Have You Heard of Ultra 7s?

For those 7s specialists that can't get enough of the game, our neighbors to the north have dreamt up a new spin on the game. I tracked this via Twitter a couple weeks ago via our friends (and Vegas scrimmage partners) the Dog River Howlers and was certainly intrigued! They played a charity match earlier this month and the first ever Ultra 7s game was played in May 2013 in Saskatchewan.

photo: Ultra Sevens website. Click here for full gallery.

Simply put, Ultra 7s involves squads of 7 with rosters of 16 players with free, basketball-style substitutions. There are 4 quarters comprised of 15 minutes each and two field referees and more on the sidelines and for substitutions to cover all the action. Time between the quarters and halves is longer than a traditional 7s match - 5 minutes between quarters and 20 minutes at the half. Together this allows for even more fast paced 7s action with higher aggregate scores; Ultra 7s is a true test of fitness! Check out the promotional video by Kukri here.

Here are the in-depth laws of the game from the Ultra 7s website:

Ultra Sevens Rugby Rules

Ultra Sevens Rugby is constructed on the laws of rugby and the variations for Sevens. Certain elements have been adjusted to support the extended game time and additional players. Listed below are the modifications for Ultra Sevens Rugby.

Ultra Sevens Law Variations

The Laws of the Game apply to Ultra Sevens, subject to the following variations:

LAW 3: NUMBER OF PLAYERS – THE TEAM

3.1 MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PLAYERS ON THE PLAYING AREA

Maximum: each team must have no more than seven players on the playing area during play.

3.4 PLAYERS NOMINATED AS SUBSTITUTES

A team may nominate no more than 9 replacements/substitutes. This allows a maximum of 16 players per team.

A team can substitute or replace any number of players during a game. Substitutions may take place at any time with the permission of the referee or delegated official.

Players leaving or entering the field of play must do so between the half way line and the 10m line on the same side of the field as the official assisting with their team's substitutions.

Players entering the the field of play may only do so after the replaced or substituted player has left the field of play.

Sanction: Penalty Kick where the game would have restarted

Delete: 3.12 SUBSTITUTED PLAYERS REJOINING THE MATCH

LAW 5: TIME

5.1 DURATION OF A MATCH

A match lasts no longer than 60 minutes plus lost time and extra time. A match is divided into four periods of not more than fifteen minutes playing time.

Replace: 5.2 HALF TIME with 5.2 HALF TIME AND BREAKS BETWEEN PERIODS

After the breaks between each period and half time the teams change ends.

There are intervals of not more than five minutes between periods and an interval of not more than 20 minutes at half time.

5.6 PLAYING EXTRA TIME

When there is a drawn match and extra time is required, after a break of one minute the extra time is played in periods of five minutes. After each period, the teams change ends without an interval.

LAW 6: MATCH OFFICIALS

DEFINITIONS

Amend 1st paragraph:

For every match, each period is under the control of Match Officials who consist of the two referee’s, two touch judges or assistant referees and two in-goal judges. Match organisers will appoint four referees – one for each period – and may appoint these referees as assistant referees and/or in-goal judges for the other periods in the match. Additional persons, as authorised by the match organisers may include reserve referees and/or reserve assistant referees, an official to assist the referee in making decisions by using technological devices, the time keeper, officials to assist with substitutions, the scorer, the match doctor, the team doctors, the non-playing members of the teams and the ball persons.

6.0

In all cases where the Law makes reference to “Referee” as singular, Ultra 7’s variations permits either or both Referees to act in the same manner.

6.A. REFEREE

6.A.3. DUTIES OF THE REFEREE BEFORE THE MATCH

Replace: “The referee organises the toss” with “The first period either one or both referee’s organises the toss”.

6.A.13. DUTIES OF THE REFEREE AFTER THE MATCH

Extra Time – Toss

Before extra time starts, the one or both referees organises a toss. One of the captains tosses a coin and the other captain calls to see who wins the toss. The winner of the toss decides whether to kick off or choose an end. If the winner of the toss decides to choose an end, the opponents must kick off and vice versa.

