1                    Players must be Under 18 on 31^st August/1^st September in the current season.

2                    Players may transfer between clubs and be eligible to play for the new club after seven days have expired from receiving confirmation of the transfer.

The deadline for transfers will be 31^st December of each season. Players transferred after this date will not be allowed to play in the East Midlands League Competition for the remainder of that season.

3                    Entries must be received by 30^th April of each year prior to the season that a club wishes to join.

4                    All matches to be played on the Saturdays designated by EMRU in the Colts U18/U17 structured season.

5                    Alternate match days may only be arranged with the combined agreement of the two clubs but can only be prior to the original specified date. In the case of re-arranged games cancelled due to the weather the following Saturday must be used.

6                    League points will be awarded for matches played as follows:

4 points for a WIN

2 points for a DRAW

1 point for a LOSS

7                    The make up of the conferences will be decided by the East Midlands Competitions Committee and fixtures will be assigned and issued to all clubs involved before 31^st May of each year.

8                    [2 Conferences] If league points are equal the final positions will be decided using the following criteria -

1                    Greatest points difference

2                    Greater number of points scored

3                    Most away wins

4                    Most wins

5                    If still equal – the decision of the East Midlands Competitions Committee shall be final.

9                    [3 Conferences] The playoffs will be made up from the winners of each Conference and the best runner-up [see notes below].  The semi-finals will be the team with the best record [as in 7 above criteria] at home to the best runner up and the team with the second best record at home to the team with the third best record.  The final will be hosted by the club that had the best record [as in 7 above criteria] in the Conference.

‘Best Record’ means as between the Clubs which of the two Clubs had the best percentage record taking the number of competition points gained (or awarded by the appropriate Organising Committee taking into account any appeals and the result thereof) during current programme of league matches (as reflected in the final league table) as a percentage of the maximum number of points it was possible to gain had the Club won every one of its matches against the other Clubs shown in the final league table.

In the event of the pertcentages being identical which of the two Clubs had the highest average winning margin in its said programme of league matches to be calculated by deducting from the points scored by the Club the points scored against the Club and dividing the difference by the number of matches played by the Club (or deemed by the Club’s Organising Committee to have been played by the Club in that Competition points were awarded to the Club) in the Club’s said league programme.

10               All matches will be played under RFU regulations for U-19 rugby.

10.1 Each side shall be able to field 7 replacements during the course of the match on a rolling basis if required. Should any match have to proceed with uncontested scrums due to a lack of availability of front row replacements then the result will remain unaffected. If a team is unable to field a front row at the commencement of the match then it shall be deemed to have conceded the tie, although the game should still be played.

11               Should any Club withdraw from the League during the season, all their match records will be removed.

12               Any dispute must be reported to the Competition Committee of the East Midlands Rugby Union within 72 hours of the match being completed.

13               National Colts Cup/Plate matches will take precedence over a League fixture.

14               East Midlands fixtures, with the exception of National Colts Cup/Plate, take precedence over other CB competitions.

15               Both teams are required to send their results to the East Midlands office within 48 hours of the match being played. No results will be accepted after 14 days of the match being completed.

16               Updates to the League Tables will be displayed on the East Midlands website [www.emru.co.uk]

17               The decision of the East Midlands Competitions Committee will be final.