1. Divisional Competition

Divisional games will be played from March through May of the Spring Season. All league matches must be played prior to playoffs. Each team will be responsible for scheduling their league matches. League matches will take precedence over non-league matches. The Met NY RFU U19/HS Coordinator may request team rosters at any time.

• Players must be C.I.P.P. compliant.
• A permanent club/team mailing address and phone number.
• USA Rugby, Union & Referee dues paid in full (See Annual Administration section).
• Medical box at the field, and a properly marked out field.
• Proof of insurance.
• The goal posts must be padded.
• There must be access to medical help.
• There must be a restraining barrier/rope between spectators and the field.
• Each club must have a USA Rugby Certified Coach.

2. Standings

• Teams will be ranked based on regular season play.
• If a regular season game is tied at the end of play there is no overtime. The result is a tied game.
• At the conclusion of the regular season, highest ranked team(s) will advance to MetNY Championships and/or Northeast Rugby Union Championship and/or State Based Championship.

2A. Champions and Advancement

• Division 1 High School - Highest ranked team(s) at the end of the regular season have priority advancement to NRU Championship and/or State Based Championship.
• Division 1 U19/Club - Highest ranked team(s) at the end of the regular season have priority advancement to NRU Championship and/or State Based Championship.
• Girls Division  - Highest ranked teams(s) at the end of the regular season have priority advancement to NRU Championship and/or State Based Championship.
• Division 2 High School - Highest ranked team at the end of the regular season will be crowned the MetNY D2 High School Champion.*
• Division 2 U19/Club - At the end of the regular season, the top two teams from NY Division and top two teams from NJ Division will play in a final four championship round to determine the MetNY D2 U19/Club Champion.*

3. Final Standing Tie Breakers

1. The team with the most wins in regular season matches.
2. The team with the most wins and ties in regular season matches.
3. The team that won the head-to-head match between teams with the same records.
4. The team with the most bonus points. (One bonus point is awarded if 3 or more tries are scored in a match. (One bonus point is awarded for losing by seven or fewer points.)
5. The team with the greatest positive point differential.
6. The team that scored the most tries.
7. The team that scored the most converted tries.
8. If two teams are tied after all above criteria's are exhausted, the MetNY U19/HS Coordinator will resolve the tie with a coin flip.

4. Field & Game Requirements

• A team should have a cell phone at every game in the event that they need to call 911 for emergency medical care.
• The field should be 100M from try zone to try zone with each try zone not exceeding 22M and the width should not exceed 70M wide
• Lines should be as set forth in "The Laws of the Game" - USARFU.
• All league games shall be 70 minutes, two 35 minute halves.
• For all questions on law and field dimensions please go to the International Rugby Board link at http://www.irb.com

5. Uniform

• Team uniform must match and be clean - no tears in shorts, socks or jerseys. If sleeves are cut they must be hemmed and at least cover the bicep. No clothing may show below the rugby shorts eg: boxer shorts.
• Numbers on jerseys are mandatory. Both teams must conform with all USARFU uniform requirements.
• In the event of a clash between opposing team jerseys the home team is responsible for providing alternative jerseys.

6. Reporting Requirements

• Each team must report scores within 24 HOURS of the result to the respective Met NY coordinator.
• Failure to report the score by the day following the game will result in no points being awarded for the game in question.
• Please e-mail your game result with scoring details within 24HR's to the respective coordinator:
• BOYS: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
• GIRLS: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

7. Met NY Eligibility Requirements

• The USARFU eligibility rules will be in effect for all league competition.
• A high school photo I.D. card and/or a form of DOB identification (driver's license, passport, etc) can be requested at any match.
• Go to the USA Rugby web site for full details on eligibility. (http://www.USARugby.org)

8. USARFU High School Club Eligibility*

• Club must be based on a state- or nationally-accredited school that issues High School Graduation Diplomas.
• Club must be represented by a Roster that is limited to: players that are registered students at the High School upon which the Club is based, plus players that have graduated from that High School, plus up to a maximum of two (2) special exemption players.
• Special exemption players are students that do not have an otherwise available high school contact rugby program and are either home-schooled students in the Club high school district, or are students from high schools in districts that are contiguous to, or overlapping, the club district.
• Clubs may carry an unlimited number of players on its Roster.