6.B. TOUCH JUDGES

6.B.8 IN-GOAL JUDGES

(a) There are two in-goal judges for each match.

(b) The referee has the same control over both in-goal judges as the referee has over touch judges.

(c) There is only one in-goal judge in each in-goal area.

(d) Signalling result of kick at goal. When a conversion kick or a penalty kick at goal is being taken, an in-goal judge must help the referee by signalling the result of the kick. If the ball goes over the crossbar and between the posts, the in-goal judge raises the flag to indicate a goal.

(e) Signalling touch. When the ball or the ball carrier has gone into touch-in-goal, the in­goal judge must hold up the flag.

(f) Signalling tries. The in-goal judge will assist the referee in decisions on touch downs and tries if there is any doubt in the referee’s mind.

(g) Signalling foul play. A match organiser may give authority for the in-goal judge to signal foul play in the in-goal.

 

LAW 9: METHOD OF SCORING

9.B. CONVERSION KICK

9.B.1 TAKING A CONVERSION KICK

Amend:

(c) The kick must be a drop kick Delete: (d) Amend:

(e) The kicker must take the kick within forty seconds of a try having been scored. The kick is disallowed if the kicker does not take the kick in the time allowed.

9.B.3 THE OPPOSING TEAM

Amend:

(a) All the opposing team must immediately assemble close to their own 10-metre line.

Delete: (b)

(c) Delete 3rd paragraph: “When another kick is allowed...”

9.B.4. EXTRA TIME – THE WINNER

In extra time, the team that scores points first is immediately declared the winner, without any further play.

LAW 10: FOUL PLAY

10.5. SANCTIONS

Amend:

(a) Any player who infringes any part of the Foul Play Law must be admonished, or cautioned and temporarily suspended for a period of five minutes' playing time, or sent off.

Insert:

(c) If the opposition score a try during the time that a player is temporarily suspended, then the team may bring on any substitute player who is not serving a suspension or sent off, thus returning the team to full strength. If more than one player is temporarily suspended, then the first try scored allows a substitute for the player that was first suspended and a second try scored allows a substitute for the player that was suspended second, and so on.

(d) If a team has one or more players sent off, then for each player sent off, after two tries have been scored by their opponents, the team may bring on a substitute player who is not serving a suspension and has not been sent off.

(e) For (c) and (d) above, no try scored by an opponent may count towards more than one player suspended or sent off.

LAW 11: OFFSIDE AND ONSIDE IN GENERAL PLAY

Insert:

11.10 OFFSIDES AT A SUBSTITUTION OR REPLACEMENT

A player leaving or entering the field of play at a substitution or replacement during general play is allowed to temporarily be in an offside position while completing the substitution or replacement, provided that player does not loiter and takes no part in the game.

Sanction: Penalty kick at the offside line for the player leaving the field at the substitution

LAW 13: KICK-OFF AND RESTART KICKS

13.2 WHO TAKES THE KICK-OFF AND RESTART KICK

Amend:

(c) After a score, the team that has scored kicks off with a drop kick which must be taken at or behind the centre of the half way line.

Sanction: Free Kick at the centre of the half way line.

13.3 POSITION OF THE KICKER’S TEAM AT THE KICK OFF

All the kicker’s team must be behind the ball when it is kicked. If they are not, a free kick is awarded to the non-offending team at the centre of the half way line.

Sanction: Free Kick at the centre of the half way line.

13.7 KICK-OFF OF UNDER 10 METRES AND NOT PLAYED BY AN OPPONENT

If the ball does not reach the opponents’ 10-metre line, a free kick is awarded to the non-offending team at the centre of the half way line.

Sanction: Free Kick at the centre of the half way line.

13.8 BALL GOES DIRECTLY INTO TOUCH

The ball must land in the field of play. If it is kicked directly into touch, a free kick is awarded to the non-offending team at the centre of the half way line.

Sanction: Free Kick at the centre of the half way line.

