COMPETITION RULES


1. TEAM COMPOSITION

a) To be eligible to play in the SP Cup competition, a player must register with an SP Cup team using the prescribed form and following the procedures laid down in Appendix 'A'.

b) Transfers between SP Cup teams are permissible provided the procedures for clearances and transfers laid dawn in Appendix 'A' are observed

c) Seventeen (17) players only shall be named for any match. For away matches, the competition will provide for a maximum of 21 persons' air or road travel, except where the team has to play more than one game on the same away trip.

d) Each SP Cup team must nominate to PNGRFL its final 17 players for any match by the Wednesday prior to the match and failure to do so shall incur a fine.

e) Players not selected for a particular match are eligible to play for their club of origin.


2. MATCH RULES


a) All matches shall be conducted under the Rugby League International Federation Rules of the Game and the PNGRFL Standard Competition Rules, and The Safeplay Code, where applicable.


b) Matches will be of two forty (40) minute halves with injury time added. Half-time break shall be of ten (10) minutes duration


c) Teams shall be permitted to make unlimited interchanges with the replacement player reporting to the interchange referee before entering the field.


d) During the round-robin series, a win shall count for two (2) points, a draw one (1) point and a loss no points. A Bye is worth 2 points.

e) Scheduled kick-off time shall be 3.00 p.m. for all matches save where varied by the

Competition Management Committee, eg “Double Headers”




f) Should a match be cancelled due to air problems or adverse weather conditions, each team shall be awarded one (1) point. The decision on cancellations shall rest with the competition organisers.


3. QUALIFYING FINALS


a) The qualifying finals Shall be contested between the top five (5) teams:

Week 1: Preliminary Semifinals: A: 4th V 5thth ( Winner plays minor semifinal

Loser eliminated )

B. 2nd V 3rd (Winner plays Major semi final

(Loser plays minor semi final)


MINOR PREMIER ON STAND BY FOR MAJOR SEMI FINAL


Week 2: Minor semi final C: Winner of A vs Loser of B

(winner plays preliminary final Loser eliminated)

Major Semi final D: Winner B vs Minor Premier

(Winner goes straight to Grand final

loser plays preliminary final)

Week 3: Preliminary Final . E; Winner C v Loser D (Loser eliminated)

Week 4: Grand Final: Winner D v Winner E

Venues for the respective finals will be, decided by the competition organisers.

b) Where two or more teams are tied on points after the allotted rounds, their respective position shall be determined by the following criteria:

i) most wins;

ii) if equal, percentage for and against.

iii) if equal, most tries scored;


c) If the scores are tied after extra time in the FINAL SERIES GAMES ONLY, there will be ten (10) minutes extra time each way and Golden point will apply ; Game will be decided by the team who scores the first point in extra time.


Should the score still be level, at the end of extra time, the following criteria shall be followed to determine the winner

i) most tries scored;

ii) if tries equal, the first try shall determine the winner;

iii) if no tries scored, the side scoring first points;

iv) if no score, the side which was awarded the most penalties shall be declared the winner.



4. FORFEITS

a) A team shall forfeit a match in the following circumstances:

i) where the referee or appointed match official submits a report stating that the team had deliberately abused the rules of the game fielding more than 13 players.

ii) where more than four replacement players are used;


iii) where a coach is unregistered;

iv) where a player is unregistered or under suspension.

b) In cases ii) to iv) above, it shall be the responsibility of the non-offending team to lodge an appeal in accordance with Rule 5 (c). However, the match official may also award a forfeit without receiving an appeal if he is aware of transgressions under ii), iii) or iv).


c) In all cases under 4 a), the offending team shall forfeit match points but the score shall be recorded;


d) A team shall also forfeit a match in the following circumstances:


i) where it fails to field the minimum number of eight players ten (10) minutes after the referee blows time on for the commencement of play;


ii) where a team leaves the field before the referee signals full time or refuses to comply with the referee's instructions to continue play, or fails to contest extra time in the finals.

e) In cases d i) and ii) above, the match points shall be awarded to the non-offending team with a score-line of 20-0 recorded.

f) In addition to the forfeiture of match points for a team winning or drawing a game, if the losing team is guilty of an offence under Rule 4 a), it shall be fined an amount not exceeding K5000.00.

5 DISPUTES

a) The referee's decision is final at all times and no match result shall be altered as a result of complaints against the referee. Competition organisers may act upon complaints against a referee's performance if necessary.

b) Match results shall not be affected by disputes over time-keeping. Again competition organisers may investigate claims against the time keeper and take such action as is deemed necessary. It shall be the responsibility of both teams to provide timekeeper observers.

c) Disputes over registration or qualification of players shall be, determined by the organising committee. Protests in writing must be handed to the nominated match official immediately upon completion of the match.


