RULES OF THE HERTFORDSHIRE PRESIDENTS' CUP
AND TROPHY COMPETITIONS

1. Presidents' Cup: An entry of one team is allowed from each of the affiliated clubs playing in the "Divisional" leagues or above in the current season, London 4 North West and above.
Presidents' Trophy: An entry of one team is allowed from each of the remainder of the affiliated clubs plus each of those associated clubs not affiliated to another body.
All Clubs in affiliated membership to be invited to apply for entry to the respective Cup or Trophy competition, as applicable, no later than 30th September of each season. No extension or variation to this date be allowed.
2. The Competition will be organised by a sub-committee appointed by the General Committee.
3. All matches shall be played in accordance with the laws, bye-laws and resolutions of the Rugby Football Union.
4. Competition Entry Point: Clubs shall be placed in each round of both the Cup and the Trophy as follows:
Round 1: All Clubs that have NOT qualified for round 4 of the RFU Intermediate Cup or Junior Trophy shall enter their appropriate Competition in Round 1. The number of "byes" in this round will be adjusted to ensure that 8 Clubs compete in Round 2 of each Competition.
Round 2: All remaining clubs together with the winners from Round 1 will play in Round 2 of their appropriate competition.
Round 3: The winners from Round 2 will compete in Round 3 - the Semi-Finals.
Final: The winners of the semi-finals will compete in the Finals.
5 Draw: The draw for Round 1 will be made by the organising Committee as soon as practicable after the completion of Rounds 3 of the RFU Intermediate and Junior Competitions. The draws for the subsequent rounds will be made as soon as practicable following the completion of the previous round.
All Clubs in each round will be drawn in sequence, the first drawn Club in each pair being the home team. Byes may be placed in the draw for any round where appropriate, in order to ensure the correct number of teams take part in the subsequent round. However, there will be no seeding in any round.
All matches in each round MUST be completed prior to the date (or slip date) set for the next round, even if it means playing on the same weekend as an RFU Competition match. (Note the dates for each round shall be determined under the provisions of Rule 11).
6. Player eligibility:
(a) Eligibility shall be as for the English Clubs Rugby Union Championship.
(b) Non RFU English Clubs Championship Clubs. Players of those clubs not involved in the English Clubs Rugby Union Championship may only play or select as a replacement bona fide and regular playing members who do not hold Effective Registration with any League Club.
(c) Once a player had played for one Club in either competition he may not play for another club in the competitions during that season.
(d) Any infringement of (a), (b) or (c) above will result in the automatic disqualification from the competitions for that season of the player and the club involved.
7. Replacement regulations
(a) Not more than four replacement players in attendance.
(b) At least five players must be able to play in front row positions.
(c) If on the first or second occasion a front row player needs to be replaced, his team cannot provide a replacement or other player capable of playing in the front row of the scrum, the referee, having confirmed this fact with the captain of the team, will order uncontested scrums and the team shall be deemed to have lost the match.
(d) Subject to the exception set out in regulation 7(e), if on the third or subsequent occasion a front row player needs to be replaced, his team cannot provide a replacement or other player capable of playing in the front row of the scrum, the referee, having confirmed this fact with the captain of the team, the match shall be abandoned and the regulations set out below shall apply.
(e) Where a player or players is/are temporarily suspended from the field of play which creates a third or subsequent occasion that a front row player needs to be replaced, his team cannot provide a replacement or other player capable of playing in the front row of the scrum, the referee, having confirmed this fact with the captain of the team, shall continue the match with uncontested scrums, such uncontested scrums continuing for the duration of the temporary suspension only. The match result will not be deemed to be invalidated by reason of part of it being played with uncontested scrums.

8. Clubs must make a return of the resuft and their teams including replacements to the Secretary of the organising sub-committee.
9. In the case of a clash of colours, the home team shall change. If a clash of colours (playing shirt) is likely to occur in the final, the organising sub-committee will toss a coin to decide on which team is required to change colour.
10. (a) In all rounds, except the final, if after 40 minutes of play each way the scores are level there shall be an immediate period of replay between the same teams of 10 minutes each way, with a one minute interval. If the scores are then still equal, the team that has scored the most tries shall go forward into the next round. If this does not produce a result, the team that has scored the most goals from tries goes forward into the next round. If the scores are still equal and the goals from tries are still equal the visiting team shall go forward to the next round.
(b) In the Finals, if after 40 minutes of play each way the scores are level there shall be an immediate period of replay between the same teams of 10 minutes each way, with a one minute interval. If the scores are then still equal, the team that has scored the most tries shall be the winner. If this does not produce a result, the team that has scored the most goals from tries shall be the winner. If no result is then achieved the match shall be adjudged a Draw.
(c) In the event of a Draw in the Finals, there shall be one replay to which Rule 10(b) shall apply, on the date and ground decided by the organising sub-committee, and, in the event of a Draw in the replayed Presidents' Cup Final, the team to proceed into the Rugby Football Union Club Knock-Out Competition shall be decided by the toss of a coin at the end of play supervised by a referee appointed to officiate at the replayed Final.
11. (a) All rounds of the Competitions shall be played on Rugby Union weekends to be determined by the organising sub-committee. These dates shall be published at the Annual General Meeting of the Hertfordshire Rugby Football Union. The Finals shall be played on a ground to be decided by the organising sub-committee.
(b) All matches will be played on the Sunday afternoon of weekends designated in (a) above unless both clubs mutually agree to play at another time over that weekend. Such mutual agreement shall be notified by both clubs to the organising sub-committee 10 days prior to the designated date.
(c) In the event of any game not being played or abandoned the replay shall, unless otherwise determined by the organising sub-committee, take place on the following weekend (apart from the Christmas/New Year period) on which no league matches are scheduled for clubs in London Division 1 and below. If two clubs drawn against one another have a normal fixture arranged on either the weekend before or after the appointed date, they may, with the permission of the organising Sub-committee play their match on that weekend in games up to the completion of the Third Round.
(d) Abandoned Matches.
(1) If a match is abandoned because of weather conditions or pursuant with Replacement regulation 7(d) with less than sixty minutes played, it shall be replayed as directed by the organising sub-committee.
(2) If a match is abandoned because of weather conditions or pursuant with Replacement regulation 7(d) when sixty or more minutes have been played the score at the moment of abandonment shall stand and shall be deemed the final score of the match. The referee's decision as to the necessity for abandonment and the number of minutes played at the moment of abandonment shall be final.
Note: These regulations are as in the early rounds of the RFU Intermediate Cup and the Powrgen Junior Vase.
12. All referees in the Competition will be appointed by the HSRFURs.
13. Each club will be required to provide a Touch Judge for all rounds prior to the quarter-final round for which and onwards Touch Judges will be appointed by the HSRFURs.
14. The Winners of the Finals are to hold the Cup or Trophy for one year and shall be responsible for their engraving and safe custody.
15. The winner of the Cup will be nominated by Hertfordshire to participate in the Rugby Football Union Club Knock-Out Competition for the following season. If the winner qualifies for that competition by right of its league position the losing finalist will be nominated by Hertfordshire to participate in that competition.
16. Any matters in dispute or any transgressions of these Rules other than those relating to the eligibility of players where the provisions of Rule 6(a) apply shall be referred immediately to the Secretary of the organising sub-committee by telephone if necessary provided that written confirmation follows within five working days setting out the ground of compliant in full. The organising sub-committee shall have an absolute discretion to resolve any such protests or disputes as it shall think fit and may decline to act upon a protest validly made if it considers doing so to be in the interests of the
Competition generally. The decision of the organising sub-committee shall be final and binding on all parties.