MMT Cup Rules
MMT CUP/BOWL/VASE KO COMPETITIONS REGULATIONS
- NAME
1.1 The MMT Cup/Bowl/Vase Knock-out Competition for those Teams competing in the Premier & First Division of the MMT Competition shall be known as the MMT Cup.
1.2 The MMT Knock-out Competition for those Teams competing in the Second & Third Division of the MMT Competition shall be known as the MMT Bowl.
1.3 The MMT Knock-out Competition for those Teams competing in the Fourth & Fifth Division of the MMT Competition shall be known as the MMT Vase.
- ADMINISTRATION
2.1 The MMT Knock-out Competitions shall be managed and supervised by the Middlesex Rugby (Middlesex County Rugby Football Union Ltd) who shall appoint an Organiser (the Organiser) to administer the MMT Knock-out Competitions and to whom Middlesex Rugby may delegate such powers as it deems appropriate.
2.2 The Organiser shall administer the MMT Cup/Bowl/Vase Knock-out Competitions and make such decisions as he deems appropriate to run an efficient and fair competition provided only that any such decision must not be contrary to these regulations, the rules and regulations of Middlesex Rugby, the rules and regulations of the Rugby Football Union or the Laws of the Game.
2.3 The Organiser shall have the power to alter or amend these regulations, as he deems necessary in order to run an efficient and fair competition, provided only that no regulations may be changed, other than in exceptional circumstances, once the competition has started.
2.4 Any decision of the Organiser will be final and binding on all Clubs and teams in the MMT Cup/Bowl/Vase Knock-Out Competitions subject to any Clubs right to appeal in accordance with MMT Regulation 17.
2.5 Teams in these competitions have the right to play under some or all of the new RFU GAME ON Regulations provided both sides in the match agree to play by some or all of the regulations before the match commences. If agreement is not reached between the two sides the match will be played under these MMT Cup/Bowl/Vase Regulations.
2.6 See the following link for all the GO Regulations Game On (englandrugby.com)
- ELIGIBILITY OF CLUBS
3.1 Only Clubs that are competing in the current season’s MMT competition may enter a MMT Cup/Bowl/Vase Knock-out Competitions.
- ELIGIBILTY OF PLAYERS
4.1 A team may only select players who would normally play for that team in the current season’s MMT competition. Failure to comply with this regulation will see the side removed from this competition.
- STRUCTURE
5.1 There shall be three MMT Knock-out Competitions known as the Cup, Bowl and Vase.
5.2 A Club may have more than one team in each of the MMT Cup/ Knock-out competitions.
5.3 If a Club has two teams in one of the MMT Knock-out Competitions they shall be placed in different halves of the draw.
5.4 A team that plays in a lower division of the MMT Knock-out Competition shall have home advantage at all stages of the competition up to and including the Semi-Finals if drawn to play a team in a higher division.
5.5 All stages of the MMT Knock-out Competitions up to and including the semi-finals shall be played at the home ground of the first named team in the draw subject to 5.4 above.
5.6 First Round matches of each MMT Knock-out Competition shall be played on Saturday 10th September 2022.
5.7 The Quarter Finals of each MMT Knock-out Competition shall be played on Saturday 7th January 2023
5.8 The Semi-Finals of each MMT Knock-out Competition shall be played on Saturday 25th March 2023
5.9 The Finals of each MMT Knock-out Competition shall be played on Saturday 15th April 2023 at a ground to be determined by the organiser.
- DRAWN MATCHES
6.1 If at the end of normal time in all rounds apart from the final, the scores are level there will be no extra time. Instead, the side that has scored the most tries will progress to the final. If the tries are the same, then the away side will go through.
6.2 If at the end of normal time in a Final the scores are level, there shall be a two-minute break. After this break, the teams will change ends and there shall be a period of extra time between the teams of 10 minutes each way, with a one-minute interval.
6.3 If the scores are then still level the teams will change ends and ‘sudden death’ will be played. Play will continue with the teams changing ends every ten minutes. The team scoring first during ‘sudden death’ will be deemed the winner
- FIXTURES
7.1 The Organiser shall arrange the draw and notify the teams.
7.2 Double header matches (whether league/league or league/knock-out) shall be permitted provided both sides are in agreement and permission is obtained from the Organiser prior to the match. Where there is no agreement between the sides or permission is not obtained from the Organiser the fixture will not be played as a double header.
