Competition Rules

1. Introduction

Welsh Lawn Bowls are the national governing body for the sport of outdoor flat green bowls in Wales. These rules concern all National Competitions which are organised annually by WLB and have been approved by the Executive Committee (EC), who are also responsible for any amendments or additions.

The rules are formulated to help games be played with as little difficulty as possible. In the absence of any express rule, it is expected that sportsmanship and common sense will prevail.

GENERAL RULES.
1. The Competitions shall be organised and controlled by the Competition Secretary (CS) on behalf of the EC of WLB.
2. Entry to National competitions is open to all members of clubs who are affiliated to the WLB provided their subscription fees are fully paid up by the required date each year.
3. All entrants of National competitions should clearly understand that if they qualify for the National Finals, they must be available to play at a date and time as specified by the WLB. Failure to play in the National Finals will result in disciplinary action which may include a ban and/or a fine.
4. The laws of the game as stipulated in Crystal Mark fourth edition shall apply together with any domestic arrangements mentioned in this document. These laws apply in all qualification rounds and at National Finals unless otherwise stated.
5. Any player who is a member of more than one affiliated club must declare which club they will enter National competitions from. They must enter all competitions from the nominated club. Any member who plays for more than one club in the same competition in the same season will be disqualified from all competitions they have entered in that year and may face disciplinary procedures.
6. On petition, any green may be inspected by WLB representatives, and if in their opinion the green is not playable, the club using it shall be asked to make it playable, and in the event of non-compliance such competition shall be played on a green and date to be mutually agreed upon (or if agreement cannot be reached, a venue and date shall be decided upon by the CS).
7. The draw for each competition shall be available on the WLB website (or for qualification rounds of men’s individual competitions on the relevant County website, handbook or circulated mail) and will be regularly updated. It is the responsibility of each competitor to check websites or appropriate official communication channels to ensure they are aware of their next game or any changes to the schedule.
8. For qualification rounds in men’s competitions, all competitors should note that the “Home” player(s) are responsible for any green fees that may be charged including those of the visiting players.
9. For qualification rounds, if the WLB has not appointed an official umpire, then any disputes that may arise during the game shall be decided on by an umpire which is mutually agreed upon prior to the game. For National Finals the WLB will always appoint a qualified umpire.
10. For qualification rounds, if the date and time for the game is not specified, then it should be mutually agreed before the designated closing date of that round, In such circumstances, the first named or “home” player(s) should contact the second named or “away” player at least 10 days before the closing date of that round and offer the “away” player(s) a minimum of three dates (of which one must not be in the same week), and the “away” player(s) must agree one of the dates within 24 hours. The CS (or their nominated deputy) must be informed immediately (and before the closing date of the round) of any failure to mutually agree a date under the rules described. The CS (or their deputy) shall then decide on a date which the game must be played. Failure to play the game by the designated closing date or on the appointed date as specified by the CS (or their deputy) may result in one or both competitors being eliminated from the competition unless there are extenuating circumstances which are accepted by the CS and/or EC.
11. In qualification rounds, if a player in singles, or a complete team in pairs, triples and fours, (or a side consisting of two or more teams) fail to arrive at the designated venue within 20 minutes of the designated or agreed start time they shall be disqualified from the competition.
12. The dress code for the qualifying rounds shall be either grey skirts/shorts/trousers with white or club or county tops, or full club / county kit. Players representing one side must be dressed identically.
13. The dress code for the National Finals is full club or county kit, all players in the same team or side must be dressed identically. (Exceptions are only permitted for the under-18 competitions where white shorts/skirts and plain white tops are also allowed.).
