Principles of Play
OBJECT
The object of the game of touch is for each team to score tries and to prevent the opposition from scoring.
MODE OF PLAY
The ball may be passed, flicked, thrown, knocked or handed between onside players of the attacking team who may in turn run or otherwise move with the ball in an attempt to gain territorial advantage and score. Defending players prevent the attacking team from gaining a territorial advantage by touching the ball carrier. Either defending players or attacking players may initiate touches at which play stops and is restarted with a rollball, unless other rules apply.
DURATION
Junior Competition - The match is thirty (30) minutes duration, consisting of two (2) fifteen (15) minute halves.
Adult Competition - The match is forty (40) minutes duration consisting of two (2) twenty (20) minute halves.
There is a two (2) minute halftime break.
There is no time off for injury during a match.
When time expires, play is to continue until the next touch or dead ball and end of play is signaled by the Referee. Should a penalty be awarded during this period, the penalty is to be taken.
Please Note: The duration may be shortened or extended to suit particular circumstances. For the Adult Competition, due to the lack of Council lighting at Gordon Spratt Park, Touch Pāpāmoa may, at times, shorten these duration times slightly, to avoid our last round playing in low daylight conditions.
SCORING
A try is worth one (1) point.
A try is awarded when a player, other than the dummy half, places the ball on or over the try line without being touched. In attempting to score a try, a player must have control of the ball prior to placing it on or over the try line. If a player places the ball on the ground and releases it short of the try line while attempting to score a try, the player is required to perform a rollball to restart play and a touch is counted. If a player does not release the ball from their hands, the match continues and no touch is counted. At the end of play the team that has scored the most tries is declared the winner. In the event of neither team scoring, or in the event of both teams scoring the same number of tries, a draw is declared.
END OF PLAY
When time expires, play is to continue until the next touch or dead ball and end of play is signaled by the Referee. Should a penalty be awarded during this period, the penalty is to be taken.
THE WINNER
At the end of play, the team that has scored the most tries is declared the winner. In the event of neither team scoring, or in the event of both teams scoring the same number of tries, a draw is declared.
COMPETITION POINTS
Points are awarded in competition matches as follows:
Win = 3 points
Draw = 2 points
Loss = 1 point
Forfeit = -1 point (negative point)
POINTS SYSTEM
In the event of two (2) or more teams being equal on competition points at the end of the competition round, the winner will be determined by:
- The margin of points scored for and against during the competition. The team with the highest margin of points scored for and against being considered as the winner.
- In the event of (1) above not providing a decision, the winner will be determined on the basis of the team scoring the most tries during the competition.
- In the event of (2) above not providing a decision, the winner will be determined on the basis of the team that beat the other team.
- In the event of (3) above not providing a decision, the winner will be determined on the basis of a toss of the coin.
The Drop-Off procedure will apply for all semi finals and finals games where a result is required.
ABANDONED MATCHES
If a match is abandoned due to any circumstances, Touch Pāpāmoa shall decide the result.
