MT - Mahu Specific Rules

Mahu Touch Rules & Regulations

PLAYING RULES OF THE GAME

TNZ FIT Playing rules of touch 5th edition will apply unless otherwise stated:

Year 1 & 2 teams play on half a touch field and are participation games only. Coaches are expected on the field guiding their team and being the games referee. No paid referees will be provided for these games - you may have trainee refs.
Year 1 & 2 are still learning the game of touch so the following applies:

Defence cannot move until the dummy half has passed the ball.
The coaches can allow a bit of flexibility with ‘forward passes’, ‘off the mark’ , and drop ball when trying to pass the ball.
It is encouraged that you replay the ball when a forward pass has been executed and teach them to pass backwards.
When players run out of field - this counts as a touch 7 mtrs in from the sideline from where they ran out - not a hand over.
Coaches should show courtesy to the opposition to allow them to get organise and set up on defence.

Year 3 & 4 coaches may support the players on the field for the first three weeks. Players on defense can only run forward when dummy half has passed the ball.

SCORING & POINTS SYSTEM:

Scoring will be done using the MyTouch Manager app. The manager of each team / or another appointment parent of the team will be standing next to each other and keeping score of the game - making sure it is a fair. The referee will have a hardcopy version of the score as well. More info on this will be forwarded to your coach and manager at the beginning of the season.
Points to be awarded: WIN: 3 DRAW 2 LOSS 1 DEFAULT 0
In the weekly competition, draws count.
Ladder is automatically populated by the system as it is now all managed by our Sporty / SKED system.

VENUE:

Keep off fields when closed. Closures are announced on Auckland Council website from 2pm. We will notify managers by email, text and on our Facebook page.
NO DOGS are allowed off leash or on the fields (on or off leash) at any time.
Training can be booked by email. Available times are Tuesday between 3pm – 6pm at rugby fields.

DRAWS

TEAM FORMATION / REGISTRATION

Teams must have a min of 6 players and max 10 players to allow children to spend more time playing than on the sideline.
Mixed teams meaning both made up of male and female players - there has to be a min of 3 girls & min 3 boys per team registered.
No All boys / male teams or all girls / female teams can enter this Mixed Team touch competiton.

TEAM FORMATION ON FIELD

A maximum of 4 boys and 4 girls can be on field at any time. If you are short of girls you must still only play with 4 boys and vice versa. Eg : on the day you have 6 boys and 1 girl - you can only field 4 boys and the 1 girl and play with only 5 players, you cannot field 5 boys and 1 girl to make up 6 players.
ALL players must be registered - this is a safety issue. Additional or replacement players must be registered before they take the field (if you have 10 players in a team registered you can only do this if one has dropped out for the season)
Players may only play for their registered team - should they sub from another team they must be in the same grade or grade below AND it must be okayed by the opposition team on the day. If Okayed that player must keep his own Team shirt on and not a matching one so it is visible to all that he is not from the same team and unable to score tries.
All Players must play from the start of the season through to the end. Three consecutive defaults will mean the team is withdrawn from the competition.

FINALS

During Final Games (Semis, and Grand Final) only players registered in the same team can be fielded - no subs from other teams or unregistered players allowed to play any finals game - including to make up the necessary numbers on field.

UNIFORM

All players must wear identical shirts by week 3; numbers are optional for Junior Teams.
Should a player be on field without a matching team shirt that player wont be able to score trys (make sure that player is a registered player for your team)
No player is to play in bare feet.
Rugby/soccer/touch boots are fine as long as they have moulded sprigs, no metal.

CANCELLATIONS

Cancellations will be broadcast by 2.15pm via the Mahu Touch Facebook page and team co-ordinators will be sent a text. If we are forced to cancel, that night’s game will not be replayed. Always follow the draw dates.

DEFAULTS

Defaults must be registered with the Module Administrator (Alexa / Hannah) by 12.00 noon on the day of play via email only!
The Module Administrator will then be responsible to inform the opposition.
If no notification is received from a defaulting team, they will be given a warning. If non-notification occurs a second time that teams place in the competition will be jeopardized.
Please note: A team will be considered to be in default should they not field a team within the first ten minute period of the game. For every two minutes that a team is late, from the start time of the game, then one touchdown will be awarded against that team to a maximum of five touchdowns.

REFEREEING

The referee is the sole judge on matters of fact and is required to adjudicate on the rules of the game during play.
Instances of players commenting on refereeing decisions, to the referee, during the game will not be tolerated.
We seek the team coordinators’ co-operation in ensuring that referees are shown every courtesy in their demanding job.
Remember that without our referees we don't have a touch module to run!

DISCIPLINE & PLAYER MISCONDUCT

Violence will not be tolerated in any form from any player, coach, referee or spectator. The fore mentioned must all abide by the Mahurangi Rugby Junior Touch Code of Conduct.
All teams are held responsible for the behaviour of their supporters.
An automatic two week suspension will be placed on any player who is ordered off the field by a referee.

PROTESTS

The only protests accepted shall be ones involving a violation of playing rules or the use of an ineligible or unregistered player.
A protest that involves referee's judgments shall not be accepted.
Protests must be submitted to the Module Manager within 30 minutes of the completion of the game.