No finals series allowed.

Competition ladders and premierships are actively discouraged.

Coaches are not allowed on the field beyond the first half of the season in the Under 9 age group.

• 60m x 35m maximum (ie. usually 1/2 field)

Click for Diagram

• Under 9: 10 players

• Teams must match numbers on the field during play.

• If either team has fewer than the standard number of 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 14 players for Under 9.

• Under 9: 2 x 20min halves, 5min half time.

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

A try is awarded 5 points.

• Drop Goals and Penalty Goals are not permitted.

• Conversions, if allowed by the competition organiser, can be either a drop kick or a place kick, and are taken on a line through the centre of the goal posts from 10m away.

• Players may not charge a Conversion attempt.

• No fending to the face or head allowed (PK).

• No jersey swinging tackles 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.

• ‘Squeeze ball’ technique illegal (PK).

• Kick-offs to begin each half are punt kicks or drop 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.

• Where a drop-out would normally occur under Law, the team entitled to the drop out will restart play with a tap restart at the centre of the 15-metre line.

• Referees are reminded to encourage players to only play for the ball when they are on their feet. After the tackled player has passed or released the ball, no player may play the ball while on their knees.

• No quick throw-ins allowed.

• 4 players from each team stand as catchers 1 metre from the opposition players in a single line 4 metres away from the touch line.

• The thrower of the team in possession stands on the line of touch.

• 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 lineout. 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 a Penalty Kick.

• 5 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 stay bound until the scrum is over.

• If players are offside, the referee awards a Penalty Kick.

• 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.