2025 TOURNAMENT RULES

Great Northwest Challenge 2025 Tournament Rules

1 General Rules

1.1 The tournament will be conducted entirely under the control of the Great Northwest Challenge Organizing Committee whose decisions in all matters are final. 

In the event of any complaint arising from any decision or match, the Tournament Director’s decision (which may be made with input from the Competition Manager and/or Referee Manager) will be final.

1.2 Matches will be played under the World Rugby Laws, U19 variations as well as the current USA Game Management Guidelines for Youth & High School Rugby.

2 Eligibility Rules

2.1 SYRO’s must be in good standing with and members of USA Rugby. Participating teams, coaches and players are required to have current USA Rugby registrations as required by the tournament’s sanctioning body (USA Rugby). Player rosters (including proof of date of birth, emergency contact and relevant medical information and completed player consent waivers) are to be submitted to the Tournament Organizers at least 1 week prior to the start of the tournament to enable these checks to take place The Tournament Director will have the final say on any team’s or player’s eligibility in the Tournament.

2.2  Any team or player that does not adhere to the Event’s team and player eligibility rules may be prohibited from participating in the Event either in part or in full.  Event Organizers will not refund or be held liable for any costs associated with a team or player’s enforced withdrawal from the Event due to non-eligibility. Any violation of entry rules will result in an automatic defeat for the concerned team.

2.3 Upon arrival, team managers are required to formally check in at the team check-in desk (details to be provided) and confirm their final squad based on the rosters they have already submitted in advance. Teams will not be permitted to play until the final and confirmed team roster and all accompanying documents have been supplied to and approved by the Tournament Committee. 

2.4  Coaches are responsible for holding a copy of their team’s final roster, as well as copies of the IDs (with the player’s date of birth) of all their players for each game, these may be requested by match officials prior to a match. If a team wishes to make any changes to their final team roster which was confirmed at check-in for the tournament, they must submit these changes in writing to the Tournament Director for approval. Once your squad is named and jersey numbers are assigned, these designated numbers are to stay with that player for the duration of the tournament. 

2.5 All Coaches, Players and Officials may not be currently under any sanctions.

Squad Rosters

Teams competing in XVs may roster up to 25 players. Teams competing in 7s may roster up to 12 players. These players, once assigned a jersey number, must remain in that number for the remainder of the tournament regardless of injury, selection or preference. All players must be registered and entered in Rugby Xplorer and added to a match day roster no later than an hour before kickoff or the match will be a forfeit. 

Age Requirements:

The birthdate age cut offs for the 2025 Great Northwest Challenge are as follows:

• High School (U19) divisions: born on or after 1 September 2006

• U16 divisions: born on or after 1 September 2009

U16 Divisions

An exemption request (max 3 requests per team) may be submitted for players within 3 months of the deadline (i.e. June/July/Aug birthdates). Players must be size and physical maturity appropriate to be considered playing down a division. This is not to allow for a competitive advantage, but to give a player meaningful minutes they may not receive in their current age group. 

U19 Division

An exemption request (Max 2 requests per team) may be submitted for a player that is age and size appropriate, but has graduated high school. This is to allow a player to be identified by USA Rugby or to help them secure a college opportunity currently not afforded to them. 

Please see form HERE

To be eligible for the GNC players must:

• Be age appropriate

• Be size appropriate

• Be enrolled in HS (if graduated but fit all other requirements, U19 teams are allowed two waiver requests) 

Cancellations & Refunds

- Prior to March 23, 2025 – a full refund will be given less a $50 cancellation fee 

- Between March 23, 2025 - April 20th a 50% refund is given 

- After April 20,  2025 - no refund will be given

Tournament Play

Unless otherwise noted below, the tournament will be governed by the most recent World Rugby Laws of the Game for 7’S for U16 Girls or 15’s style play, with U19-Variations adhered to for all other levels..

The tournament will consist of Pool Play and Playoffs.  U19 Boys and Girls and U16 Boys  will play competitive XVs and U16 Girls will play 7s.

XVs

• All Pool Play Round and quarter final Playoff Round matches will consist of two 22.5 minute halves with a 5- minute halftime.

  • Semi-final and final Playoff Round matches will consist of two 22.5 minute halves with a 5 minute halftime.

  • HS matches will be governed by World Rugby U19 variations.

7s

• All match play will be 7 minute halves with a 2 minute halftime. This will remain the same for finals. 

