Game Day Management

“Keeping the game enjoyable for everyone”

Below you will find information for Clubs & Schools within the Metro, Ellesmere and North Canterbury Sub Unions of Canterbury Rugby to help you manage Game Day.
For additional documents, forms and templates, please click here.

Why have Game Day Management?

Canterbury Rugby Club Game Day Management Protocols have been created to provide a framework for Clubs and Schools to ensure every person that decides to interact with Rugby has an enjoyable experience while doing so. This will ensure that Rugby continues to create better communities, through better rugby experiences.

Canterbury Rugby has a proud history of fostering rugby talent and a commitment to grassroots rugby throughout Canterbury. Canterbury Rugby has a strategic goal to accept responsibility for promoting rugby as a safe, fun, and values based. Rugby must be played within the spirit in which it was intended, both to the letter and the spirit of the laws. The responsibility for ensuring that this happens lies not with one individual – it involves coaches, captains, players, referees, and spectators.

These protocols apply at all grades Year 9 and above. If they wish, Clubs can apply Game Day Management Protocols at levels Year 8 and below.

Game Day Management at a Glance:

Appoint suitable people into the Game Day Coordinator role. Canterbury Rugby recommends that there is more than one person appointed.
Ensure the appointed persons understands their role and responsibilities. Canterbury Rugby staff are available to assist with this if required.
Ensure all fields to be used are prepared in the correct manner including either being roped or having spectator lines are marked.
Ensure Club members and supporters are advised (via social media and newsletters) of how Game Day will operate at their fields and how they can assist.
On Game Day
- Check the ground is set up
- Meet the opposition team- Meet the Match Official(s)
- Keep an eye what’s happening off the field
- Follow up with Canterbury Rugby over any issues

The role of the Game Day Coordinator is to ensure the following takes place:

Ground ready with pads and flags and appropriate barriers, changing rooms open with keys available for teams and Match Officials, meet with visiting team and Match Officials to explain the Club’s Health and Safety.
Ensure that people stay in their “areas” while monitoring spectators encouraging a positive environment and being supportive of the Referee.
Advise the Canterbury Rugby Senior Compliance Officer of any incident in game and complete any necessary paperwork via the Canterbury Rugby App.

How will Clubs achieve these outcomes?

Clubs are encouraged to have a pool of suitable people who are trained as Game Day Coordinators to ensure that the same people within their club are not over-burdened with roles and responsibilities. Canterbury Rugby can provide full training for people who undertake the Game Day Coordinator role. Canterbury Rugby does not expect Game Day Coordinators, Club Management or Match Officials to put themselves in any situation which could place them in physical danger.

Each Club shall be responsible for appointing a Game Day Coordinator for all matches. The Game Day Coordinator could be the Club Captain, a committee member or a person that holds respect within the club environment. Clubs may wish to share the responsibility for matches by using the Team Manager to undertake the pre-game duties and have a separate person responsible for the actual game. The Game Day Coordinator’s responsibilities begins 1 hour (45 mins for Junior boys matches) before the fixture(s) at the venue/venues they are responsible for and concludes at the end of the match.

For ease of identification to the teams, officials, and spectators; the Game Day Co-ordinator should be easily identifiable.

Where clubs have multiple venues, they will need to ensure that there is a Game Day Coordinator at each venue. If due to lack of personnel a club cannot provide suitable Game Day Coordinators at all their venues, the Manager of the home team (or the team named first in the draw if playing at neutral venue) automatically becomes the Game Day Coordinator for the field/match they are involved in.

