SCRFU Promotion and Relegation Policy

The Promotion and Relegation Policy currently only applies to 15s Competitions

The following regulations apply to Senior Club teams in good standing with the Southern California Rugby Football Union (SCRFU) which compete in USA Rugby Divisions 1, 2, and 3.

A club’s Divisional team shall be automatically promoted to the next highest available division if, at the end of the current season:

1. The team won the USA Rugby National Championship in their current division OR
2. The team won the SCRFU title in their current division for the second consecutive year OR
3. The team won the SCRFU title in their current division AND had an average point differential of +28 points/game or greater in league games within that division, for the second consecutive season.

A club’s Divisional team shall be automatically relegated to the next lowest available division if, at

1. The team finished last in their current division for the second consecutive year OR
2. The team finished with an average point differential of 28 points/game or worse in league games within that division for the second consecutive year OR
3. The team finished last in their current division AND had an average point differential of 28 points/game or worse in league games within that division for the second consecutive year OR
4. The team forfeited more than one league match in their current division due to insufficient numbers or refusal to play scheduled matches.

Exception: promotion or relegation is not automatic if the result is two teams from the same club competing in the same division. If the relegation of a club’s first side team results in that team being in the same division as their second side team, their second side team may also be relegated.

It is possible for more than one team in a given division to be promoted or relegated within the same year. Club teams that are not in good standing, e.g. failure to comply with USA Rugby registration requirements, may be relegated even if none of the above criteria apply.

Initial Alignment

After each season, the SCRFU Competitions Committee will release initial division placements. Clubs are provided with an opportunity to challenge these placements or request voluntary transitions. A club has the option to dispute automatic promotions or demotions, or alternatively, request voluntary advancement or descent to a different division. The SCRFU Competition Committee, when evaluating an appeal, may consider various factors including but not limited to, the number of forfeits, margin of victory/defeat, club’s geographical location and size, coaching staff, anticipated player turnover, past performance, and whether the club has teams in other divisions. Clubs should submit their appeals via email to vicepresident@scrfu.org AND to their respective division rep. If the committee deems it necessary to obtain additional information, the club might be invited to participate in the monthly committee call.

Procedure

SCRFU will notify all clubs of the preliminary divisional alignments for the upcoming competitive cycle no later than 60 days after the completion of the USA Rugby Club Championships.

Each club shall then have 21 days in which to submit a written appeal regarding the division in which any of its teams have been placed.

The SCRFU board will rule on any appeals and notify all clubs of the final divisional alignment no later than August 1st.

*Please note that competition restructure/divisional restructures are a separate mechanism, and the SCRFU board reserves the right to enact this mechanism as it sees fit (normally utilized any time the competition has become imbalanced across a majority of the divisions).