Marlborough Touch Association

Marlborough Touch Rules

CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION

Participants agree to abide by the Playing Rules as published on the website and sent to the manager
Marlborough Touch reserves the right to refuse entry of any Participant, team or organisation from its competition without giving a reason; or exclude any Participant, team or organisation from its competition for breaches of these Conditions or of the Playing Rules or in respect of any misconduct whatsoever by its team Participants or supporters or associates of the same.

REGISTRATION NUMBERS AND PLAYING NUMBERS

Entries will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.
Teams may register up to 16 players* (exceptions may be granted).
All Team Managers are responsible for having their Team Registration entered on-line.
Players must play at least four games for their team to be eligible to participate in semi-finals and finals.
Players can play in ONE team each night. Players who break this rule will be removed from the field. Dispensations to this policy must be granted by Marlborough Touch prior to the player taking the field.

PAYMENT

Team Registration must be paid on receipt of an invoice and prior to the first game of the season.
An Invoice will be sent to the manager
Payments can be made by: Direct Credit: ASB – 12-3167-0051698-00
Please make sure you include your team name, or reference number, as a reference otherwise we will not be able to match the payment up to your team.

Cash: By arrangement only

Marlborough Touch reserves the right to withdraw a team from the competition if registration fees are not paid. Marlborough Touch reserves the right to withhold any prizes from teams that have monies owing from debt accrued throughout any season(s).
Marlborough Touch reserves the right to not accept into any competition a team, if registration fees from previous years are not paid. This includes but is not limited to teams of the same name or teams with a different name where the majority of players are in debt.

DRAWS & RESULTS

Draws & Results will be published on the website of www.marlborough-touch.co.nz
All games will be confirmed via SPORTY There may be times that the draws will be delayed for reasons such as new rounds and semis/finals. We appreciate your patience and understanding at this time.
Game times change from time and these will be published as an alert on SPORTY APP. Please download it!

REFEREEING

The captain is wholly responsible for his / her team’s conduct towards the referee.
Marlborough Touch will not tolerate referee abuse and any infringement of the referees rights could lead to the guilty player being banned from the season with no refund. Referees will be provided and the Referee’s decision is binding and final.
If you are interested in becoming a Referee please contact us. Phone: 021 024 10736

UNIFORMS

All players must wear an identical coloured playing shirts. It is compulsory that these shirts to have numbers, to help the referee. Suitable footwear must be worn.
No spikes, rugby boots (with removable sprigs) and boots with metal cleats are allowed.
Teams have 2 weeks grace from the first playing night to have regulation shirts, after which teams will forfeit points and/or will not be allowed to take the field. This will be monitored.
*An exception may be granted by management but this is not a right.

COMPETITION FORMAT & RULES

Please adhere to the Playing rules as published on Touch New Zealand website.

The season will consist of:

Competition rounds. Usually 8 weeks but may vary due to team numbers
Finals. Finals teams play on this night
Semi-finals night. All teams play on this night

Time slots will be 40 minutes, with a small break for half time

DEFAULTS

If a team is absent for a fixture without giving proper notice the opposition shall be awarded the game.
Defaults are taken seriously as this is not fair on the opposition
If your team is going to default a game you must give Marlborough Touch at least 5 hours notice.
If your team is short of players, Marlborough Touch recommends your team shows up for a friendly game. The Module Co-ordinator/Referee will try to help find fill-ins. No team likes showing up to find they have travelled to the game to find no game at all, please be considerate.

Please note: A team will be considered to have defaulted should they not field a team within the first ten minute period of the game. For every two minutes that a team is late, one goal will be awarded against that team to a maximum of five goals.

If your opposing team has defaulted, Marlborough Touch will try to arrange a friendly game and will award a 5-0 Victory.

POINTS SYSTEM

Points – 3 for a win, 2 for a draw, 1 for a loss, 0 for a default

If at the end of the qualifying round two teams have equal points the difference between the points scored for and those scored against will be collated and the team with the highest point’s differential will be placed ahead.
If still undecided the team who beat the other team will be placed ahead
If three or more teams have the same game points, the differential system’s only applies.
In all situations if the result is still a draw after each step has been applied, a toss of the coin will decide.

FIRST AID

The Module Coordinator will have a First Aid Kit for emergencies.
It is the responsibility of the teams to provide their own strapping tape and Ice Packs.

CANCELLATIONS DUE TO WEATHER

Marlborough Touch will notify teams via SPORTY and facebook

DISPUTES/DISCIPLINE

Due to the social and fun nature of our competitions, protests and appeals are a rarity. Most matters can usually be dealt with without having to a formal procedure.
Protests and appeals must be submitted within 24 hours of the completion of the game or 30 minutes in events where 24 hours is not applicable i.e. finals.
Protests are made in writing to seniormodule@marlbtouch.nz
An automatic two game suspension can be placed on any player who is ordered off the field by a Referee.
Three “sin bins” on any one player can result in an automatic two game suspension.Marlborough Touch reserves the right to suspend any player whose conduct is in breach of the spirit of the game.

Any issues with the management of the competition, grounds or other issues outside of general competition queries can be addressed to Competition Organiser – seniormodule@marlbtouch.nz

PRIZEGIVING

Prize-giving will be held after the finals on that respective night.
The Prize-Giving Venue will be confirmed closer to the time.
Remember team members will only receive a prize if they are at the prize-giving! Be There!

HEALTH & SAFETY

All participants understand that these events are contact sports and contain an element of risk to the person participating.

Marlborough Touch takes care to check the grounds before play. But all participants agree and understand that Marlborough Touch does not own or have exclusive occupation of premises used for Competition Fixtures; has little or no control in respect of persons admitted to premises (including adjacent pitches and surrounding perimeters) during Competitions and have little or no control as to how premises are used and left before and / or after Competitions.
Team Captains are responsible for ensuring that they do not allow their team Participants to commence a game until and unless satisfied that the surface and other conditions are safe for the activity in question having due regard to the characteristics of their team Participants.
Participants must report to Marlborough Touch at the earliest opportunity any perceived dangers, violence (or threats of the same), or any other misconduct of whatever type.
If you are injured while playing Touch you must report the injury to Marlborough Touch and fill out an injury report form.
Please pick up all drink bottles and other rubbish from the sub box.