Tournament Rules & Guidelines

Powerplay Points Rule

• During Powerplay, a team scores an additional +1 point for every raid or tackle point.
• Each team can take Powerplay only once per match.
• Powerplay duration: 3 minutes in a 30-minute match and 4 minutes in a 40-minute match.
• Powerplay periods of both teams can overlap; each team chooses when to activate.
• Teams are free to skip Powerplay; they are not forced to take it.
• Teams may take Powerplay any time in the match (e.g., last 2 minutes of second half; in that case, it only runs for remaining time).
• If Powerplay is taken late in first half and half ends, remaining Powerplay time carries into second half.
• Teams must inform Match Official before the raid starts to activate Powerplay; official signals when it is ON.
• No substitutions are allowed during Powerplay period, except for injury situations at referee's discretion.
• Powerplay points do not revive additional players; they are bonus scoring only.
• If a raid starts when Powerplay is active and finishes after the Powerplay timer has technically elapsed, Powerplay points still apply.
• Powerplay timer is paused during team timeouts or official timeouts.
• Example scenarios (all award +1 Powerplay point unless specified): successful raids with 2 points, bonus points, normal tackles, super tackles, all outs. No Powerplay point is given for technical points or empty raids.

Do-or-Die Raid & Tie-Breakers

• Do-or-Die (DOD) raids carry over into the second half; there is no reset at half time.
• If a team has already made two empty raids by end of first half, their first raid in the second half will be a Do-or-Die raid.

Tie-breaker Rules (Knockouts):

• 3 raids per team, with alternate raids by both teams.
• Each raid is a Do-or-Die raid.
• Each raider must be unique for their team (no repeats).
• The defending team will have 4 players on the mat.
• The same 4 defenders stay on the mat for all tie-breaker raids.
• Raiders and defenders can be anyone from the team (including bench); they need not be on the mat at the end of regular time.
• Both teams submit the list of 4 defenders and 3 raiders to officials at the end of the second half.
• A player may be both a raider and defender for their team in the tie-breaker.
• Baulk line is not considered a bonus line; no bonus points are awarded in tie-breaker raids.

Match Duration & Reporting

• Teams must report at match time with a minimum of 2 players; failing which the Organising Committee may take necessary action.
• Final team list must be submitted to OC at least 90 minutes before scheduled match time.
• League stage matches are of 30 minutes duration.
• Knockout stage matches are of 40 minutes duration.
• If both teams fail to report, the match is cancelled and 0 points are awarded to both sides.
• If a team cannot field a minimum of 10 players, the match is abandoned and the opposition is awarded a win (3 points), with 0 points to the defaulting team.
• If a league match ends in a tie in regular time, both teams receive 1 point each.

Bonus Point

• Bonus line is active only when there are minimum 6 defenders on court.
• Raider crossing bonus line scores 1 bonus point. If then caught, defending team also scores 1 point.
• If raider crosses bonus line but is caught before return, only the defending team gets 1 point; no bonus is awarded.
• If raider crosses bonus line and also puts out defender(s), raiding team gets bonus point plus points for defenders put out.
• Bonus line must be crossed before touching defender(s) or being caught; otherwise no bonus point is awarded.
• There is no revival for bonus points alone.
• Suspended or disqualified players are still counted as on court for the purpose of bonus eligibility.

Timeouts & Substitutions

• Each team gets 1 timeout of 30 seconds per half.
• Clock is paused during timeouts. Players may not leave their half; violation leads to a technical point to opponents.
• Officials may call timeouts for injuries, interruptions, re-lining, or unforeseen circumstances; match timer is paused.
• Each team has 5 substitutions per match using a coin system.
• Once substitution coins are exhausted, only medical substitutions are allowed at referee's discretion.
• If substitution coins are still available, medical substitutions also consume coins.
• Substituted players from a coin substitution may be re-substituted; those from a medical (no-coin) substitution cannot re-enter that match.
• Substitutions are not allowed for out or suspended players.
• Referee/Umpire permits substitutions only after completion of a raid, at their discretion.
• Teams can substitute players at half time without using coins.

Card Rules

• Green Card: Warning; next card to same player will be a Yellow Card.
• Yellow Card: Temporary suspension for 2 minutes, but no technical point is awarded to opponents. Second Yellow in the same match to the same player is deemed a Red Card.
• Red Card: Player is ineligible for the remainder of that match and the next match.
• Any Yellow Card to player or coach leads to 2-minute suspension of that individual; if the player is out when carded, suspension starts upon revival.
• During suspension, the team cannot revive another out player in the place of the suspended player.
• On a second Red Card in the same tournament, the player/coach becomes ineligible for the rest of the tournament and cannot sit in the dugout.
• During suspension period, the player is considered active on mat for counting purposes (e.g., bonus eligibility).

Match Clock

• Match clock is paused in the last 30 seconds of first half and last 2 minutes of second half whenever there is a stoppage in play.
• Clock is also paused at the end of each result-oriented raid (both successful and unsuccessful) during these periods.
• Substitutions done in these time windows also pause the clock.

Powerplay Clock

• Powerplay clock is paused in exactly the same situations as the match clock (stoppages and result-oriented raids in the critical end periods).
• Otherwise, Powerplay clock follows the match clock throughout the game.

Pursuit & Raider Crossing Midline in Air

• Pursuit is allowed only in the case of an empty raid or when a bonus point has been scored; it is not permitted after a touch point.
• If, after scoring a touch point, the raider crosses the mid line from the lobby while their body is airborne, the raider is declared safe.

League Stage Points Distribution

League Table & Tiebreakers

• Standings are primarily based on total points earned.
• In case of walkover: the team that reports receives 3 points and the match is counted; the non-reporting team gets 0 points and the match is counted.
• First tiebreaker: Win percentage of the tied teams.
• Second tiebreaker: Score difference across the league (points scored minus points conceded).
• Third tiebreaker: Highest number of Powerplay points scored.
• Fourth tiebreaker: Highest number of All Outs inflicted.
• Fifth tiebreaker: Lowest number of All Outs conceded.

Reserve Player Policy

• Only registered tournament squad players may be used as replacements within the squad.
• Any replacement player must complete official registration with the team before the start of the tournament.
• All replacement players must undergo mandatory weighing with the designated tournament official before playing any match.
• In case of serious injury, a valid medical certificate must be submitted; the OC will review and may grant an exception for player replacement.
• No replacement player can participate without completing both registration and weighing.

Weighing Policy

• Mandatory pre-tournament weighing of all players (including reserves), with maximum weight limit of 85 kg.
• No player may participate if weight exceeds 85 kg.
• Weighing is conducted by a designated tournament official; their decision is final.
• Weighing takes place on the designated pre-tournament date; entire squad plus coach/manager must be present.
• Only one official weigh-in session is conducted. Each player may attempt weighing a maximum of three times.
• Any player above 85 kg after permitted attempts is disqualified from the tournament. No protests are accepted.