14. For all WLB competitions bowls with hexagonal (bullet) stamp or World Bowls stamp can be used providing it is legible.
15. Competitors should be aware that under WLB policy they may be subjected to a drug test to detect the presence of any forbidden substance. Failure to agree to give the necessary sample will result in immediate disciplinary action (including disqualification from the competition and a possible ban). Further details of WLB Anti-doping policy are available on the WLB website.
16. In individual Team competitions involving knock-out play (i.e. Pairs, Triples, Fours), only one named substitute is allowed for the whole competition who should be from the same club and not have played in the same competition in another team or for another club as per rule 2 (d). Failure to comply with this rule will result in disqualification and disciplinary proceedings. No exceptions will be made.
17. For all age-related competitions, the cut off date shall be 1^st April of each year. For example, in the under-18 competitions, competitors must be under-18 years of age on the 1^{st of} April of that year.
18. In National competition singles competitions, an entrant who moves club after the date of receipt of entries will be allowed to compete from their new club provided, they have informed the Assistant Secretary or CS of the WLB (for ladies’ competitions), or appropriate County Secretary (for Men’s competitions) of their new club before they play the first round.
19. In National competition combination events (pairs, triples and fours), entrants who move club after receipt of entries will be allowed to compete from their new club, only if all the same players remain in combination and they inform the Assistant Secretary or CS of the WLB (for ladies competitions), or appropriate County Secretary (for Men’s competitions) of their new club before they play their first round. No substitutes are allowed in these circumstances.
20. In National competition combination games, changes to the original entries are permitted, where they arise because of death, long-term illness, or members leaving the club after the closing date for entry to the competition. Such vacancies which arise can be filled by players who have not previously entered the same competition in the same year, but changes and the reason for each change must be notified to the the Assistant Secretary or CS of the WLB (for ladies competitions), or appropriate County Secretary (for Men’s competitions) before the closing date of the first round of the said competition and prior to the new combination playing their first game. No change can be made to a singles entry.
21. The names of all players entering National competitions must be entered on the competition entry forms.
22. In National competition combination events, a substitute need not be named on the original entry form.
23. In National competition combination events, a substitute may play in any position but must relinquish their position in later rounds whenever the original player is available to play.
24. In National competition events, on completion of the first round the completed score card with the names of all participating players must be sent to the Assistant Secretary or CS of the WLB (for ladies’ competitions), or appropriate County Secretary (for Men’s competitions) before the next round is played. In combination games a subsequent score card, as described must be sent whenever the substitute plays for the first time. If the substitute plays in the first game, then the score card must also be sent when the original entries play for the first time.
25. In National competition qualifying rounds, the winner of each round must notify the Assistant Secretary or CS of the WLB (for ladies’ competitions), or appropriate County Secretary (for Men’s competitions) as soon as possible, but no later than mid-day on the the closing date of each round.
26. For qualifying rounds of National Competitions including team competitions unless otherwise stated elsewhere in this document, any query or dispute shall be dealt with by the CS who shall normally make a ruling. If a competitor wishes to appeal the ruling, then they must immediately write to the Assistant Secretary clearly explaining their objection to the ruling and the reasons. The Assistant Secretary shall refer the matter to the officers of the WLB who may ask a sub-committee consisting of 3 members of the EC to investigate the matter. The sub-committee shall meet within seven days of the receipt of the appeal. The decision of the sub-committee will be final and irrevocable.

