Mini Rugby

Information for Parents and Players

Details
Friday, 20 January 2012

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Information for players and their parents will be posted here regularly in the run up to the Festival.  Please check back regularly for updates.  In the mean time, if you have any immediate questions regarding the festival, please email the organising team on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Wallingford Takes Proactive Pitch Action

Details
Wednesday, 04 April 2012

With the unusually dry winter behind us, the Wallingford Festival team are not trusting to the elements alone to ensure a safe playing surface for the Festival.

At the end of February, Wallingford RFC invested over £4000 in additional intensive Festival ground preparation work on the Jubilee pitches. This included reseeding, airation and fertilising.  All training on the floodlit training pitch was also suspended from the end of January to ensure that the pitch was not over played prior to the Festival.

Whilst the hose pipe ban comes into force this week, as a public facility, the grounds at Wallingford Sports Park can still legally be watered. A commercial irrigation company has been contracted in the weeks running up to the Festival to carry out 24/7 watering of the pitches to ensure that they are safe to play on.

Festival Information for Parents

Details
Wednesday, 04 April 2012

Parking at Wallingford RFC
There will be NO parking at the club. Please follow the directions of the Parking stewards when you arrive. You will have a short walk from the car park to the main entrance, pitches and clubhouse. DROP OFFs are NOT allowed by order of the Police due to the congestion it causes on the bypass.

Admission Charges
Admission of £5 will be charged for all adults. This covers admission parking, festival logistics & programme. Each programme contains an entry to our Grand Prize Draw to win two top price tickets to the Heineken Cup Final on 19th May at Twickenham, worth £150.

Festival Facilities.
Tea, coffee, hot & cold food, cakes and tuck shop are all available close to the Jubilee pitches, located across the bridge past the clubhouse. Toilet facilities are also located on the Jubilee field. A licensed bar is located close to the Festival Control unit across the bridge.

First Aid
Professional medical support is available to attend any injuries. An ambulance and first aid centre is located close to the bridge past the main Club House, (see map in the Festival Programme). Please contact any festival official if you need first aid assistance. There are prescribed ambulance routes through the site, marked by signs. Please do not block these with tents or gazebos.

Registration of Teams
The teams must bring their “Player Registration Forms” to the Control Centre on the Jubilee Field by 09.30am These forms must show player names, date of birth and RFU registration numbers. Team managers should also bring their squad’s RFU cards and a current Rugby First age group listing in case a challenge arises. Failure to provide this information will result in your team not being able to play. Barbarian team members information should be completed on the form provided.

Changing Facilities
A marquee will be provided on the Jubilee field if you need it. Do not leave any belongings in the marquee as Wallingford RFC will not be held responsible for any lost or damaged property.

Photography
Any person wishing to take photographs on the day MUST register at the photographic
control point near the control centre. They will be issued with a photographic wrist band which must be worn throughout the day. Anybody taking photographs without a wrist band will be challenged by Festival staff and asked to register or leave the event. The organisers strongly discourage the videoing of matches. Should you wish to do so, you will need to register as above, but also will need to ask the permission of the opposition coaches and parents for the match in question.

 

DE photo has been appointed as our professional sports photographers for the Festival. The event, by its very nature, is in the public arena and when entering the event, players and their parents acknowledge this fact, understanding that it may result in the recording or publication of his/her image. All DE Photo photographers and staff have been CRB checked and the company operates a strict Child Protection Policy and Code of Ethics which can be viewed on their website at www.dephoto.co.uk

 

Help, emergencies, lost children, general enquires and Festival Referee.
Please contact the Festival Organizer, located in the Festival Control Unit across the bridge past the main Club House. (See map in the Festival Programme)

 

DOGS (except guide dogs) ARE NOT ALLOWED AT THE FESTIVAL UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

 

Festival Rules

Details
Wednesday, 04 April 2012

 

1.       Number of players per team and registration
Under 9   9 players & up to 5 substitutes
Under 10 9 players & up to 5 substitutes
Under 11 12 players & up to 5 substitutes
Under 12 13 players & up to 6 substitutes

2        No player can be registered or play for more than one team.

3.       The team coach/manager is responsible for registering the details of the players in a team, including substitutes, using the event registration form. Each coach is responsible for bringing each players RFU ID card or proof of RFU registration from rugby first (including photo) to the tournament. The control point is entitled to vet the details on the registration forms at any time. If an issue arises the ruling of the disputes judge will be final.

4.       Registration of teams must take place before a team can take part in the tournament.

5.       Registration is to take place at the control point near the main entrance not later than 30 minutes before the first match. Full timings will be sent once all club registrations are received.

6.      Over age players are not permitted.

7.       As per the RFU Continuum, mini/midi players are not allowed to play “up” an age group.

8.      See the programme issues on the day for order of games, times of games and duration

9.       Substitutes can be used at any time on a rolling basis with the permission of the
referee.

10.     A dispute judge is arranged in case of disagreements. His/her decision is final.

11.     All studs must be checked and safe and preferably have a BS Kite Mark. Blades that confirm to IRB standards can be worn. However, the referee’s decision on suitability is final.
12.        The team coach is to report to the relevant pitch marshal 5 minutes before the scheduled start time of each of their team’s games

13        Coaches are asked to encourage positive support from players and spectators for teams in the tournament and to treat all officials , who are volunteers, with respect. Please remind all to ensure a good event for all concerned.

14.        If any team is late reporting to pitch control for a game, the control has the right to award the game and a victory to the opposition.

 

15.        Each team is responsible for providing a referee for the tournament and one touch judge for each game that it competes in up to the final.

 

16.        No extra time is allowed in any match except for injury time.

 

17.        In the interest of time, U11 and U12 teams will not take conversions after tries.

18. QUALIFICATION FOR SEMI-FINALS

Team with the most match points
(3 points win, 2 points draw, 1 point loss, 0 points no show.  For the U11 (A & B) competitions only, an additional bonus point will be awarded to teams who score 4 tries or more in a match)

If level on points, the team with the most tries scored will progress

If still level, tries conceded decides

If still level, winner of the two in their pool game (if applicable) decides

If still level, toss of a coin decides

Disputes resolved by WRFC disputes judge

 19.   In the event of the quarter final, semi-finals being level at the end of normal time, the participating teams group results (as defined above) will be compared, the superior team being awarded the game. In the event that the group results do not define a superior team, the toss of a coin will decide who goes through to the final . In the final, extra time will be played. 5 minutes sudden death.

20.     Where a team has a clear lead of 30 points (6 tries) the referee will stop the game and the team leading will be awarded the match.

 Notes:

-         Clubs are reminded to provide their own insurance cover for their players and belongings.

-         All players must wear gum shields. If they do not have one, they will not be allowed to play.

-         First aid is on site; please make sure you are fully aware of where it is located before games start.

-         There will be a referees briefing 15 minutes before the first game. This will take place at the control centre  on the Jubilee field.

 

ORFU Support Barbarian Teams

Details
Wednesday, 04 April 2012

We are delighted that the Oxfordshire RFU are supporting Barbarian teams for both the U11  (the Oxford Warriors)  and U12 (the Oxford Saxons) age groups at this year's festival. We know that at these age groups clubs often have too many players for one team, but not enough for two.  All clubs are invited to put forward players for these two teams. 

Both teams will have an independent coach (not from a competing club), and one might even be from a premiership club .  Shirts will be provided and the teams will compete in the pools/knock outs like any other team.

This festival is about inclusivity and encouraging as many children to take part as possible.  We would urge club coaches to nominate any players to these two teams who might otherwise miss the chance to take part in this very special day.

Additional information