DURATION OF A GAME.
A game of rugby union has two periods of 40 minutes each. In international matches the referee will stop the clock for stoppages.
Between the two halves, there is a maximum 10-minute half time, after which both teams change ends. The referee's whistle indicates the start and finish of the half.
EXTRA TIME.
Following an interval of five minutes, extra time of 10 minutes each way (with a half time of five minutes) shall be played in full.
SUDDEN DEATH.
If the scores are tied at the conclusion of extra time, and following a break of 5 minutes, then a further extra time of 10 minutes maximum shall be played. Any score during this time and the team will be declared winners.
KICKING COMPETITION.
Kicking Competition
If at the end of a knockout match, after extra time and sudden death periods of play have been completed and the score is equal, then the referee will conduct a place-kick competition to determine the winner of the match.
All players and match officials will remain on the field of play. The captains of the two teams will do a coin toss. The winner of the coin toss will choose which team kicks first.
Only players on the pitch at the end of sudden death can compete. No substituted (including for injury and/or blood), players in the sin bin at the completion of the sudden death period may not take part in the kicking competition at any time.
Five players are selected. The match officials and team members must stand on the halfway line. No one except the referee, two assistant referees and two ball boys are allowed in the part of the playing area being used for the competition.
The five players from each team will place kick from three different areas, all on the 22 metre line, as follows:
- First area: directly in front of the posts
- Second area: on the 15 metre line on the left hand side of the posts
- Third area: on the 15 metre line on the right hand side of the posts
The referee will start the competition by calling the first player selected from the team kicking first to the first kicking point. Once the player has taken the kick, the referee calls a player from the opposing team to kick from the same area.
The next two players (one from each team) will kick from the second area in turn. This will continue until all five players from each team have kicked. Until one team is unable to equal the score of the other team within the remaining number of kicks.
If there is an equal number of successful kicks once each team has completed its five kicks, the competition continues on a “sudden death” basis, following the same order of kickers used in the first five kicks.
The competition will continue two kicks at a time and carrying on through the three kicking areas stated above until one player succeeds with a kick and the player from the other side taking the same kick misses it. Once this occurs, the team of the player who succeeded with the kick will be declared the winner.
