Tournament Rules
Tournament Rules
Registration and participation
Article 1
The registration of a team is final when the payment of the participant’s contribution per team has been received by the Festival Organization.
Article 2
Based on information known to the Festival Management and Match Direction (primarily the ranking of previous years) a “placement” will be made which will be used to create the Saturday group composition. Teams have the option of making information available to the Festival Management and Match Director until 2 weeks before the start of the tournament. This may be important in determining this placement. The decision of the Festival Management and Match Director is binding.
Article 3
Upon arrival on Ameland, the team captain or team manager must report to the Festival Management at the festival reception on the festival site before 22:00 on Friday evening. Both the Festival Management as well as the Match Director will be present at the festival site from Friday 14:00. Teams will receive a match ball and will provided with any other relevant information for the smooth running of the tournament.
Article 4
On match days, the team captain or team manager must report to the Field Marshall at least half an hour before the start of the first match of the relevant match day in case there are circumstances to influence the match schedule. Teams that do not wish to participate on Sunday need to inform the Match Director on Saturday before 17:30. This should be reported at Match Director’s cabin, it will not be sufficient to (only) inform a Field Marshall.
Article 5
Teams need to provide the name of the official representative of their team while registering the team with the Festival organisation, this has to be a person accompanying the team physically on Ameland. If required, the Festival Management and/or the Match Director will only communicate with this specific person.
Participation
Article 6
The team must compete in the category for which it has registered or qualified. Participation in the Veterans category is only for players of 35 years and older. No exceptions to this rule will be allowed by the Match Director.
It is not possible to switch competitions during the Festival unless approved by the Match Director. This applies specifically to the classification of the team for the Sunday schedule.
Article 7
A team, its supporters and interested parties are present at the festival at their own risk. Accidents or damage resulting from participation in the rugby competitions, being present on the festival site or caused by travelling to and from the festival are at their own expense and risk. The organization cannot be held liable for any damage.
Article 8
Instructions from the Festival Management, Match Director and/or Field Marshall s must be followed directly, they are in the interest of the smooth running of the Festival and tournament.
Article 9
A team must report at least 5 minutes prior to the match in which they participate to the Field Marshall who is present alongside the playing field. In case teams report more than 2 minutes late after stipulated kick-off time, the Field Marshall s will declare the match lost with a score of 30 – 0 in favor of the opponent (6 5-point tries), ultimately at the discretion of the Match Director.
Article 10
Identifiable shirts are highly recommended in all categories.
Article 11
A maximum of 12 players per team may be fielded in a match, unless otherwise determined or permitted by the Match Director. However, a team must notify the Field Marshall before each match which 12 players are participating in the match. A maximum of 12 players may be entered per match who actually play (7 on the pitch and 5 substitutes). This applies to the categories Men and Women. For Veterans 2 additional players are allowed (7 on the pitch and 7 substitutes.
Article 12
The substitution of players will take place as so-called rolling substitutions. Only during finals, a special substitution board might be used. The player must leave the field between the markings indicated by the Field Marshall ’s side on the center line. A substitute may surrender the substitution board when the exiting player has actually crossed the sideline between the markers.
Article 13
The referee determines on the basis of injury time whether play continues as laid down in the rules of the game. The referee’s whistle signals the end of the match and indicates this to the Field Marshall.
Ranking
Article 14
In the group matches, a team that has won the match receives 3 match points. And a draw gives each team 2 points. A lost game gives the team 1 point. If you do not show up for a match, this will result in a 30-0 loss.
In the case of knockout rounds, the team that has won, will advance to the next round.
Article 15
In the Saturday group stage the ranking in each group is based upon the following:
- The team with the highest number of match points is ranked first in the group.
- In the event of teams in 1 group having an equal number of points when all group matches are completed, the team having scored the highest number of tries will be ranked higher.
- If the total number of tries is equal for 2 or more teams in the group, then the highest number of 5-point tries is leading, then the number of 4-point tries and lastly the number of 3-point tries.
- If the number of 5-, 4- and 3-point tries scored is also equal for 2 or more teams in the group, then the team having conceded the lowest number of tries will be ranked higher.
- If points scored, tries scored and tries conceded are equal then the team with the lowest number of points against will be ranked higher in the group table.
- In the unlikely event that the measures above fail to rank the teams then the head-to-head result of the teams involved will determine the ranking in the group.
Article 16
If after the Saturday group stage 2 or more teams in different groups have the same number of match points, the ranking for the Sunday schedule will be determined according to the rules stated in article 15.
Article 17
The winners of all competitions receive a challenge trophy. However, these are exchange trophies that are not allowed to leave Ameland.
Arbitration
Article 18
A player who has received a red card must report immediately to the Match Director. The Match Director, together with the Referee Coordinator will decide what sanction will apply. This might include disqualification for the day or the tournament.
Article 19
Furthermore, the Head of Referees can forward any referee report to the players club and respective national association.
Article 20
The decision of the Match Director following article 18 is binding.
Article 21
All matters not provided for in the tournament regulations or which are deemed necessary are decided by the Festival Management and the Match Director. These are binding.
Article 22
Behavior and exclusion
Due to the size of the festival, the presence of rugby players on the island is relatively large. The intention is that the enormous hospitality that is given to so many rugby players by the island of Ameland should not be damaged. The Festival Management therefore takes the position that teams, players or teams, which in the opinion of one of the covenant partners of the festival have misbehaved, might be excluded directly from participation and possibly even the following year. The national association and/or the relevant club will receive a written statement from the festival organization, explaining the reasons.