The Rules of Croquet Cuppers

1. Croquet Rules:
   1. All matches will be played to The Laws of Association Croquet, with dispensation made for the size of lawn and type of hoops, save that:
   2. In rounds other than the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final, teams may agree local rules dealing with 'special features' of the lawn (e.g. drain covers or trees). These must be agreed before the start of the game.
   3. A full copy of the rules can be found here and a good summary can be downloaded here.
       
2. Equipment:
   1. Visiting teams may bring their own mallets. Standard equipment may be substituted for absent or inferior equipment by the visiting team. Thus CA-approved balls can be brought and substituted for lightweight or unmarked ones. Hoops should be set to CA regulation width (¹/₈ " to ³/ ₁₆ " wider than the ball).
   2. OUACC equipment may not be borrowed for Cuppers matches held in colleges.
       
3. Format:
   1. Croquet Cuppers takes the form of a seeded knock-out competition.
   2. Each match will consist of two doubles games that are played level (i.e. not handicap).
   3. There will be 8 seeded teams based on the previous year's competition (i.e. the quarter-finalists).
   4. The remainder of the competition will be filled by a random draw.
   5. During each round prior to the quarter finals each team has the option to play one of the games at home (any suitable venue of their choosing). Teams are reminded that the University lawns can only be used for Cuppers if all players involved are members of OUACC or (in exceptional circumstances) if it has been agreed by the OUACC committee.
   6. For the quarter-finals and semi-finals, games may be played at the OUACC lawns upon request to the Cuppers Director. OUACC will endeavour to provide an experienced club member to referee in these rounds, upon request. Should no arrangements be made the matches will continue as with Rule 3(v). (See Rule 6.)
   7. The final match will be played at the OUACC lawns. The arrangements shall be made by the Cuppers Director at his/her sole discretion.
       
4. Entries:
   1. An entry consists of 4 team members (all at the same college) with one as team captain.
   2. Entries must be made by (a) submitting the cuppers entry form and (b) paying the entry fee.
   3. The Cuppers Director has the right to refuse any entry that is incomplete (in either 4(ii)(a) or (b) above), or made after the publicised deadline.
   4. There may be multiple entries from a single college.
   5. The capacity of the competition is 512 teams. The Cuppers Director has the right to refuse entries submitted once the competition has reached capacity.
   6. The Cuppers Director may (at his discretion) remove from the competition any team that makes no effort to arrange their match, and may substitute any extra entry (excluded under 4(iii) or 4(v) above) in their place. (See rule 7(ii)).
   7. Note rules below regarding Eligibility (8) and Substitutions (9).
       
5. Draw Organisation:
   1. The rank of the 8 seeded teams will be determined by the results of the previous year's competition, through the interpretation of the Cuppers Director.
   2. Teams submitted for entry into the competition will be added to the draw in the following way:
      1. The seeded teams will be entered in order of seed, and may be awarded first-round byes.
      2. All remaining teams will be randomly assigned to slots in the draw, filling gaps with first-round byes if necessary.
   3. Any teams not entered into the draw will have their entry fee refunded if applicable.
       
6. Deadlines:
   1. Deadlines for entry, arranging matches, and round completion will be determined and advertised by the Cuppers Director. The deadlines are considered to be midnight at the end of the stated day. A team that does not comply with an advertised deadline may be forced to concede their match or may be substituted under 4(vi) above. See also 7(ii)-(iii) below.
       
7. Arranging matches:
   1. During the rounds before the quarter-final stage, arranging matches is the responsibility of both teams involved. Contact details of team captains will be published on the OUACC website for this purpose. During the last three rounds, matches will be played at times arranged by OUACC, unless otherwise stated by OUACC.
   2. Matches not played, or whose results fail to reach the Cuppers Director by the deadline, may be decided on the toss of a coin by the Cuppers Director. (Alternatively the Director may knock out both teams and replace them with an extra entry, by the power under 4(vi) above). Games must be played by the deadline notwithstanding that the strongest team cannot be raised within the allowed time slot.
   3. A team may claim a match if they can demonstrate to the Cuppers Director that they have made reasonable efforts to arrange the match before the deadline and that their opponents have not.
   4. The winning side is responsible for notifying the Cuppers Director of the outcome of the match such that it is received before the deadline for results.
       
8. Eligibility:
   1. Team members must be matriculated members of the University fulfilling the requirements to be eligible to compete in the Varsity match as defined in the OU Blues Committee's 'Eligibility to Compete in a Varsity Match'.
   2. Entrants may only represent the college or hall of which they are currently full members. Clinical medics may choose to represent Osler House instead of their college.
   3. Each team will contain players who must not play or have played in any other team.
       
9. Substitutions:
   1. Any person, fulfilling, Rules 8(i)-(iii) who has not played for another team, may join a team and play for that team.
   2. The team captain is responsible for making the Cuppers Director aware of the name of the intended substitute before the relevant game takes place.
       
10. Time limits:
    1. Teams may practice for 5 minutes before the game.
    2. Games may be played to a time limit, if desired. If one game is played to a time limit then the other game must also be played to the same time limit. Recommended reasonable time limits are between 2 and 3¹/ ₂ hours. If no agreement can be reached, there will be no time limit.
    3. Matches arranged by OUACC will be played to a time limit of 3 hours unless otherwise set by OUACC.
        
11. The Winner:
    1. A match consists of two doubles games. Standard doubles rules are for each player to have one colour ball, but 'alternate stroke' doubles can be played if both teams agree.
    2. The winner of the match is the team that wins both games, or in the event of each side winning a game the side that has made the most hoop and peg points overall will win.
    3. In the event of a draw, unfinished games will be played until one of the sides scores a point ('a golden hoop'), that side becoming the winner. For finished games a play-off or a mutually agreed contest takes place.
        
12. Matters of Dispute:
    1. Any matters of dispute can be referred to the Cuppers Director for clarification or arbitration. If the Cuppers Director has a link to any party affected by the dispute they must refer the matter to the OUACC President or to the OUACC Committee as appropriate.
    2. Teams wishing to appeal a decision of the Cuppers Director may refer the matter to the OUACC Committee.
    3. The decision of the arbitrator under 12(i) above is final .
        
13. Alterations to the Rules:
    1. These rules must be kept up-to-date by the Cuppers Director.
    2. Alterations to the rules may only be made by a resolution of the Croquet Committee.

Version 30-Jun-2018, checked 24.ii.22