HARRISBURG RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB’S 35TH ANNUAL 7’S TOURNAMENT 2021 OFFICIAL PROGRAM Photo by: Eric Kovac Eric by: Photo P.O. BOX 161 FEDERAL SQUARE STATION, HARRISBURG, PA 17108 • USA • [email protected] • WWW.HARRISBURGRUGBY.COM THANK YOU! Harrisburg Rugby Football Club and the HRFC Futures Committee would like to thank PERSEVERANCE LODGE #21 of HARRISBURG, PA for the generous sponsorship of our club’s dream to build a premier rugby facility and permanent home for Harrisburg Rugby COMING SOON TO LONDONDERRY TOWNSHIP: HRFC PERSEVERANCE LODGE FIELDS AT SUNSET PARK For more information & to make a donation today, visit: www.gofundme.com/harrisburgrugby Welcome back to the Harrisburg Rugby 7’s Tournament! How quickly a year has passed and how much has changed, but we are hopeful for promising rugby times ahead. Along with many others this past year, HRFC experienced a great loss. I hope that while on or off the pitch today, you take a brief moment to remember HRFC’s one and only Bill Pagats. He dedicated countless hours leading our club (and a myriad of other rugby organizations) for many years and he will be sorely missed by HRFC and the rugby community far and wide. On behalf of the Harrisburg Rugby Football Club, I would like to thank the 2021 Harrisburg 7’s Tournament Committee for making this tournament run so seamlessly. As we knew it would this year, everything came together on rugby time, but we are grateful for the ability to host another Harrisburg 7’s Tournament. We would like to offer special appreciation to all of our tournament sponsors for their support. Without them, this tournament would not be possible. We urge you to patronize the advertisers in the program, as they are true advocates of rugby. Special thanks to all the referees – without them there would be no game. Thank you to the Borough of Highspire for the continued use of Memorial Park. And this year, thank you to the Dauphin County Technical School for use of their field space for our tournament. Good luck to all participants in the 35th Annual Harrisburg Rugby Club 7’s Tournament. Thank you for coming to make this edition of our tournament the best ever, and we hope to see you (bigger and better) again next year. Always remember in the words of Coach Dennis Shade, “Rugby is a ball; pass it on.” Yours in Rugby, Courtney Reapsome Chairman, Harrisburg Rugby Football Club, Inc. 2021 Tournament Committee Chairman . Scott “Scooter” Strelec Referees . Scott Stratton Teams . Scott “Scooter” Strelec Fields Chair . Wade Edris Fields Set Up . Wade Edris, Karen Green, Russell Bucks Press Liaison . Angi Raub Marketing . Eric Kovac Program Chair. Jennifer Stratton Program Sponsors . Jennifer Stratton Program Layout . Eric Kovac Registration . Julie Hillard, Ellie Hillard Bracketologist. Scott “Scooter” Strelec Security . .Jeff Cook, Tyler Carney Financials . Erin “Goody” Strelec HARRISBURG RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB • 35TH ANNUAL HARRISBURG 7’S RUGBY TOURNAMENT 1 Tournament Rules 1. A roster limit of 12 players will be enforced. The roster must be completed and submitted prior to the initial game for each side. 2. Players’ identities will not be checked against a team roster unless a formal complaint is filed with the tournament director. In the event that a complaint is filed, all players on the field will be expected to produce identification for roster verification. Cross rostering will not be tolerated. 3. If disciplinary action is taken against a player (i.e., ejection), the offending player will be ineligible for the remainder of the tournament. 4. Ties will be allowed during the round robin portion of the tournament. During the single elimination portion of the tournament, ties will not be allowed. After regulation time, teams will play additional five (5) minute halves until a winner is decided. 5. The tie-breaking criteria in the round-robin portion of the tournament will be as follows: A. Heads up competition D. Number of tries B. Point differential - all games E. Number of tries surrendered C. Offensive points scored F. Drop kicks from 25 meters - sudden death 6. Teams will be expected to be on time. Games will start promptly as scheduled. For each minute a team is late, a five (5) point penalty will be assessed. After five (5) minutes, a forfeit will be declared. WANTED NEW PLAYERS No Experience Necessary MEN’S TEAM Practice Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 – 8 p.m. at Memorial Park, Highspire, PA. Contact Scott Strelec at (717) 951-8149 or [email protected]. WOMEN’S TEAM Practice Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 – 8 p.m. at Memorial Park, Highspire, PA. Contact Scott Stratton at (717) 215-7552 or [email protected]. Visit us at