Teams
We currently run 2 senior teams, plus a junior girls team which was established in '07.

The 2008/2009 first team:

The 2008/2009 second team:


Contacts for the teams or training, speak to:

1st team captain: Ben Richards
2nd team captain: Graham Smith
Coach / Training: Chris Gibbs
Ladies junior team contact: Nick Smith

Training
Training is every Wednesday at 7:30.

Membership
Must be paid by 4th Oct.
Annual Membership for 08/09: Full/player 40pounds, VP 30pounds, Social/Student/OAP 20pounds.
Member benefits include: option to purchase international tickets, reduction on bar prices, reduction on room hire, 20% discount on all club kit purchases, reduction on tour price.
Also the option to purchase for 10pounds: shorts, socks and "nike" compression t-shirt (value 40pounds approx).

Note: Weekly subs from 11th Oct will double to 7pound for non-members (or 6-weeks after joining club).

Players
During the forthcoming season we will announce new players for both teams and those who score three tries etc.

Learn about some of the players here. Player Profiles.

Rules
Please see the ref's site for the rules we play to. http://www.northmidsrefs.com/laws.asp

The latest change was the scrum change in January 2007. The details can be found here: Scrum rule change

ELV (Experimental Law Variations)

Lots of background and detail on RFU website: ELV changes.


A summary of the Experimental Law Variations (ELV’s) for 2008/09 season are below and these ELV's, where they apply, will override the existing laws and variations:

At our level we will play to the IRB U19 laws and will trial all the ELV’s. (Check on our use of Law 17 The Maul).

Law 6 – Match Officials
1 – Assistant referees are able to assist the referee in any way that the referee requires

Law 17 – Maul (we will not currently trial this ELV)
2 – Remove reference to head and shoulders not being lower then hips.
3 – Players are able to defend a maul by pulling it down.

Law 19 - Touch and Lineout
4 – If a team puts the ball back into its own 22 and the ball is subsequently kicked direct into touch, there is no gain in ground.
5 – A quick throw in may be thrown in straight or towards the throwing team’s own goal line.
6 – There is no restriction on the number of players from either team who can participate in the lineout.
7 – The receiver at the lineout must be 2 meters away from the lineout.
8 – The player who is in opposition to the player throwing in the ball must stand in the area between the 5 meter line and the touch line but must be 2 meters away from the 5 meter line.
9 – Lineout players may pre grip a jumper before the ball is thrown in.
10 – The lifting of lineout players is permitted.

Law 20 – Scrum
11 – Introduction of an offside line 5 meters behind the hindmost feet of the scrum.
12 – Identification of scrum half offside lines.

Law 22 – Corner Posts
13 – The corner posts are no longer considered to be touch in goal except when the ball is grounded against the post.


More updates will be added here, as we find out.