybridge 12:00

Richmond U13’s – U17’s 12:00

Weybridge Vandals U16’s – U18’s 12:30 dependent on Pitch availability

Beware that other teams may be forced to change kick off’s due to local conditions so always check with your opponents.

Surrey Youth Competition Contacts

See download on website and attached Contact list

Please check your details and let me know if any are incorrect, or if you are no longer the Club rep.

Fixtures

You should all have received a set of 2008/09 League matches Fixtures. The set on the website will be kept up to date re scores, postponements and teams scratching from the leagues. If you wish to change any of these published fixtures, Please let me know A.S.A.P.

Discipline in the Youth Game

Since the coming of the professional game and the impact of human rights requirements by Europe the size of the Disciplinary Regulations have exploded many times. This makes finding the detail difficult for the user as it now spread into the Law Book, IRB Regulations, RFU Handbook, Competitions Handbook and elsewhere. The basic principles, however, have not changed.

The overview of disciplinary matters with pointers to detailed areas will be on the new Surrey Rugby website and will be updated and maintained as any changes are announced.

Handling disciplinary matters in the Youth game is the responsibility of the Senior club which must have a formal Disciplinary Committee to oversee and control matters. All disciplinary matters such as sendings-off, abuse of officials etc. MUST be reported to the County Disciplinary Secretary both by the club and by the referee. For players below the age of 17 we will normally require the club’s disciplinary committee to hear the case and report the finding. The County have the delegated responsibility for discipline and must confirm the finding or vary it if it is not sensible. Instructions for this process will be issued to the club secretary.

Help and advice will always be given if you are not sure. Please contact::-

Mark Lowe, 0208 3339143, 07801926774 or Mark.lowe@surreyrugby.com.

I think this covers all of the areas of concern but I’m sure that others will develop as the new season starts.

If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact me,

Good luck to all your squads for the coming season

Derek Mugford

Competition Organiser

2008/09