www.harrisburgrugby.com HARRISBURG RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB • 35TH ANNUAL HARRISBURG 7’S RUGBY TOURNAMENT 2 GroundGround Transportation Transportation for for Harrisburg Harrisburg Rugby Rugby 7’s7’s Tournament Tournament proudly proudly provided provided By: By: RentalRental / Sales/ Sales / Service/ Service 1-1-800800-679-679-BEST-BEST (2378) (2378) WhetherWhether you’re you’re in in the the Construction, Construction, landscaping, landscaping, earthearth-moving,-moving, natural natural gas gas industries, industries, or or a ahome home ownerowner, Best, Best Line Line Equipment Equipment has has the the tools tools-of-of-the-the tradetrade to to get get the the job job done done right. right. Our Our friendly friendly knowledgeableknowledgeable staff staff and and fast, fast, efficient efficient pick pick-up-up and and deliverydelivery services services keep keep your your production production high high and and you’reyou’re down down time time to to a aminimum. minimum. BestBest Line Line wishes wishes the the “Best” “Best” of of Luck Luck to t oAll All ParticipantsParticipants During During the the 3 5th35th Annual Annual HarrisburgHarrisburg 7’s 7’s Tournament Tournament! ! www.maddashgrilledcheese.com Where Rugby is Played Rugby is played on a level grass covered surface. When this is not available, however, clay or sand may be used providing the surface is not of dangerous hardness. Page 6 shows a layout of the playing area, known as the pitch or field. Some general rules about the lines of the field are as follows: • The touch lines along the length of the field are out of bounds. • Corner posts and touch-in-goal lines are in bounds. • The goal line is in-goal, but the dead-ball line is out of bounds. • The twenty-two meter line is within the twenty-two meter area. How Rugby is Played Rugby is a game played by two teams, consisting of fifteen players each, who attempt to score points by carrying the ball over the opponents goal line (end zones) and touching it on the ground, called a try, or by kicking it over the cross bar of the goal posts. A try is worth five points, and a kick is worth either two or three points depending on the type of kick. The ball used is slightly larger than an American football and has no lacing. Gaining and retaining possession of the ball is the key to scoring, with the highest scoring team winning the game. The players in each team are divided into two main categories: forwards who gain possession of the ball, and backs who gain ground and are expected to score points. Possession of the ball is gained by various methods: • Following a stoppage in the play, a set piece is formed (i.e. kick-off, scrum, or line-out) to restart the game. • Seizing the ball during open play, such as rucks, mauls, and following a tackle. Gaining ground can be achieved by various methods: • Advancing the ball by passing it from one player to another while running toward the opponent’s goal line. This is done by finding gaps in the opposition’s defense. All passes must be lateral or in a backwards direction. • Kicking towards the opposition’s goal line either for position (i.e. touch) or kicking over the opponents heads into open areas and sprinting forward to regain possession. Both the forwards and the backs attempt to stop an attacking player carrying the ball by tackling either around the body or legs to bring him to the ground. In rugby you can only tackle the ball carrier; no form of blocking is allowed as in American football. What makes rugby fascinating is that possession can change from one team to the other in an instant, and the role of a player can switch from offense to defense and back again throughout the game. Unlike a football player, a rugby player who starts the game will remain playing, unless injured, for two forty-minute halves with a five-minute break at halftime. This creates an activity that is demanding both physically and mentally. HARRISBURG RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB • 35TH ANNUAL HARRISBURG 7’S RUGBY TOURNAMENT 5 The Rugby Pitch DEAD BALL LINE GO Not ex T OUCH-IN Not exceeding 70m AL LINE 22m TOUCH ceeding IN GOAL IN-GOAL 15m 5m GOAL-LINE 22m 22-METRE LINE 10-METRE LINE Not ex T OUCH-LINE 10m ceeding 100 TOUCH HALF-WAY LINE m 10-METRE LINE 5m 22-METRE LINE GO T Not ex OUCH-IN AL LINE GOAL-LINE 22m TOUCH ceeding IN GOAL DEAD BALL LINE = goal posts and the crossbar HARRISBURG RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB • 35TH ANNUAL HARRISBURG 7’S RUGBY TOURNAMENT 6 Bill Pagats 1943 - 2020 A Toast to Harrisburg Rugby, To us, The men, and the women, The old, and the young, The living, and the dead, Old friends, new friends, and absent friends To all of us, who are, Now, and forever, Harrisburg Rugby.