What happens if our opponents are late for a national competition match?

Question

Accepted Answer

Under Bowls England's 2026 Rules and Regulations (Sanctions I and N):

Rounds before the National Finals: if a player or team is not ready to play within 30 minutes of the agreed start time, the opponents may claim a walkover.
National Finals: if a player or team is not ready within 15 minutes of the agreed start time, the opponents will be given a walkover.
In both cases, no walkover can be claimed once the game has started.

A walkover counts as a match played for the rules on offering dates in the next round.