6. MISCONDUCT

a) All matters of misconduct as defined in Section 19 of the PNGRFL Constitution shall be dealt with in accordance with powers vested in the "National Judiciary." Local Judiciary Chairman along with the managers of the two competing teams, deal with dismissals from the ground, and players put on report, and adjudicate using the referees report on ‘Referees Dismissal/ Put on Report’ Form. Penalties should be in accordance with PNGRFL Constitution Section 19 Misconduct By Laws 19.2


b) The National Judiciary Committee will meet at 5:30 p.m. each Tuesday during the competition to deal with cases, which may arise. It is the responsibility of the teams to ensure that players dismissed, or cited to appear, are in attendance or are represented at the appropriate hearing.

7. MATCH OFFICIALS

a) Match referees and touch judges shall be, appointed by the organising committee in consultation with PNGRFLRA Touch judges must be registered and ticketed referees.

b) Scorers and Time keepers shall be the responsibility of the host centre.

c) One "match official" who shall be responsible for all aspects of the fixture shall be, appointed by the organising committee. Wherever and whenever possible, this person shall be an official of PNGRFL.

8. LOCAL RULES

a) The "sin-bin" may be employed for 10 minutes duration at the discretion of the match referee. (Offenders shall be directed to the bench or dressing room, not behind goalposts).

b) The "head-bin shall not be employed.

c) Each team shall be allowed a maximum of four (4) substitute players and 3 officials on the trainer's bench. If the team has a qualified doctor, he may be added to the normal 3 officials.


d) The trainer is the only team official allowed onto the field of play, whilst play is in progress. Team doctors may enter the field only during a break in play and with the permission of the match referee.

e) There is no time limit on "blood-bin."



APPENDIX 'A'

SP CUP Player Registration and Transfer Regulations


1. Number of Players

a) A club shall be limited to twenty-five (25) players on its register at any time.


b) Registration of players additional to this number may be permitted only upon release of players to accommodate replacements.

2. Registration Period

a) A club may only register or re-register players upon formal acceptance into the competition for any given year.

b) Players once registered with a club, remains so registered until the 31st December of the year of competition, subject to clause c) below.

c) Should a club fail to meet requirements for acceptance into the competition by the due date prescribed by the organising committee, its players shall automatically be deemed to be "free agents". Subsequent admission to the due date would require the club to register players on the basis of availability.

3. Eligibility for Registration

In order to be eligible for registration with a club, a player must satisfy the following criteria:

a) He must not be on the current register of another SP Cup club.

b) He must be resident within 150 km of the home ground of the club with which he intends to register.

c) He must be free of any current suspension imposed within or outside PNG by any sporting body.

4. Acceptance of Registration


The date of registration of a player shall be deemed to be that date at which the SP Cup organising committee or its delegate signs the original copy of the completed registration form. Forms completed but not signed by the SP Cup Committee shall be of no effect.

5. Transfers / Clearance

a) A club may grant an open clearance to a registered player at any time, should his services no longer be required;


b) A player whose work entails a transfer shall be granted a clearance from his club or registration provided he has no outstanding debts with the club.


Such clearance shall only be approved where the job transfer is for a minimum of eight weeks duration and shall not be permitted for recreation leave or other absence from work.

c) Where a club withholds clearance of a player on financial grounds, it must justify such decision to the competition Management Committee.

d) A player registered with a club may seek release from that Club for reasons other than work transfer.

Such release shall be subject to financial clearance as above and the player shall then be free to register with another club.

A player so released shall be subject to a stand down period of two matches from the date of release and may only register for another club provided his registration is completed prior to the closure of registrations i.e. four weeks prior to the Finals series.

e) A player seeking release from a club shall be entitled to a fair hearing by the club and may, where necessary, seek assistance form the Competition Management Committee to expedite such clearance if it is considered to be unreasonably withheld or delayed.

f) A club which seeks to obtain clearance of a player registered with another club must comply with the following procedures:

i. First obtain a letter of intent from the player concerned, specifying that he wishes to transfer to that club;

ii. Upon receipts of same, write to the player's club of registration, copied to the Competition Management Committee seeking clearance of the player;

iii. If no clearance is forthcoming within a period of 14 (fourteen) days from the date of the letter of request, write to the Competition Management Committee seeking assistance in authorization of clearance.

The Competition Management Committee will use its best endeavours to ensure that neither the player, nor either club is unduly penalised or disadvantaged and that players in general are able to play without restraint.

Clubs seeking to obtain players currently registered with another club should refrain from any relocation of players until all procedures have been completed.