Rugby World Cup 2007

Rugby World Cup
Tournament Rules 

Please note that these are the rules for the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Previous tournaments had different rules and the drop kick rule was implemented for the 2003 tournament.

Click here for details on the Drop Kick Regulations.
Click here for details on the Delayed & cancelled match regulations.

Match points system
The following number of match points will be awarded for each Pool phase match:

Win : 4 points
Draw : 2 points
4 or more tries : 1 point
Loss by 7 points or less : 1 point

If teams are tied at full time, the match will be deemed a draw and the respective match points shall be awarded to each team.

Points will be awarded at the completion of the match and no extra time shall be played. Bonus points will be awarded in the pool matches for teams scoring 4 trys or more and to teams if it loses by 7 points or less.

In the event of two teams being equal on match points for any position then that position will be determined by the winner of most matches between the two teams.

If this does not produce a result or the two teams did not meet then the winner shall be produced on the following basis:

At the completion of the Pool phase, the teams in a Pool are ranked one through five based on their cumulative match points, and identified respectively as winner, runner up, third, fourth and fifth.

If at the completion of the Pool phase two or more teams are level on match points, then the following criteria shall be used in the following order until one of the teams can be determined as the higher ranked:

i. The winner of the match in which the two (or more )tied teams have played each other shall be the higher ranked;

ii. The team which has the best difference between points scored for and points scored against in all its Pool matches shall be the higher ranked;

iii. The team which has the best difference between tries scored for and tries scored against in all its Pool matches shall be the higher ranked;

iv. The team which has scored most points in all its Pool matches shall be the higher ranked;

v. The team which has scored most tries in all its Pool matches shall be the higher ranked;

vi. Should the tie be unresolved at the conclusion of steps (i) through (v), then it shall be settled by the toss of a coin.

No match points will be awarded to a team which has been expelled from the Tournament, refuses to play a match or abandons a match in progress, without direction from Match Officials or the RWC Match Commissioner, subject to the provisions of the Participation Agreement.

When no match points are awarded to a team for a given match, its opponent in that match shall be awarded a win and therefore four match points.

Where a team is expelled from the Tournament, it shall forfeit all match points previously awarded, and its opponents in each match previously played shall be awarded four match points (which shall replace any match points previously awarded from the particular match). All points scored for and against in these matches shall be discounted in the official Pool rankings and team records used for Tournament purposes.

Qualification/elimination at the conclusion of the Pool phase
The winner and runner-up in each Pool shall be qualified for the Quarter Finals. Teams ranked third, fourth and fifth shall be eliminated from the Tournament.

Knock out rounds

Quarter Final 1– Winner Pool D v Runner up Pool C
Quarter Final 2 – Winner Pool A v Runner up Pool B
Quarter Final 3 - Winner Pool B v Runner up Pool A
Quarter Final 4 - Winner Pool C v Runner up Pool D

Semi Finals
The Semi Final matches will be contested by knockout matches, as follows:

Semi Final 1 - Winner QF1 v Winner QF2
Semi Final 2 - Winner QF3 v Winner QF4

The winners of the Semi Final matches shall qualify for the Final, and the losers of the Semi Final matches shall contest the 3rd/4th Playoff match.

3rd & 4th Play off

Loser SF1 v Loser SF2

The Final

Winner SF1 v Winner SF2

For Quarter Final matches, Semi Final matches, the 3rd/4th Playoff match and the Final, if teams are tied at full time, then the winner shall be determined through the following sequential criteria;

i. Extra time - following an interval of 5 minutes, extra time of 10 minutes each way (with an interval of 5 minutes) shall be played;

ii. Sudden death - if the scores are tied at the conclusion of extra time, and following an interval of 5 minutes, then a further extra time of 10 minutes maximum shall be played. During this period the first team to score any points shall be declared the winner (sudden death);

iii. Drop-kick competition - if after this sudden death period no winner can be declared, a drop-kick competition will be organised between the two teams. The winner of that competition shall be declared the winner of the match.

Previous tournaments had criteria for number of red cards issued during the tournament and the number of tries in a particular match and if there was still no result then both finalists would have become joint cup holders.

Presentation of the final score in tied matches
For matches completed at the end of extra time or during the sudden death period of play, the final score shall be presented as the score at the time at which the match was completed.

For matches completed through the organisation of a drop-kick competition, the final score shall be presented as the match score at the completion of the sudden death period, followed in brackets by the notification of the winner of the match and the score in the drop-kick competition.

Back to top of page

Rugby World Cup Tournament Rules 
Drop Kick Competition Regulations

All players and Match Officials will remain on the playing enclosure. The referee will call the captains of the two teams to the centre circle and will conduct a coin toss. The winner of the coin toss then may either choose which team kicks first (in which case the loser chooses the end at which all kicks will be taken) or choose the end at which all kicks will be taken (in which case the loser chooses which team kicks first).

Each team must nominate five players to take part in the competition. Only players on the playing enclosure at the time of the completion of the sudden death period may be nominated. No injured, substituted or dismissed player may take part at any time. The order in which the nominated players will kick does not have to be predetermined.

The Match Officials and the ten nominated players (five from each team) will assemble on the halfway line. Team members not nominated must remain behind the halfway line in the side of the playing area not used. No one except the referee, two touch judges and two ball boys is allowed in the part of the playing area being used for the competition.

The five players from each team will drop kick from five different areas, all behind the 22 metre line, as follows:

First area: directly in front of the posts
Second area: between the 15 metre line and the touch line on the left hand side of the posts
Third area: between the 15 metre line and the touch line on the right hand side of the posts
Fourth area: between the 5 metre line and the touch line on the left hand side of the posts.
Fifth area: between the 5 metre line and the touch line on the right hand side of the posts.

