Tournament rules

Match Day 1

Friday 6 June 2008 

Match Day 2                                                                                               

Tuesday 10 June 2008 

Match Day 3                                                                                               

Saturday 14 June 2008 

Point System

Teams will play each other in each Pool and on a round robin basis and match points will be awarded on the following basis:

4 points for a win
2 points for a Draw
1 point for scoring 4 tries
1 point for losing by less than 7 points
0 points for a Loss

Points will be awarded at the completion of each pool match and no extra time shall be played.

Ranking at the conclusion of the Pool Phase

At the completion of the pool phase, the Teams in a pool are ranked one through four based on their cumulative Match points, and identified respectively as winner, runner up, third and fourth. 

If at the completion of the pool phase two or more Teams are level on Match points, then the following criteria shall be used in the following order until one of the Teams can be determined as the higher ranked: 

(i) The winner of the Match in which the two tied Teams have played each other shall be the higher ranked;
(ii) The Team which has the best difference between points scored for and points scored against in all its pool Matches shall be the higher ranked;
(iii) The Team which has the best difference between tries scored for and tries scored against in all its pool Matches shall be the higher ranked;
(iv) The Team which has scored most points in all its pool Matches shall be the higher ranked;
(v) The Team which has scored most tries in all its pool Matches shall be the higher ranked;
(vi) If none of the above produce a result, then it will be resolved with a toss of a coin.

Knock Out Phase

The knock-out matches shall then be drawn on the following basis:

Semi Finals

Match day 4             - Wednesday 18 June 2008

Finals

Final Day - NORTH WALES - Saturday 21 June 2008

Final Day - SOUTH WALES - Sunday 22 June 2008

*If Wales fail to make the Top 4 they will play their last match at Liberty Stadium as the third match at 14.30

Tied Matches

Pool phase

If Teams are tied at fulltime, the Match will be deemed a draw and the respective Match points shall be awarded to each Team.

Knock Out Matches

For Knock out Matches, if Teams are tied at fulltime, then the winner shall be determined through the following sequential criteria; 

(i) Sudden Death / Extra time - following an interval of 5 minutes, extra time of 10 minutes each way (with an interval of 5 minutes) shall be played. During the extra time periods, the first Team to score any points (a try, a successful penalty kick or a drop goal) shall be declared the winner.

(ii) Kicking competition - if after the extra time periods, no winner can be declared, a kicking competition will be organised between the two Teams. The winner of that competition shall be declared the winner of the Match. 

The Kicking competition shall take place as follows: 

(i) All players and Match Officials will remain on the playing enclosure. The referee will call the captains of the two Teams to the centre of the pitch and will conduct a coin toss. The winner of the coin toss then may either choose which Team kicks first (in which case the loser chooses the end at which all kicks will be taken) or choose the end at which all kicks will be taken (in which case the loser chooses which Team kicks first).

(ii) Each team captain must nominate 5 players to participate in the kicking competition. Only the 5 players nominated by the Captains and present on the playing enclosure at the time of the completion of the extra time may take part in the kicking competition. No injured, substituted or dismissed player may take part at any time. The order in which the players kick does not have to be predetermined.

(iii) The Match Officials and Team Members will assemble on the halfway line. Team Members must remain behind the halfway line in the side of the playing area not used for the kicking competition. No one except the referee, two touch judges and two ball boys is allowed in the part of the playing area being used for the competition.

(iv) The five players from each Team will place kick from three different points, all on the 22 metre line, as follows: 

First point: directly in front of the posts

Second point: on the 15 metre line on the left hand side facing the posts

Third point: on the 15 metre line on the right hand side facing the posts

(v) The referee will start the competition by calling the first player selected from the Team kicking first to the first kicking point. Once the player has taken the kick, the referee calls a player from the opposing Team to kick from the same point.

(vi) The next two players (one from each Team) will kick from the second point in turn. This will continue until all five players from each Team have kicked (the next players kicking respectively from the third point, first area and finally the second point), or until one Team is unable to equal the score of the other Team within the remaining number of kicks.

(vii) If there are an equal number of successful kicks once each Team has completed its five kicks, the competition continues on a "sudden death" basis, following the same order of kickers used in the first five kicks.

(viii)  The competition will continue two kicks at a time (one from each side), going progressively through the three kicking areas stated above (and repeating the process if necessary) until one player succeeds with a kick and the player from the other side taking the same kick misses it.  Once this occurs, the Team of the player who succeeded with the kick will be declared the winner. Each of these additional kicks shall be taken by the same 5 players in rotation. 

Throughout the kicking competition:

a) Once a player has been handed the ball by the referee on the kicking point, he must take the kick within one minute. Should he take longer, the referee shall declare the kick void and therefore a miss.

b) After each kick, the referee records the number of the player and whether or not the attempt was successful. The Match Commissioner will record the same details on the official Match Report.

c) Whether or not a goal is scored from each attempt is the sole decision of the referee, who may at his sole discretion rely on the assistance of his touch judges. The referee's decision shall be final and binding.

d) Once a player has completed their kick, they shall return to stand with their Team behind the halfway line in the side of the playing area not used.