STANDINGS

The below methodology is used to order standings. This will be completed after Day 1 and a “re-seeding” of teams will occur for Day 2. 

1. Total Match Points (4 points for a win; 2 points for a draw; 0 points for a loss; 1 point for a team that loses a match by 7 points or less; 1 point for a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match)

2. In the event of a draw between two teams, Tournament Seeding will be used to determine the tie break

SCHEDULE

• All matches will kickoff at their allotted time, with the match being completed 5 minutes prior to the kickoff for the next match regardless if the total match time has not been completed. 

• Teams are expected to be at the pitch 5 minutes prior to the start of their match. 

• Coin Toss will occur at the “Arch” on the match field 10 minutes prior to kickoff. 

• Teams that are not present to play at their appointed time and location will forfeit the match by a 28-0 score. 

FOUL PLAY & DISCIPLINARY

• Players given a Yellow Card must leave the field of play for the following duration:

  • 2 minutes of match time for matches consisting of 7-minute halves.

  • 7 minutes of match time for matches consisting of 22.5 -minute halves.

Any player sent off with a Red Card must leave the field of play for the duration of the match and will be disqualified for the remainder of the day, unless the red card is reversed. The red card will be then reviewed that evening, to determine if the player is allowed to play on Day 2. 

The GNC will refer to USA Rugby and World Rugby’s policies on disciplinary proceedings. 

SUBSTITUTIONS

15s 

These are rolling substitutions within the spirit of the game. If teams are taking advantage of this, we refuse the right to adjust this policy. Substitutions must be 2 (two) at a stoppage with more than 2 (two) substitutions allowed at half time. 

In the event of a front-row substitution, the sub MUST be a qualified front-row sub. If the substitute player is not front-row qualified, the referee will move to uncontested scrums. Any player removed and substituted may take no further part in that match but may play in subsequent matches.

HEAD INJURIES

The GNC follows the World Rugby policy of Recognize and Remove. If the team is traveling with medical staff, athlete care will be performed by the team’s medical staff. If a team is not traveling with medical staff, tournament medical will complete follow-up to assess further participation in the tournament. There will be no further participation in the current match. 

Players sustaining a head injury resulting in unconsciousness will be placed into concussion protocol immediately by attending medical personnel. A substitution can be made for the recognized and removed player. IF the only remaining subs available are players who have previously been replaced, they will be allowed to return to the field for the injured player.

Players sustaining a head injury without losing consciousness will be taken off the field and assessed for a concussion. A substitute player can enter the match to replace the player being assessed for a period of 10 actual minutes. If a concession is diagnosed, the injured player will not be allowed to return for the remainder of the tournament for their safety and well-being.

DROP-OUTS/NO SHOWS

If a registered team does not show up for a scheduled match on either Saturday or Sunday, causing a forfeiture, that team will be ineligible to play the following year. No refund will be given.

SPORTSMANSHIP

Profanity or vulgarity will not be tolerated as a part of pre-game chants or line-out calls.

Abusiveness towards a referee or tournament official may result in a team being disqualified from the tournament and/or future tournaments.

TOURNAMENT BEHAVIOR/DISCIPLINE

There is a zero-tolerance alcohol policy at Great Northwest Challenge. Any athlete, coach, referee or official caught disobeying the alcohol stipulations of this tournament, vandalizing or defacing public or private property, or found to have been arrested in any establishment for any reason during Great Northwest Challenge weekend will be immediately reported to the appropriate member of their institution and will subject their team to immediate ban from Great Northwest Challenge for either a period of two years or until such time as that individual graduates or leaves the institution, whichever is longer. 

WEATHER

Tournament play may be postponed/canceled due to severely inclement weather. In the event of a weather complication, match schedules may be altered by the Tournament Hosts/Director. Any Tournament Schedule change due to weather or any other event affecting Tournament Play shall be communicated through the Managers WhatsApp.IIt is the responsibility of team captains to be aware of any change in Tournament Schedule.  The Tournament Hosts shall not be held liable for any loss incurred by a participating team arising from any postponement/cancellation of Tournament play due to any “Act of God” event.

All Rules are subject to change per the tournament director’s discretion. Any matters not covered by this document, the World Rugby Laws of the Game, or by a Referee’s decision, will be resolved by the Tournament Director and Head Referee, whose decision will be final.