8A USARFU High School Player Eligibility*

• Players are eligible if they have not reached their 19th birthday by the September 1st that occurs at the start of the competitive season.
• Players, except those that have graduated, must be attending class full time, as defined by the High School registrar.
• Players must have certified High School transcripts either for a semester during the Competition Season, or, for players that have graduated, the final semester prior to graduation.
• If the competition season extends beyond the end of the school year, then the players may continue to participate in the competition provided that the players were otherwise eligible at the end of the school year.
• Players must be within four (4) years of the moment the player first enrolled in ninth grade, regardless of when that player started playing rugby or had the ability to start playing rugby.
• Player must have played for the club in at least two (2) Qualifying Matches or second-side match associated with a Qualifying Match during the competitive season at least a week apart from each other prior to participating in a USA Rugby Championship Event.
• Players must not play in a Qualifying Match for any other Club in a fifteens match, including the U19 Club, College Club, or Senior Club competitions, while those players’ High School Qualifying Match and National High School Club Championships season is in progress.
• Players must meet and remain in compliance with all applicable amateur standards.
• See additional information about Waivers at the USA Rugby Website.

9 State and Other Championship Eligibility*

USA Rugby has neither the compelling interest, nor the practical ability, in enforcing eligibility regulations at State High School Championship events. The regulations are more properly determined by the organizer of the State event, be that a State Based Rugby Organization, a Local Area Union, or a Territorial Union. However, USA Rugby recommends that, in determining the requirements, the organizers consider the model that USA Rugby has established for the National High School Championship, but that they also consider the eligibility regulations for championships for championships of other state championships within their state. USA Rugby Eligibility Regulations (Effective May 2010)

10. USARFU U19 Club Eligibility*

• Club can be represented by players that meet the requirements of 10A (USAR 6.2) provided there is not more than five (5) non-resident players on their Roster for any particular match that may in any way lead to the applicable USA Rugby Championship Event.
• Club may carry an unlimited number of players on its Roster.

10A. USARFU U19 Club Player Eligibility*

• Players are eligible if they have not reached their 19th birthday by the September 1st that occurs at the start of the competitive season.
• Player must have played for the club in at least two (2) Qualifying Matches or second-side match associated with a Qualifying Match during the competitive season at least a week apart from each other prior to participating in a USA Rugby Championship Event.
• Players must not play in a Qualifying Match for any other Club in a fifteens match, including the High School Club, College Club, or Senior Club competitions, while those players’ U19 Qualifying Match and National U19 Club Championships season is in progress.
• See additional information about Waivers at the USA Rugby Website.

11. Protest Procedure

• The team captain must advise the referee BEFORE KICK-OFF that his or her team wishes to register a protest and give the reason. The referee must notify the opposing team captain that the game is going to be played "under protest" and state the reason. The referee should give the suspected offending team a reasonable time to correct the matter. If the circumstances are not corrected, the referee and the protesting team must notify the HS/U19 Coordinator, the Union President, and the Union Secretary IN WRITING within 72 hours of the circumstances of the protest. The protest will be reviewed by the executive Committee and the teams notified of the decision.
• In the event of a Society Referee not being present to referee the game the coaches of the teams should discuss a mutually agreeable alternative official, preferably the best qualified to referee the game, and the game shall be played. If neither team registers a protest PRIOR to the kickoff with the opposing coach, and/or the appointed referee, then the result shall stand. Team coaches may referee their own games. In the event that there is no consensus as to who the referee should be, the best qualified official shall be used with the game played under protest. (In the event of 2 equally qualified officials the away team should have the choice of official.)

12. Forfeits

• If any team fails to honor a league game for any reason the club may be liable for a fine of $100.
• Failure by the home team to notify the referee of a cancellation may result in a $50 fine plus travel expenses.
• Forfeited league match will be recorded as a 25-0 win with an additional bonus point awarded for trys.
• A league match cancellation due to weather can be rescheduled for a later date.
• A team that forfeits 3 or more league matches for any reason will forfeit their entire season.
• In the event of a game not being played the HS/U19 coordinator may, at his or her discretion after consultation with the Met. Executive: 1. award points to either side, 2. divide the points equally, 3. decide that no points be awarded, or 4. order a replay.

13. Contingencies

The Met NY Union HS/U19 Coordinator, with the agreement of the Met NY Union officers, reserves the right to add new teams and to adjust the league structure and these regulations as may become necessary.

Seedings

In the event of a team dropping out of the Met NY Championship playoffs the seedings will be adjusted to reflect the regular season standings without that team, and the playoff will be adjusted accordingly. If there is insufficient time to do this, as determined by the HS/U19 Coordinator, then the seedings shall remain as originally earned and a bye awarded to the team without a game.

Number of sides for regular season play

All clubs should try to provide 2 sides . A club may declare an exclusion and thus field just 1 team. This should be done at the start of the season. Communication early and often is essential. If in doubt call your opponent and reach a consensus. The number of matches should be confirmed when match details are confirmed each week with the opposing team.