The competition shall be played on a league principle allowing for all teams to play each other both home and away. The league shall be known as the Mid District League Division Blue and Mid District League Division Black.

1. ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE
   
   Clubs
   Entry to the league is open to sides of clubs in membership of the Mid District Rugby Union.
   b. Players
   i. No player may represent a club in the competition unless he is a registered playing member of that club.
   ii. Clubs are expected, by August 31st of each year, to update their list of registered players to the Welsh Rugby Union. A player will remain registered with that club until he is properly transferred to another club through the transfer system in operation at that time.
   iii. Players transferred after January 31st in the current season are ineligible to play in the league.
   iv. A player will not be eligible to play for a Club in any District League fixture if he transfers, or is registered after the 31st January in any season, unless a player is:
   a) A player, registered with a Club’s Youth Team, who has attained the age of 18 and is subsequently registered as a Senior Player with that Club.
   b) A player not previously registered with another Club. Before such a player may play in the Union’s Competitions the player’s registration must be sanctioned by the Committee and approved by the WRU’s Regulatory Committee.
   
   2. LEAGUE PROGRAMME
   
   a. The League fixtures will be issued with fixed dates, but permission can be sought to rearrange to dates suitable to both Clubs. Permission can be requested from the Competitions Manager Roy Wilkinson.
   b. All league matches MUST be played.
   c. League fixtures shall be played as allocated and can only be postponed with mutual agreement between clubs and communicated and agreed by the District, except by weather or ground conditions.
   d. The home club must confirm the fixture by 9pm on the Thursday prior to the allocated date.
   e. Postponed or abandoned matches must be rearranged on the next available league calendar break weekend with this new date notified to the Competition Secretary.
   f. Under special circumstances, clubs may apply to the Executive Committee to seek the postponement of a League fixture, whose decision shall be final.
   g. Postponements brought about by rearrangement of MDRU Cup games will receive sympathetic consideration of the Executive Committee.
   h. Clubs who fail to fulfil their fixtures will be deducted 3 points per game at the end of the season. Any postponed games must be communicated to the Competitions Secretary Roy Wilkinson – Rwilkinson@wru.wales.
   i. Should a club withdraw from the league once the season has started then ALL their results will be expunged from the table.
   j. The winners of Division Blue and Division Black will play off at the end of the season to determine the Mid District Champion League Club.
   
   3. GENERAL GAME RULES
   
   a. Unlimited replacements are allowed in a league game.
   b. If a team knows it cannot raise a front row they must notify opposition before the game; this will not be a reason to postpone a game.
   c. If a team goes passive during a game, they will still be allowed to have their replacements and continue with fifteen players.
   
   4. DURATION OF PLAY, DECLARATION OF WINNERS, LEAGUE PLACINGS AND PROMOTION & RELEGATION
   
   a. Duration of play shall be 40 minutes each way.
   b. Winners of games will be the team having scored the greater number of points.
   c. In the case of an abandoned game it shall be replayed unless both sides agree the result should stand.
   d. League points: Win 4, Draw 2, Loss 0, Try Bonus (4+ tries) 1, Losing Bonus (7 points or fewer) 1.
   e. League placings will be decided by league points, then number of wins, then ratio of league points against games played.
   f. Unless communicated to the District Committee and Match Official prior to the game, no games can be classed as a double header.
   
   5. APPOINTMENT OF REFEREES AND NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS
   
   Referees will be appointed by the WRU Regional Appointments Officer for all league games.
   
   6. PROTESTS AND DISPUTES
   
   a. Complaints, protests or appeals must be made in writing to Competitions Secretary Roy Wilkinson – Rwilkinson@wru.wales and accompanied by a £25 fee. No complaint will be entertained if received more than three days after the match, although the Committee reserves the right to act on later information.
   b. Any club found in default may be penalised by the deduction of a maximum of FOUR league points.
   c. Any club found to have included ineligible players shall have league points and points scored in that match expunged. The opposing team will not automatically receive the winning points.
   d. The Committee shall have the final decision when dealing with any protest or dispute relating to the leagues.