Pro Series Terms and Conditions
PRO SERIES TERMS AND CONDITIONS
GENERAL
1. Entry to the Pro Beach Series is by invitation from the Western and Southern Cape Beach Touch Association (WSCBTA).
2. Once invited a team can only forfeit participation by means of declination, suspension, relegation or closure of the tournament.
3. Invited teams are required to pay an entry deposit, which will be quantified at the start of every season by the organizing entity.
4. Invited teams must be able to compete in all events, except if disqualified due to whatever means.
5. This Pro Series is governed by the WSCBTA Pro-Series Beach Tour Organising Committee which is formed as follows:
i. Independent Chair Person
ii. A secretary
iii. An In2touch Representative
iv. One Representative of each participating Pro Series Team who is not necessarily the captain or organizer.
SQUAD INFORMATION
1. A Pro Series Squad consists of 12 players in total.
2. At each individual event, only 10 players from each squad can be used
3. For each match, only 8 players from the event day squad of 10 can be used.
4. No Player listed in a Pro-Series squad will be allowed to play for any other team whether in the Pro Series or the Open Tournament. If a player breaks this rule, he will be banned from playing for the team he is registered in and the team will be in contravention of the conditions and will lose its team deposit.
5. It is the responsibility of Team captains/managers to approach the organisers 30 minutes before each event starts with the names of the 10 players participating in the days games.
6. At this point, the captains will be provided with 2 bibs for the players not permitted to play in a designated game. Teams failing to ensure their non-playing members are wearing their bibs will be in contravention of the Pro Series Rules.
7. The Tournament deposit fee is R5000 per team. This money will be held in a trust account.
8. Tournament deposits to be paid by no later than Monday 29th of October 2019 to ensure eligibility in the Pro Series.
9. Provisional squads must be submitted in writing by no later than Monday 26th of November 2019.
10. Following the submission of 12 players on 26th November 201, teams will be allowed a maximum of 2 replacement players (in the event of an injury or change in personal situations) leading up to the start of the Pro Series.
11. No player listed in a provisional squad, will be permitted to play in any other squad in the Pro Series, if replaced.
12. In the event of replacement players being brought in, the onus lies with the team to notify In 2 Touch in writing of such replacement. The replacement period will end on Monday 3 December 2019 at 17h00, where after no replacements will be allowed or accepted and the squads (further called “final submitted squad”) provided will be deemed as the final squads for the duration of the Pro Series.
13. If a player is injured during the series, he cannot be replaced by a player who was not in the final submitted squad.
14. Failure to meet either deadline will result in the loss of the team deposit.
15. Failure to abide by any of the above conditions will result in the loss of the team deposit and possible banning from the series.
16. The squad lists must include, full name, ID number, cell number and email address.
17. Squad lists will be placed on the website.
PRO SERIES TOURNAMENT FORMAT
1. There are 8 teams competing in 2 pools of 4. The format will be played as a Round Robin with all teams in each pool playing each other.
2. The first tournaments draw will be randomly done
3. From the second tournament onwards, the top 2 teams on the Grand Prix standings will guarantee the top spot in each pool. All the other teams will be randomly drawn.
4. The top team in each pool will automatically qualify for the semi-finals.
5. The second and third teams from each pool will qualify for the qualifiers at each event.
6. The second team in each pool will play the third team of the other pool in the qualifiers.
7. The bottom team in each pool will play against the top two teams from the Challenger Series. If a challenger team wins this match, they will be allocated the points that the pro team would have won. These points will then count towards the grading of teams for next year’s beach tour from the Challenger Series.
8. At the end of the series, the 8th team on the Grand Prix Standings would be automatically relegated.
9. Promotion would be gained by the Challenger team with the most pro series points. This team would have the option to accept or decline the promotion. Any Challenger team with an affiliation to a team in the Pro Series will not be afforded the opportunity of being invited to the Pro Series.
10. If such promotion is declined it will be offered to the second placed team and on their decline to the third place team. If none of the invited teams can accept the invitation or are not able to adhere to the general terms of participation in the Pro Series it will be offered back to the 8th placed team in the Pro Series.
11. Means to determine who is promoted in the event of a tie:
CHALLENGER SERIES
1. This section is to be seen as the feeder system as well as an opportunity to keep the “Semi Pro’s” away from the general public in the early rounds of the Open Tournament.
2. The major change with this format is that the Challengers will not get to play in the Pro Series knock out. They will just play against the bottom 2 teams from the Pro Series Round Robin.
1.1 There are 8 teams competing in a knock out format, starting at the quarterfinal stage.
1.2 The 4 quaterfinal losers will join the Open Cup at the Last 16 stage. The 2 losing semifinalist will join the Open Cup quarterfinal as seat 1 and seat 2.
1.3 The 2 teams competing in the Contender final, will go on and play against the lowest ranked pro teams. This game will have a points value for the Pro Series and the Contender series. Contender teams to be decided on the day.
