FRONT ROW CLARIFICATION

January 2008

There have been some misunderstandings regarding the situation in respect of replacement front row at level 5 and below - in other words those Clubs not in the National Leagues.  The specific regulations are 7.3.1 (a) (b) (c) (d) & 7.3.2 on pages 208 & 209 of the 2007/8 RFU Handbook. 

You must have at least one front row replacement available. If on the first occasion you do not have a front row available then you will forfeit the game.

If a team, having already provided one front row replacement, is unfortunate enough to lose a second front row and cannot provide a second replacement then the referee will order passive scrums. At this point the game is effectively abandoned and it is the Home Club's responsibility to ensure that the referee has ticked the appropriate box on the scorecard and also indicated on the card the time when the game went to passive scrums, the score at that time, the team concerned and whether or not it was the first/second occasion that a replacement could not be provided. The important score is the score when the game went to passive scrums and that is the score to be rung in to Russells with the added information that the game went to passive scrums. When the match cards are received the League Secretary will decide whether the result will stand or whether the match will be replayed. 

We have had a situation where a Club nominated a Flanker, who started the game, as the Front Row replacement. He subsequently left the field injured and when their Front Row was also injured they had no replacement available. They argued that they had started the game in accordance with the regulations but it was found that the important word was available and that meant available at the time the Front Row player had to leave the pitch. This is always a risk if your Front Row replacement is not on the Bench. If you cannot replace a Front Row at the first time of asking you will forfeit the match regardless of the score. If a match has gone to passive scrums due to a yellow card situation then the game will continue for that duration and all scores will count. 

The Midlands League Organising Committee have the right to investigate any game that goes to uncontested scrums if they so wish.

Henri Ginvert

Tel. 01530 - 242761
Mob. 07785 - 724989
E mail  henri.ginvert@btinternet.com