7.3 The home team shall be responsible for organising the referee and paying his expenses.
7.4 The home team shall use its best endeavours to secure the services of a referee from the London Society of Rugby Football Union Referees (“LSRFUR”).
7.5 In the event of the LSRFUR being unable to appoint a referee the home team shall be responsible for providing a competent referee.
7.6 The home team shall be responsible for informing the referee of these Regulations.
7.7 If in the opinion of the referee there is a colour clash the home team shall change its shirts.
7.8 The Organiser’s permission must be obtained for any match to be played at a ground, which is not the home ground of either of the teams involved. The Organiser’s permission will not be withheld unless he believes that the choice of venue unreasonably disadvantages the away team.
7.9 All other arrangements shall be made as for usual Club fixtures.
- ABANDONED MATCHES
8.1 Weather Conditions (which shall be deemed to include bad light in the sole opinion of the referee)
Less than 50 Minutes Played
- In the event of the abandonment then both teams will use their best endeavours to ensure that the match is played at the earliest possible date. If the teams cannot agree, the match shall be played at time, date and venue as specified by the Organiser.
50 or more Minutes Played
- If a match is abandoned because of weather conditions when fifty or more minutes have been played, then the score at the moment of abandonment shall stand and be deemed the final score in the match. The Referee’s decision as to the necessity for abandonment and the number of minutes played at the moment of abandonment shall be final.
8.2 Other Reasons
If the Referee finds it necessary to abandon a match for any reason other than weather conditions, then, irrespective of the number of minutes played, the result of that match shall be reviewed and determined by the Organiser who may order the match to be replayed and/or impose such other sanction as he deems appropriate or determine whether the score at the time of the abandonment will be the result.
- UNPLAYABLE PITCHES
9.1 A match shall only be postponed if either captain regards the pitch as unplayable. The referee’s opinion may be sought, but it is the captains’ decision whether to play the match or not. If the captains cannot agree then the match shall not be played and the matter shall be reported, by the home team, to the Organiser. If in the Organiser’s opinion a Captain unreasonably refused to play then the Organiser may award the tie to the other team. In reaching his decision the Organiser may consult the referee.
9.2 If a match is postponed then both sides will make every reasonable effort ensure that the match is played at the earliest date before the next round. If sides cannot agree then the match will be played on a date, time and venue as specified by the organiser. This can include a neutral venue and a midweek match under floodlights. A failure by either side to honour the fixture once specified by the organiser shall be taken that they have forfeited the match and the non-offending side will be deemed to have won the game and will progress into the next round of the competition.
- NOTIFICATION OF RESULT/POSTPONEMENT
The home team is responsible for notifying the Organiser of the result or of the cancellation of the league Cup/Bowl/Vase match by 10.00am on the morning after the match has been played.
- REPLACEMENTS
11.1 Up to and including the Final teams will be allowed a maximum of four replacements.
11.2 Up to and including the Final teams must have four players in their team capable of playing in the front row.
11.3 Up to and including the Final teams are required to be able to replace any position in the front row on the first occasions that a replacement is required.
11.4 If both sides in the final agree the number of replacements can be increased to five provided that the team(s) have five players capable of playing in the front row and that they replace any position in the front row on both the first and second time of asking.
- PLAYER INTERCHANGES
12.1 MMT Regulations apply.
- UNCONTESTED SCRUMS PRERMIER and DIVISION 1
13.1 MMT Regulation 15 applies and not MMT Regulation MMT 15 A
13.2 MMT Regulation 16 applies to the Cup and 16 A applies to the Bowl & Vase Competitions except for the final where the game cannot start with uncontested scrums.
- APPEALS
14.1 MMT Regulation 17 applies.
- RFU Regulation 6 – Adult Competitions
15.1 Where an issue is not covered in these regulations the competition organiser will rely on those covered in RFU Regulation 6 – Adult Competitions.
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