• No finals series, no competition ladders and no premierships allowed.

• Coaches are allowed on the field for the duration of the game.

40m x 25m maximum (ie. usually 1/4 field)

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• 7 players

• Teams must match numbers on the field during play.

• If either team has fewer than 7 players during play, then teams must share players to get the maximum number of players on the field, while maintaining equal numbers.

• If a team has few or no reserve players, the coach or manager should inform the opposing team before the game starts that they may be required to share players at some point during the game.

• Rolling replacements are allowed and these are unlimited in number, but can only be made when the ball is dead.

• It is recommended that the maximum size of a team’s squad be 10 players

• 2 x 15min halves, 5 min half time.

• There is no time off for injury or other stoppages.

A try is awarded 5 points.

• Conversions, Drop Goals and Penalty Goals are not permitted.

No tackling allowed (PK).

• No fending allowed (PK).

• No kicking allowed in general play (scrum).

• A red card = sent off and cannot return.

• A yellow card = 5 mins in the sin-bin and if the time period has not expired when half-time or full-time is called, the temporary suspension ends.

• When a yellow or red card is issued, the player may be replaced.

Referees are encouraged to be lenient.

• The assumption should be that the ball has gone backwards unless it is clearly and obviously forwards.

Kick-offs to begin each half are punt kicks.

• The receiving team at a kick-off must be at least 5m back from half-way.

• If a kick-off is unsuccessful in any way (eg. wrong kick, doesn’t go 5m, goes dead etc), another chance is provided until the kick is successfully taken.

• There is a 5m radius circle ‘exclusion zone’ around a player attempting to field the ball after a kick-off. No opposing player can enter this zone until the receiving player has caught or picked up the ball (PK).

• After a try, the non-scoring team takes a tap restart from the centre of the half-way line.

A tag MUST be: – a two-handed touch, and – on the shorts only.

• Tags are not permitted on the jersey above the waist from either in front or behind. A tag is not permitted on the legs.

• The referee MUST apply this strictly, as this will allow attacking players to continue running when incorrectly tagged, and reinforce good habits in defence.

• Players’ jerseys should be tucked in.

• Referee will call “TAG” if performed correctly, or “PLAY ON” if not.

• Once the referee has called “TAG”, the coach may then call “TURN AND PASS”.

• Once tagged, players are required to stop as quickly as possible and turn and pass to a team-mate. They are not required to return to the mark where they were tagged.

• There are no offside lines at a tag for the defence. The players of the team not in possession of the ball do not need to retreat to any line. This ensures game continuity and forward progress for the team in possession by removing a fully set line of defence.

• To defend effectively, players may need to be encouraged by their coaches to retreat backwards to remain in front of the attacking team.

• No opposing player may block or prevent the tagged player from passing the ball to a teammate (PK).

• If a player cannot pass for any reason, a tap restart is awarded to the team in possession.

• No quick throw-ins allowed.

• 2 players from each team stand as catchers 1 metre from the opposition players in a single line 3 metres away from the touch line.

• The thrower of the team in possession stands opposite their team’s first catcher.

• The thrower’s immediate opponent must stand on their side between the lineout and the touch line, and 2 metres from the line of touch.

• There must be a receiver (scrum-half) 2 metres back from the line-out. The receiver must stay in position until they receive the ball from the lineout.

• All other players not taking part in the line-out must be back at least 5 metres.

• If the setup is not right, the referee awards another lineout with the same team throwing in, so the players can get it right.

• The team throwing the ball in must win it.

• The ball is passed or knocked to the receiver who must then pass it to a teammate.

• If the wrong team wins the ball or the receiver doesn’t pass, the referee awards another lineout with the same team throwing in, so the players can get it right (if there is repeated infringement, a PK may be awarded).

The lineout does not end until the ball is either played by a team-mate, or touches the ground, after being passed by the receiver.

• Opposition backline players must stay onside and lineout players must stay in the lineout until the line-out is over.

• If players are offside, the referee awards another lineout with the same team throwing in, so the players can get it right (if there is repeated infringement, a PK may be awarded).

• 3 players from each team form the scrum.

• Both scrum-halves must stand on the same side of the scrum.

• All other players not taking part in the scrum must be back at least 5 metres.

• If the setup is not right, the referee awards another scrum with the same team throwing in, so the players can get it right.

Scrum engagement sequence is CROUCH – BIND – SET. When crouched, the distance between opposing front rows should be close enough that players’ heads are interlinked approximately ear to ear. There must be a clear non-verbal pause between ‘bind’ and ‘set’.

• There is no pushing in the scrum and the team throwing in the ball must win it.

• After gathering the ball, the scrum-half must pass it to a team-mate.

• If the scrum-half doesn’t pass, the referee awards another scrum with the same team throwing in, so the players can get it right (if there is repeated infringement, a PK may be awarded)

The scrum does not end until the ball is either played by a team-mate, or touches the ground, after being passed by the receiver.

• The defending scrum-half cannot go past the midline of the scrum and must stay within 1 metre of the scrum on the feeding side until it is over.

• Opposition players must stay onside or bound until the scrum is over.

• If players are offside, the referee awards another scrum with the same team throwing in, so the players can get it right (if there is repeated infringement, a PK may be awarded).

All Penalty Kicks (PK) and Free Kicks (FK) are taken as a tap restart.

• The opposing team must run back at least 5 metres from the mark.

• At a tap restart the ball must be either kicked out of the hands, or put on the ground and kicked a visible distance. The player must not hold the ball and tap with the foot without letting go. Another chance is provided until taken correctly.

• If a player grounds the ball in the opposition in-goal, but is tagged in the act of scoring, a try is awarded.

• If a player is tagged in the opposition in-goal, the referee should encourage the player to ground the ball and then award the try.

• A player is not permitted to ‘dive’ when scoring a try (either through a defensive line or when in the clear). A player must be on their feet to score a try, otherwise a tap restart is awarded to the team in possession, 5 metres out from the goal line in line with where the player attempted to score the try.

• If the ball becomes dead in in-goal, play restarts with a tap restart to the defending team, 5m out from their goal line.