Rules & Regulations
- All Old Boy Divisions (Over-50, Over-45, and Over-35) will play 22-minute halves for all games in the tournament including the finals. Men’s Premier, Men’s Club, Men’s Social and the Women’s Division shall play 22-minute halves in all matches leading to the finals. The Finals will consist of 25-minute halves.
- Lateness will not be tolerated, due to tight scheduling. Any team failing to take the field within five minutes of the scheduled kickoff will forfeit the contest by a 7-0 score (converted try).
- Sin Bin” (Yellow Card) lengths will be 5 minutes for games with 22-minute halves and 7 minutes for games with 25 min halves. Any player sent off for misconduct (Red Card) may be disqualified from further competition in the tournament. The game referee and the tournament committee have the final decision on a player’s ability to further compete in the tournament.
- The Old Boy Divisions will have unlimited substitutions. In all other Divisions, eight substitutes per game per team will be allowed in accordance with the laws of the game. Any player removed and substituted may take no further part in that game, but may play in subsequent matches. Any player who retires from a match due to a head injury must be examined by the medical staff before playing in subsequent matches. Per USA Rugby directive instruction from World Rugby, a player who is suffering from a definite concussion may not participate in any match or training session for a period of at least three weeks from the time of injury, and then only subject to being cleared by a proper neurological examination.
- No player may represent more than one team in the tournament. If a player has represented one team in the competition, he, thereafter, will not be allowed to represent another team in the competition. Violation of this rule shall be grounds for disqualification of the offending team from further competition, at the discretion of the Tournament Committee. At all finals, each team shall submit a roster that shows all players including substitutions. This roster shall be provided to the Tournament Committee BEFORE KICKOFF.
- Breaking Ties: A coin toss will precede a 10-minute sudden-death overtime period. If neither team scores, the winner will be determined by successive field goal tries starting at the 10-yard line and increasing distances of five yards for each additional kick required. Each team may nominate one player, that had participated in the game, to do the placekicking.Tie Breakers to determine advancement in pool play:
- Final standings will be determined within a Pool of play before standings are finalized within a Division.
- Final standings are based on a team’s record within a pool and division. If this results in a tie between teams, go to rule #3.
- The process of breaking ties in both Pool standings and Division standings between Clubs will go through the following calculations in the following order until the final standings are determined:
- Point differential in all matches played
- Total Tries Scored in all matches
- Total Tries Converted in all matches
- Head to head scores between common opponents
- Coin Toss
- For Sunday’s final games in each division, the same tiebreaker system (Rule #6) will be employed except that teams will play two 10-minute sudden-death overtime periods before moving to the placekicking option to decide the outcome. Prior to the second 10-minute overtime period, the teams will switch ends of the field.
- GAME PROTESTS regarding rosters must be made and presented to the referee before KO so that the offending team has a chance to rectify any roster issue. Other Protests must be made to the referee before he/she leaves the field of play. The referee will consult with the Tournament Committee (that includes the Referee Coordinator and Tournament Director) and a decision will be made. All decisions made by the Tournament Committee are final and binding. Teams failing to heed these decisions face automatic disqualification and possible suspension from future Can-Am Tournament play.
Other Rules:
- Scrum – Engagement Sequence: Crouch, Bind, Set. Signal ball ready to go in by tap on the shoulder or eye contact opposite put in.
- Line Out – If taken quick in front of proper mark turnover. Lineout given to the opposite team.
- Youth – No squeeze ball. Penalty. High tackle is defined as above the armpits.
