CUP COMPETITIONS (OTHER THAN SENIOR CUP)

(A) Format of Cup Competitions

1. The format of the National Trophy shall be as follows:

(i) it shall comprise 102 Clubs and qualification shall be through five rounds, quarterfinals, semi finals and a final;

(ii) in the first round, matches will be drawn and played on an Area basis (i.e. the Northern Division with Midland Division and London, and South-East Division with South-West Division) – the qualifying Clubs will be 44 of the Nominated Clubs together with the 28 clubs comprising National Leagues 3 North and 3 South;

(iii) in the second round, matches will be drawn and played on an Area basis – the qualifying Clubs shall be the 36 winners from the first round;

(iv) in the third round, matches will be drawn and played on a national basis, – the qualifying Clubs will be the 18 winners from the second round together with the 14 Clubs comprising National Leagues 2 at the commencement of the current Season;

(v) in the fourth round, matches will be drawn and played on a national basis – the qualifying Clubs will be the 16 winners from the third round together with the 16 Clubs comprising National League 1;

(vi) in the fifth round and the quarter and semi finals, matches will be drawn and played on a national basis – the qualifying clubs will be the winners from the previous rounds.

 Note: In the event of inequality of Clubs from each division or area, in respect of the first or second round, there shall be preliminary draws held before the draws for either or any of the said first or second rounds, in order to provide an even number of Clubs to participate in the first or second round draws in each Division or Area such draws to include such Clubs (to be not less than four and are closest to the adjoining Division or Area.)

(vii) the venue of each match (save for the semi finals which will be played at either home or neutral venues as the Committee may decide and the final which will be played at a venue to be determined by the Committee) will be that of the first named Club to be drawn. In the semi finals the first named Club to be drawn will be deemed to be the home team.

2. The format of the Intermediate Cup shall be as follows:

(i) it shall comprise a maximum of seven rounds, quarter finals, semi finals and a final;

(ii) Rounds 1, 2, and 3 will be played on a Local County Regional Semi-Divisional or Divisional basis in accordance with the format laid down by the Committee and notified to the Clubs prior to 1st August 2006 and draws made accordingly;
(iii) Rounds 4 and 5 will be played on an area basis, namely the Northern Division with Midland Division: London and South-East Division with South-West Division and draws will be made accordingly;

(iv) The quarter finals and semi finals will be played on a national basis.

3. The format of the Senior Vase shall be as follows:

(i) it shall comprise seven rounds (including a preliminary round), quarter finals, semi finals and a final;

(ii) the  preliminary and rounds 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 will be played on a Local County,  Regional, Semi-Divisional or Divisional basis in accordance with the format laid down by the Committee and notified to the Clubs prior to 1st August 2006 and draws made accordingly;

(iii) round 6 and the quarter finals will be played on an area basis, namely the Northern Division with Midland Division and London and South-East Division with South-West Division. Draws will be made accordingly;

(iv) the semi finals will be played on a national basis.

4.  The format of the Junior Vase shall be as follows:

(i) it shall comprise seven rounds (including a preliminary round), quarter finals, semi finals and a final;

(ii) the  preliminary and rounds 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 will be played on a Local County,  Regional, Semi-Divisional or Divisional basis in accordance with the format laid down by the Committee and notified to the clubs prior to 1st August 2006 and draws made accordingly;

(iii) round 6 and the quarter finals will be played on an area basis, namely the Northern Division with Midland Division and London and South-East Division with South-West Division. Draws will be made accordingly;

(iv) the semi finals will be played on a national basis.

5. Draws in Cup Competitions shall be made as follows:

(i) draws for each Cup Competition will be arranged by the Committee, which shall if it considers it to be in the interest of the Cup Competition generally or the Clubs participating therein be entitled to give byes to one or more Clubs selected by the Committee in its sole and absolute discretion. The draws shall be made during the seven days following the weekend specified for the completion of the preceding round;

(ii) if, having agreed to participate, any Club does not take part in the Cup Competition(s) or having participated fails to honour a fixture then that Club’s opponents in the round as drawn will receive a bye into the next round; in addition and, without prejudice to Game Regulation 10 or any other action that may be taken by the Committee, that Club will not be entitled to any distribution under Game Regulation 14;
(iii) in the event of inequality of the number of Clubs from each Local County, Region, Semi-Division, Division or area, in respect of either or any of the rounds and notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2 above, there shall be preliminary draws held before the draws of either or any of the rounds, in order to provide an even number of Clubs to participate in such draws. The Committee will in its sole and absolute discretion make the necessary arrangements and take such decisions as it deems appropriate particularly in relation to travel distances for the holding of any such preliminary draws in the interests of the Competition and the participating Clubs generally;

(iv) Subject to sub-paragraphs (v) and (vi) below the first named Club to be drawn in a match up to and including the semi finals shall be the home team, and unless otherwise mutually agreed, the venue of that match shall be the ground of such home team. The final shall be played at a venue determined by the Committee;

(v)  If the first-named Club to be drawn in a match plays its home fixtures in the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, the match shall, nevertheless, be played on the mainland of England (including for the purposes of this Regulation the Isle of Wight) either on the ground of the second named Club to be drawn or, if the Isle of Man or Channel Island Club shall so wish, on the ground of any other Club on the mainland of England within the area of the Constituent Body to which the Isle of Man or the Channel Island Club is allocated. In this event, all arrangements which are to be agreed with the host Club shall be made by the Isle of Man or Channel Island Club, which shall be responsible for any ground expenses incurred and shall be at no cost to the host Club involved;

(vi) If the Committee so decides in its absolute discretion that the ground of the home team is not suitable for the staging of the semi-final for safety or any other substantial reason it shall have the power to require the said semi-final be played on another ground as close as possible to the ground of the home team, in which case it shall specify the financial arrangements, and the team drawn first shall be deemed to be the home team.

