'Unique' Varsity Cup Laws
The 2017 tournament sees the nine-point try has been discarded while a seven-point try and a five-point try will apply.
The seven-point try will be awarded to the team who scores a try originating from their own half, while the five-point try will be awarded if the try originates in the opposition’s half. Conversions will remain at two points (this applies to Varsity Cup competition only and not Varsity Shield, Koshuis Rugby and Young Guns).
The introduction of the red card law is also a new phenomenon in the tournament, but will apply only to the Varsity Cup.
In the case of a red card being given to a player, that player will leave the field immediately, and his team will play with 14 men for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes any other player in the final match day squad may return to the field, apart from the player who received the red card.
Other laws exclusive to Varsity Cup include the white card rule, strategy breaks, free catch rule, 23-player match day squads, defending nine offside rule, mauling, and scrummaging laws.
All players are required to abide by the current Regulations of World Rugby and the Constitution and Regulations of the South African Rugby Union (SARU), which include Bok Smart Regulations, as well as those of the Varsity Cup.