13.9 BALL GOES INTO THE IN-GOAL

Amend:

(b) If the opposing team grounds the ball, or if they make it dead, or if the ball becomes dead by going into touch-in-goal or on or over the dead ball line a free kick is awarded to the non-offending team at the centre of the half way line.

Sanction: Free Kick at the centre of the half way line.

LAW 20: SCRUM

DEFINITIONS

Amend 2nd paragraph:

A scrum is formed in the field of play when three players from each team, bound together in one row, close up with their opponents so that the heads of the players are interlocked. This creates a tunnel into which a scrum half throws in the ball so that the players can compete for possession by hooking the ball with either of their feet.

Amend 4th paragraph:

The tunnel is the space between the two rows of players.

Amend 6th paragraph:

The middle line is an imaginary line on the ground in the tunnel beneath the line where the shoulders of the two rows of players meet.

Amend 7th paragraph:

The middle player in each row is the hooker.

Delete paragraphs 9, 10 and 11.

20.1 FORMING A SCRUM

Amend:

(e) Number of players: three. A scrum must have three players from each team. All three players must stay bound to the scrum until it ends.

Sanction: Penalty kick

Delete:

Exception

20.8 FRONT ROW PLAYERS

Amend:

(c) Kicking out. A front-row player must not intentionally kick the ball out of the tunnel or out of the scrum in the direction of the opponent's goal line.

Sanction: Penalty kick

LAW 21: PENALTY AND FREE KICKS

21.3 HOW THE PENALTY AND FREE KICKS ARE TAKEN

Amend:

(a) Any player may take a penalty or free kick awarded for an infringement with any kind of kick: punt, drop kick but not a place kick. The ball may be kicked with any part of the leg from below the knee to the toe but not with the heel.

21.4 PENALTY AND FREE KICK OPTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Amend:

(b) No delay. If a kicker indicates to the referee the intention to kick at goal, the kick must be taken within thirty seconds of the penalty having been awarded. If the 30 seconds is exceeded the kick is disallowed, a scrum is ordered at the place of the mark and the opponents throw in the ball.

Here's the Howlers recent match report:

More on Howlers Squad that Defeated the VIRU Crimson Tide in Judah Campbell Charity Game

02/04/2014

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This first ever Ultra 7's Rugby game played in BC (organized and hosted by the Vancouver Island Rugby Union) which helped to raise some $5,000 for Kelowna's Judah Campbell who suffered a serious spinal injury last year. The historic game was played at the Westhills Stadium in Langford on Saturday night Feb. 1, 2014..

The Dog River Howlers team was comprised mainly players from Vancouver Island along with a few from Kelowna (Cole Mossychuck who actually played with Judah in the game he was injured) Abbotsford, Belleville Ontario, Scotland and New Zealand. . There were 8 players who had previously played with the Howlers along with 9 new caps.

In the end the Howlers prevailed over the Vancouver Island Crimson Tide by a score of 71 - 54..

Former Canadian 7's player Robin Mac Dowell who now has 12 Howlers caps was named he game MVP. Jared Douglas (Canadian 7's player Justin's brother) was also impressive for the Howlers. Johnny Morris and Doug Fraser stood out for the Tide.

A name to look out for in the future is 16 year old 6'2'/190 lb Ross Mosychuk who put in a couple of solid shifts for the Howlers.


Howler lineup:

* Rob Anderson - Victoria, BC
Noah Barker - Victoria, BC
* Dustin Dobravsky - Victoria, BC
* Jered Douglas - Abbotsford, BC
Gabriel Farrell - Scotland
Aaron Frisby - New Zealand
* Connor Hunter - Abottsford, BC
* Kieran Macauley - Comox, BC
Robin MacDowell - Cowichan, BC
* Cole Mosychuk - Kelowna, BC
Ross Mosychuk - Kelowna, BC
* Dave Morgan - Victoria, BC
Matt Mullins- Belleville, Ontario
* Casey Reed - Victoria, BC
Tyson Stochoff - Victoria, BC
Brad Skene - Victoria, BC
Kane Wyatt - Victoria, BC

* - previously capped Howlers.

Coach - Shane Thompson
Manager - Leo Lane.