(B) Dates of Rounds

1. The dates of the National Trophy shall be as follows:

(i) Subject to sub-paragraph (iii) or unless specifically directed by the Committee who may upon not less than one weeks notice to the particular Clubs involved change a date for a match, the rounds of the Competition shall be played on the Saturdays (unless the participating Clubs agree to play on the Sunday of that particular weekend) of the following weeks:

 Round 1    on week 8 (28 October 2006)
 Round 2       on Week 11  (18 November 2006)
 Round 3       on Week 14  (9 December 2006)
 Round 4      on Week 19  (20 Janurary 2007)
 Round 5      on Week 22  (10 February 2007)

(ii) The quarter finals of the Competition will be played on the Saturday of Week 25 (3rd March 2007) unless the Sunday of that weekend is agreed by both Clubs with the kick off time specified by the home Club and agreed with the away team. In the event of a dispute as to the kick off time such dispute will be settled by the Committee whose decision will be final.
(iii)  The semi finals of the Competition will be played on the Saturday of Week 28 (24th March 2007) and the final will be played at a venue to be determined by the Committee on Saturday or Sunday 14th/ 15th April 2007 the kick off time being specified by the Committee. If the participating Clubs in a semi final wish to agree another date for such semi final such other date must be agreed by the Committee in their absolute Discretion having regard to the reasonable wishes of the sponsors and broadcasters of the Competition.

2. The dates of the Intermediate Cup shall be as follows:

(i) Unless specifically directed by the Committee who may upon not less than two weeks notice to the particular Clubs involved change a date for a match, rounds shall be played on the Saturdays of the following weeks:
 
 Round 1 on Week 8 (28 October 2006)
 Round 2 on Week 11 (18 November 2006)
 Round 3 on Week 14 (9 December 2006)
 Round 4 on Week 19 (20 January 2007)
 Round 5 on Week 22 (10 February 2007)

(ii) The quarter finals will be played on Saturday 3 March 2007 the semi finals on Saturday 24 March 2007 and the final on Saturday 14 or Sunday 15 April 2007.

3. The dates of the Senior Vase shall be as follows:

(i) Unless specifically directed by the Committee who may upon not less than two weeks notice to the particular Clubs involved change a date for a match, rounds shall be played on the Saturdays (unless the participating Clubs agree to play on the Sunday of that particular week) of the following weeks;

 Preliminary Round on Week 3 (16  September 2006)
 Round 1 on Week 5  (7 October 2006)
 Round 2 on Week 8  (28 October 2006)
 Round 3 on Week 11  (18 November 2006)
 Round 4 on Week 14  (9 December 2006)
 Round 5 on Week 19  (20 January 2007)
 Round 6 on Week 19  (10 February 2007)
 
(ii) The quarter finals will be played on Saturday 3 March 2007 the semi finals on Saturday 24 March 2007 and the final on Saturday 14 or Sunday 15 April 2007.

4. The dates of the Junior Vase shall be as follows:

(i) Unless specifically directed by the Committee who may upon not less than two weeks notice to the particular Clubs involved change a date for a match, rounds shall be played on the Saturdays (unless the participating Clubs agree to play on the Sunday of that particular week) of the following weeks;

 Preliminary Round on Week 3 (16 September 2006)
 Round 1 on Week 5  (7 October 2006)
 Round 2 on Week 8  (28 October 2006)
 Round 3 on Week 11  (18 November 2006)
 Round 4 on Week 14  (9 December 2006)
 Round 5 on Week 19  (20 January 2007)
 Round 6 on Week 19  (10 February 2007)
 
(ii) The quarter finals will be played on Saturday 3 March 2007 the semi finals on Saturday 24 March 2007 and the final on Saturday 14 or Sunday 15 April 2007.

(C) Notification of Match Results

1. The Secretary of the Club qualifying for the next round shall be responsible for informing the person, firm or company appointed by the Committee of the result by 5.30 pm on match day and the match result card must reach whosoever is nominated by the Committee by 10.00 am on the Tuesday following the match.

(D) Miscellaneous

1.  Tickets

In the Cup Competitions

(a) In  the Senior Cup and National Trophy the away club shall be entitled to one third of the ticket allocation by prior application to the home Club or, where appropriate, the RFU;

(b)  each Club in the Senior Cup Final shall be entitled to purchase from the RFU such tickets as it requires for the final for re-sale subject t

• there being the requisite number of tickets available;
 
• such payment terms as the RFU may in its absolute discretion require (which for the avoidance of doubt may include payment of all or part of the cost thereof before or at the time of delivery or within a specified number of days or by a specified date and/or prior to delivery of any further tickets); and
 
• such Club specifically agreeing that it will return no tickets to the RFU after 11 March 2007.

(c) there shall be no complimentary tickets:

• at all matches in the third and subsequent rounds the minimum charges be £5.00 for admission to the ground with a further £1.00 for a stand seat and

• at all matches in the fourth and subsequent rounds of a Cup Competition, all spectators (including members, season ticket holders, debenture holders, sponsors and their guests) must be charged the advertised entrance, stand and car park prices or in any event if not so charged the income from the match to be distributed in accordance with Game Regulation 15.3 above must be credited with an amount equal to the advertised prices.