Game Day Protocols

1. The following authorised persons are permitted inside the ropes/spectator lines:
  - Game Day Coordinator
  - Both teams (maximum of 22 players per team plus team management)
  - Match Officials (Referee, two Assistant Referees and Subs Controller (if applicable) plus Referee Coach)
  - One person from each team who will administer first aid (known as Medic), this person must wear an identifying vest
  - Two persons (maximum) from each team who will act as water carrier, these persons must wear an identifying vest
  - St John Ambulance Officials (or equivalent medical providers)
  - Ball Persons
2. Team management and reserve players are to be in the Technical Area (the area of the halfway line & 10m line, where their team benches are located).
3. Team coaches can stand behind the dead ball line at the end of the field they are attacking, they must not enter into the In-Goal Area nor the field of play at any time during the game.
4. The water carriers (who are not permitted to be the Head Coach) must remain next to the team benches and only enter the field of play during the appropriate breaks in play as signaled by the Match official. The Water carriers are not permitted to roam up and down the sideline.
5. The team Medic is permitted to roam up and down the sidelines but must be at least 1.5m back from the touch line and not interfere with the Assistant Referees undertaking their duties.
6. It is the responsibility of team coaches and managers to ensure their team strictly complies with these requirements.
The game is not to commence until:
1. Barriers/ropes/safety pads are in place
2. Game Day Coordinator is present and has made themselves known.
The Referee is required to stop the game to support the Game Day Coordinator if:
1. Unauthorised persons remain inside the ropes; or
2. Any abusive/disruptive spectator or team member does not abide by any requests made of them by the Game Day Coordinator; or
3. Any issues that need to be draw to the Game Day Coordinator’s attention.
1. If any fixture is called off prior or early for any reason both the Referee and the Game Day Coordinator are to complete a “Match called off” Report which is available in the Canterbury Rugby App Forms area) within 48 hours of the match ending.
2. If the match has to be stopped due to spectator behaviour, or a spectator is asked to leave the ground then both the Referee and the Game Day Coordinator are to complete a “Match incident” form which is available in the Canterbury Rugby App Forms area) within 48 hours of the match ending

Field Preparation

Mandatory for games at Designated Premier Division 1 grades. Where possible Clubs are encouraged to rope fields at grades below these as well.
Ropes are to be a minimum of 2 metres from each touchline and run the length of the playing area, from dead ball line to dead ball line.
Game Day Coordinators are to ensure that any stretching/pushing of the ropes does not lead to spectators encroaching into the 2 metre area. If this cannot be managed, the ropes are to be positioned further away from the touchline.
Minimum requirement for games played outside Designated Premier Division 1 Grades. However, where possible Clubs are encouraged to rope fields at these levels as well.
A “spectator line” is marked on all fields and remains clearly visible for the entire season. This should be a minimum of 2 metres from each touchline and run the length of the playing area, from dead ball line to dead ball line. Game Day Coordinators are to ensure that any spectators do not encroach into the 2 metre area.
For games played at neutral grounds i.e. fields at North and South Hagley Parks, and Nunweek Park, Canterbury Rugby will ensure that the spectator line is marked on all fields.

Where a ground has two fields within 10 metres of each other and both fields are being used, the area between the two fields is to be roped off. The area is not to be used for spectator viewing of the matches. Club officials, selectors, medics or referee association officials may use such an area.

Clubs must ensure post pads are fitted, field flags are in position and ground markings are adequate.

COVID-19 Protocols

Clubs should ensure that they are meeting current requirements for their players and supporters and have plans in place if any there is any escalation in COVID levels/lights.

Ensure that there is a QR Code for the COVID Tracing App for people to scan as they enter your clubrooms. You can also have a separate QR Code for your fields if you wish. As some people do not have suitable smartphone or do not wish to use the app it is also important that manual sign in system is also available for use.
Have some Hand Sanitiser available to use as people enter the clubrooms.
Clubs should also ensure that they have a person who is the COVID Manager at the Club and advise Canterbury Rugby if this person has changed from the initial person appointed in June 2020.
Please ensure that your COVID-19 plan is still relevant and that your club has Hand Sanitiser and Equipment Sanitiser available if required.

If there is any change in COVID levels/lights, Canterbury Rugby will advise clubs of any actions required as soon as they receive notification from NZ Rugby.