Player's Guide to NRL Masters Rugby League Over 35 2011

Teams have 11 players from a maximum squad of 20 players per game. At festivals and carnivals the maximum squad size may be increased.

• Unlimited interchanges are allowed, and they may occur at any time.
• Where teams have an unequal number of players at the start of a game or at any time during it, the other team is required to reduce its players on the field to the corresponding number, or to loan players to the other team, so that teams are balanced.
• At the start of a game, the captains and referee may agree to reduce the size of the playing area.

A game is normally 50 minutes (2 x 25 minutes) with a five-minute half-time interval. The two teams and the referee may agree to vary the duration, but it must not exceed 50 minutes.

At multiple-game festivals and carnivals, play is reduced to a maximum of 30 minutes (2 x 15 minutes), with a five-minute half-time break.

Other carnival variations: the playing area may be reduced in accordance with the event rules, and the maximum squad size may be increased. All games are played under the Code of Conduct / Fair Play of the local governing body.

You may run as hard as you wish, but you are not allowed to try to run over the top of other players. If the referee judges that a player has deliberately run directly at an opponent in an overly aggressive manner, the player will be penalised and may be removed from the game.

Players are not allowed to fend or hand-off.

For everyone: tackles are modified to remove any element of "drive" or lifting. No tackle can be made above the armpits. A maximum of two players is allowed in any tackle; more is penalised. There is no lifting or throwing, and no drag-down tackles from behind of any kind. Tackles are made to stop progress, not to attack the ball-carrier, and the player must respond immediately to the Held call.

Making the tackle:

• White shorts: players tackle each other normally.
• Red shorts: attempt to physically stop the ball-carrier with a grip tackle between the waist and the shoulder. The referee calls Held once there is sufficient contact. Do not try to drive through the tackle.
• Gold shorts: touch tackle only. Once touched, the ball-carrier must return to the point of the touch to play the ball.

Being tackled:

• Red shorts: tackled by a grip tackle between the waist and the shoulder to stop progress. Under normal circumstances they should not be taken to the ground; if this is done deliberately, the tackler is penalised.
• Gold shorts: touch tackled only, done with great caution. The tackler calls the touch and holds the mark.

• Markers must remain passive and must not move until the first receiver has received the ball or the dummy-half has started to run.
• All other defenders must retire a minimum of five metres at the play-the-ball.
• The dummy-half may run with the ball or pass. If tackled in possession, the ball is handed over and a scrum is formed.
• The dummy-half may not run and score.
• The ball shall not be stolen from the ball-carrier at all.

• Kicking in general play is only allowed on the last tackle.
• For all kicks, including kick-offs and goal line dropouts, the receiving team must receive the ball. The receiver must not be challenged and must be allowed to run at least five metres.
• The 40:20 rule does not apply.
• If the receiving team makes no attempt to claim the ball and kicking team players are onside, the referee may call "play on" and the kicking team may re-gather the ball. The referee will only do so when certain there is no risk of player collision.

• Sixth tackle: there are no turnovers. The sixth tackle results in a scrum to the defending side.
• Scrums: in an 11-a-side game, all scrums consist of five forwards. In 10-a-side and in 9-a-side and below, scrums have three forwards.
• All scrums are uncontested, with the team feeding the ball regaining possession.
• The defending halfback must not follow the attacking halfback around the base of the scrum.
• The loose forward cannot break off the base of the scrum with the ball. The halfback must receive the ball from the scrum.
• If the ball bounces out untouched by the receiving team from a kick-off or goal line dropout, the scrum goes to the receiving team.

• Penalties: all penalties are a tap kick on the mark at the point of the infringement, and all defenders must retreat five metres.
• Kicks at goal: there are none.
• Advantage: there is no advantage. All knock-ons and forward passes result in scrums.
• Scoreboard: the game is totally non-competitive. Scores are not kept and there are no results or competitions.

• Sin bin: the referee may send a player to the sin bin for five minutes for foul play. The player stands in his in-goal area behind the posts, and may be replaced by a substitute.
• Sending off: a sent-off player is excluded for the rest of the match and/or the festival or carnival. A sent-off player may be replaced by a substitute.

Over-aggressive or inappropriate rough play is forbidden, and a player who deliberately runs directly at an opponent in an overly aggressive manner will be penalised and may be removed from the game.