1.4 The Challenger series will carry its own prizes.
GAME DURATION AND SCORING
1. The duration of a game is 12 minutes with an immediate changeover at half time. The first half of a game will be contested with each team fielding 5 players, the second half will be contested with each team fielding 4 players. At 3 Minutes intom the second half, each team will now be further reduced and field 3 players until the completion of the game. In 2 Touch maintain the right to shorten games to keep to the schedule.
2. Points scoring for Round Robin:
i. Win 4 Points
ii. Draw 2 Points
iii. Loss 0 Point
iv. Forfeit -1 Points
v. Winning bonus 1 point
vi. Losing bonus 1 point
Winning bonus – win by 3 or more tries
Losing bonus – loose by 1 try
3. The method used in a case where 2 teams finish level on points is as follows and in this order:
i. Try Difference
ii. Try’s Scored for
iii. Result between the 2 teams
iv. Spin of a coin
4. A central timer will be used to start and finish games. An initial siren will be blown to alert teams of the pending game followed by a second siren beginning the game. If a team is not present at the second siren they will forfeit the game, giving the opposition a 5-0 win, as well as a winning bonus point.
5. If a Match has been abandoned during the first half the result shall be declared a draw. If a match has been abandoned for any reason after the first half the result and any tries scored by each team in the match shall stand.
6. If a Team refuses to play, or abandons a Match in progress, then, subject to confirmation by the chairperson that Team will be expelled from the “On the day Tournament” and potentially be expelled from the series. If this occurs, the result of the match in progress will be awarded to the opposition. No Grand Prix points for the particular event will be awarded to the transgressing team in such an event.
7. If a Tournament is not completed for any reason whatsoever, no points will be allocated whatsoever.
8. Play-offs draw and order of games will be as follows:
Qualifier 1 - A2 vs B3
Qualifier 2 - B2 vs A3
Cross league 1 - Challenger 1 vs (A4/B4, lowest ranked)
Cross league 2 - Challenger 2 vs (A4/B4, second lowest ranked)
Semi 1 - B1 vs Qualifier 1 winner
Semi 2 - A1 vs Qualifier 2 winner
Final - Semi 1 winner vs Semi 2 winner
9. During the Knock-out Competitions, in the event of a Match being drawn at the end of normal time. A sudden death drop off will be played until a winner is determined. The game will automatically begin with 3 players on each side. This will be the minimum number of players on the field unless due to a player being dismissed. If after each team has had at least one phase of possession in the drop off, a try is scored, the result will be affected
TOURNAMENT AND SERIES DISCIPLINE
1. Players who infringe any of the playing rules or tournament rules are liable to penalty or other appropriate action according to the seriousness of the infringement as decided by the chairperson.
2. Players who continually breach the playing rules are liable for dismissal. Team captains and managers are responsible for the conduct of players in their respective teams and should be aware that undisciplined players are disruptive to the spirit of the game.
a) Any player may be dismissed as follows:
i. Forced Sub – In order for the referee to calm the player and the game, he may send a player from the playing field to be replaced by a substitute
ii. 1 Minute - A player can be dismissed for repeated infringements or any offence requiring more than a penalty for 1 minute. The dismissed player cannot be replaced.
iii. Remainder of the game - A player dismissed after any previous dismissal or for an offence such as gross misconduct or a dangerous act is to take no further part in that match. The dismissed player cannot be replaced.
b) All dismissed players are to move from the field and remain next to the field coordinator.
c) Players dismissed for infringements mentioned in points a and b will automatically incur a two (2) match suspension followed by a disciplinary hearing to decide on further punishment.
d) Dismissible offences include:
i. continual breaches of the rules
ii. swearing
iii. back chatting referees
iv. bad sportsmanship
v. fighting
vi. using physical force in making a touch
vii. tripping
viii. any other action which is not in the spirit of the game.
PRO SERIES GRAND PRIX CONDITIONS
1. Teams will accumulate points according to their finishing positions at each event.
Each finishing position will be worth a specified number of points. The team that accumulates the most points will win the Grand Prix!
2. Breakdown of points allocations:
i. 1st place - 10 points (Winner of final match)
ii. 2nd place - 8 points (Winner of semi-final match)
iii. 3rd place - 6 points (Winner of qualifier match)
iv. 4th place - 6 points (Winner of qualifier match)
v. 5th place - 4 points (loser of qualifier match)
vi. 6th place - 4 points (loser of qualifier match)
vii. 7th place - 2 points (winner of cross league match - Loser gets 0)
viii. 8th place - 2 points (winner of cross league match - Loser gets 0)
1. The results and all referees’ decisions on the fields will be deemed as final. No disputes concerning referee decisions or on field issues will be entered into.
2. If any player or team is found contravening any of the rules of the Series or not playing within the spirit of the game, the team deposit will be lost and the team will be banned from the remainder of the series following a full disciplinary and potential further punishment.
3. All disputes regarding player eligibility must be made prior to any tournament or game starting. Failure to raise the dispute before a game begins will not alter the game or tournament result. However the necessary steps will be taken against the team contravening the rules thereafter.
4. The Association chairperson is the sole judge of all disputes and disciplinary detail.