The referee will start the competition by calling the first player selected from the team kicking first to the first kicking point. Once the player has taken the kick, the referee calls a player from the opposing team to kick from the same area.

The next two players (one from each team) will kick from the second area in turn. This will continue until all five players from each team have kicked (the next players kicking respectively from the third area, fourth area and finally the fifth area), or until one team is unable to equal the score of the other team within the remaining number of kicks.

If there is an equal number of successful kicks once each team has completed its five kicks, the competition continues on a “sudden death” basis.

The referee will call for two new players (one from each team) to kick at goal, from the first kicking area (see above). The kickers need not be predetermined, but they must come from the players on the playing enclosure at the time of the completion of the sudden death period (no injured, substituted or dismissed players may take part). No player may kick a second time until all members of the team on the field at the time of the completion of the sudden death period have taken a kick.

The competition will continue two kicks at a time (one from each side), going progressively through the five kicking areas stated above (and repeating the process if necessary) until one player succeeds with a kick and the player from the other side taking the same kick misses it. Once this occurs, the team of the player who succeeded with the kick will be declared the winner.

Throughout the drop kick competition:
10.1 Once a player has been handed the ball on the kicking area, he must take the drop-kick within one minute. Should he take longer, the referee shall declare the kick void.

10.2 After each kick, the referee records the number of the player and whether or not the attempt was successful. The Match Commissioner will record the same details on the official Match Report.

10.3 Whether or not a goal is scored from each attempt is the sole decision of the referee, who may at his sole discretion rely on the assistance of his touch judges. The referee's decision shall be final and binding.

10.4 Once a player has completed their kick, they shall return to stand with their team behind the halfway line in the side of the playing area not used.

Back to top of page

Rugby World Cup Tournament Rules 
Delayed, Postponed, Abandoned and Cancelled Match Rules

In the interests of the teams, the commencement of matches at the scheduled time shall be the first priority in all instances. However, in circumstances deemed necessary by RWC, matches may need to be delayed, postponed, abandoned, or cancelled. All decisions in this regard shall be communicated to teams by the RWC Match Commissioner.

Where the delay, abandonment, postponement or cancellation of a match is deemed to be caused by a Participating Union, not acting under instruction of a Match Official or RWC Match Commissioner, such Participating Union shall, in accordance with the provisions of the Participation Agreement, be subject to the decisions of RWC regarding forfeiture of the match, and financial and other sanctions.

Pool matches

Delayed matches
Where a Pool match can not be started at the scheduled time, it will be considered delayed. Decisions on the delay of matches will be taken as early as possible on the match day and be communicated to teams by the Match Commissioner.

Abandoned matches
Where a Pool match is stopped following commencement, and can not be completed the same day, it will not be rescheduled to the following day, and will be considered as abandoned.

In such situations, the following procedures shall apply:

i. Where a match has to be abandoned either at half time or at any time during the second half, the score at the time of the abandonment shall be considered as final and used to determine the result of the match.

ii. Where a match has to be abandoned at any time during the first half the result shall be declared a draw for match points purposes, however each team will keep its score at the time of the abandonment.

Postponed and cancelled matches
Where a Pool match can not be commenced on the day in which it is scheduled, it shall not be postponed to the following day, and shall be considered as cancelled. In such situations, the result shall be declared a draw for match points purposes and no points for or against shall be awarded to the competing teams.

Knockout matches

Delayed matches
Where a knockout match can not be started at the scheduled time, it will be considered delayed. Decisions on the delay of matches will be taken as early as possible on the match day and be communicated to teams by the Match Commissioner.

Postponed matches
Where a knockout match can not be commenced on the scheduled match day, it will be considered as postponed, and will be re-scheduled to be played within the two days following the scheduled match day.

Abandoned matches
Where a knockout match is stopped following commencement, and can not be completed the same day, it shall be considered as abandoned.

In such situations, the following procedures shall apply:

i. Where a match has to be abandoned either at half time or at any time during the second half or any additional periods of play as specified in the previous 'Tied matches' section, the score at the time of the abandonment shall be considered as final and used to determine the result of the match.

If the above result is a tie, then the winner will be determined by reference to the following sequential criteria:

• The team which scored most tries in that particular match;
• The team with the most match points from the Pool phase
  (applicable in Quarter Finals and Semi Finals);
• The team which in all its Tournament matches has the best
  difference between points scored for and points scored against;
• The team which in all its Tournament matches has the best
  difference between tries scored for and tries scored against;
• The team which in all its Tournament matches has scored most points;
• The team which in all its Tournament matches has scored most tries;
• Where all criteria above are not able to determine a winner, the result shall be determined by the toss of a coin.
• Where a match has to be abandoned at any time during the first half, the match shall be played again within the two days following the scheduled match day at the same venue for the full time.
  

Cancelled matches
Where a knockout match can not commence within the two days following the scheduled match day, or is abandoned prior to half time and can not be postponed and re-scheduled within this period, it shall be considered as cancelled.

In such situations, the following sequential criteria shall apply to determine the winner of the cancelled match:

• The team with the most match points from the Pool phase (applicable in Quarter Finals and Semi Finals),
• The team which in all its Tournament matches has the best difference between points scored for and points scored against;
• The team which in all its Tournament matches has the best difference between tries scored for and tries scored against;
• The team which in all its Tournament matches has scored most points;
• The team which in all its Tournament matches has scored most tries;
• Where all criteria above are not able to determine a winner, the result shall be determined by the toss of a coin.