|
1. Underlying Rules and Laws
The format and playing aspects of the Magners League (“Tournament”) shall be governed by the Tournament Rules. In addition, the Tournament shall be played under the IRB Laws of the Game and in accordance with the IRB Regulations relating to the Game as agreed by Celtic Rugby (CR)'.
2. The Teams
There shall be ten teams participating in the Tournament which comprises two teams from Scotland, four teams from Wales and four teams from Ireland.
3. The Format
3.1 Each Team shall play every other Team in the Tournament in two matches per season on a home and away basis.
3.2 In all matches, four League points shall be awarded for a win and two League points shall be awarded for a draw. One bonus League point shall be awarded to a Team scoring four or more tries and one bonus League point shall be awarded to a Team losing by seven points or less.
3.3 The winner of the Tournament will be the Team with the highest number of League points and other placings in the League shall be decided on the number of League points.
3.4 If two or more Teams finish with the same number of League points their placings will be determined by the following criteria in descending order;
• number of matches won;
• the difference between points for and points against;
• the number of tries scored;
• the most points scored;
• the difference between tries for and tries against; or failing which;
• there will be a play-off match ( for top placing only) and for other placings it will be dependent upon the fewest number of red and yellow cards received.
4. Scheduling for the Tournament
All matches will normally kick off between 6pm on Friday and 6pm on Sunday of the respective weekends designated by CR unless otherwise agreed by Celtic Rugby.
5. Playing Squad
5.1 No Player may represent a Team in the Tournament unless he is a registered playing member of that Team, or a Permit has been granted for him to play for that Team in the Tournament.
5.2 Teams in the Tournament will be limited to registering up to 36 Players at any one time (a minimum of ten must be sufficiently specialised and experienced Front Row Players) who may be eligible to play for the Team in the Tournament.
5.3 A maximum of two Non-European Players are permitted in a Team’s match squad.
5.4 A Team may play Permit Players from a non-Magners League Team within the same Union. A Non-European Player may not play on Permit and a Permit Player may only play for one Team in the Tournament in any one season.
5.5 No Player is eligible to play for a Team in the Tournament if he transfers or is registered after the 31st January, during the relevant season, except that a youth player who attains the age of 18 may be registered after that date and be eligible to play for that Team provided that the number within the Team’s playing squad which has been registered does not exceed 35.
6. Officials
The Referees for all matches shall be. appointed by CR in conjunction with each of the three Celtic Rugby Unions.
7. Heineken Cup Qualification
7.1 The placings in the Tournament will determine Heineken Cup Qualification for the Teams from the three Celtic Unions.
7.2 The finishing places of each Team in the Magners League shall be the sole criteria used to decide the order of nomination of the Teams by their Union for the purposes of any competition organised by ERC, with each Union’s highest finisher being nominated first, its second highest finisher being nominated second and so on until that Union’s nominations are filled.
NOTE: The 2007/8 Tournament Rules also include the provision, where matches are televised, for referral to a Television Match Official (TMO), and the appointment of a Citing Commissioner at all Magners League games.
The above sets out a summary of certain provisions of the Tournament Rules for information purposes only. As such, these provisions may be not be relied upon and for a full and proper understanding of the provisions and rules of the Tournament, reference must be made to the Tournament Rules in their existing and entire form.
|