PLAY STOPPAGES, AND ABANDONED GAMES.
1. If during a game there is a sudden downpour of rain which necessitates players leaving the green, all ends in play must be completed before the players leave the green. Any uncompleted ends must be declared “dead” and replayed when play recommences.
2. If a team game is abandoned due to darkness, adverse weather conditions or any other unforeseen circumstances and the minimum number of ends has not been played, it must be resumed on the same day or another day with the scores as they were when the game was stopped. The minimum number of ends to constitute a result for a team match of six rinks is 90 completed ends across all rinks. The minimum number of ends for a team match of four rinks is 60 completed ends across all rinks.

MEN’S CARRUTHERS SHIELD
1. The competition is open to all member clubs of WLB and must consist of a team of four rinks of four male players. A player can only play for one club in the competition in any one season. If a player plays for two clubs in one season he shall be banned from further participation and face disciplinary procedures. In such circumstances the club which the player played for may also face disciplinary action by the WLB Executive committee (including disqualification from the competition).
2. The nominated start time for each game is 2:30pm. The WLB has no objection to a different start time being agreed mutually by the two clubs. Each game shall consist of 21 ends. Side’s failing to arrive at the designated match venue within 30 minutes of the agreed start time will be deemed to have conceded the game.
3. In the event of a side being short of players, four teams of three may play against four teams of four, but a total of 25% must be deducted from the score of each rink with three players.
4. Each County of the WLB shall arrange competition either in straight knockout, or in groups of “round robin” play, or a mixture of the two so that they obtain qualifiers for the first-round proper of the knockout stages of the Carruthers Shield (with 32 clubs qualifying). The number of qualifiers per county shall be allocated by the EC based on previous participation and reviewed every two years from October 2025 onwards. The current allocation of qualifiers per county as of April 2025 is as follows: – Carmarthen County: – 4, Ceredigion – 1.5, Mid Wales – 1.5, Mid Glamorgan – 2, Montgomeryshire – 1.5, Monmouthshire – 7, Pembrokeshire – 1.5, South Glamorgan – 4, Vale of Glamorgan – 4, West Glamorgan – 5. Those Counties with “1.5 qualifiers”, will have one club automatically qualify, and a second club from that county will enter a “play-off” against a second placed club from one of the other Counties with “1.5” qualifiers, the winner of that “play-off” match shall qualify for the last 32 of the competition. Play-offs shall be Ceredigion v Pembrokeshire, and Mid-Wales v Montgomeryshire.
5. Each County must notify the CS of the names of qualifying clubs either by SMS or e-mail no later than the closing date which is stipulated on the WLB Website.
6. A live draw for each round of the knockout stages of the competition shall be broadcast on the WLB’s website / social media platform. The designated date of each round is the date on which all ties should normally be played. If, however, and by exception, one club has an extenuating circumstance which prevents them playing on that day, then the WLB has no objection to the game being played on a mutually agreeable date which must be before the designated date. If a date cannot be mutually agreed, then both teams should contact the CS immediately who shall make a ruling on the date the match is to be played.
7. If a Carruthers Shield match must be re-arranged, it should be clearly understood that this competition takes preference over all other club league or cup games and must therefore be re-arranged in preference to any existing club match.
8. In the event of a “tied” match in a knockout round of the competition, an extra end must be played to determine the winner (as per law 28).
9. All clubs should make every effort to play the knockout rounds on the designated date. If, however, a match is cancelled on the designated date because of adverse weather, green closure or unforeseen circumstances preventing it going ahead, it must be rescheduled at a mutually agreed date before the designated date of the next round. If clubs cannot mutually agree the rescheduled date, then they must contact the CS immediately who will make a ruling.
10. Each club should send confirmation of the result of the tie to the CS by SMS or email (but not by phone call) before Midnight on the designated match day.
11. During the knock-out stages of the competition, if a club fails to fulfil its fixture, then that club will be banned from playing in the competition the following year (unless extenuating circumstances apply).
12. The semi-finals and final of the Carruthers Shield shall be played during the National Final Championships. Appropriate badges or medallions (to a maximum of 20) shall be awarded to the winners.
13. The winning club shall hold the Carruthers shield for one year and will be responsible for it’s safe return to the WLB. They will be liable for the cost of repair for any damage which arises whilst the shield is in their care.

MEN’s SENIOR COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
1. The WLB shall organise a Senior County Championship each year for male members of affiliated counties. Players representing their county
2. Matches shall consist of six rinks of fours played over 18 ends.
3. Dress code shall be official county kit.
4. A draw shall be made biennially in which counties are drawn into one

of two sections, each section consisting of five counties. Each county

shall play the other counties in their section once either home or away

so that they play a total of four games (two home and two away).

Fixtures shall be reversed in the second year of the draw so that each

counties play each other home and away over the course of the two

years.

All matches shall start at 2pm on the date as designated by the WLB

Executive committee.

All matches matches should normally be played on the designated

date, however the WLB has no objection to matches being played prior

to the designated date providing the rearranged date is mutually

agreed between the two counties concerned. In such circumstances

the CS should be notified of the rearranged date.

Side’s failing to arrive at the designated match venue within 30 minutes

of the agreed start time will be deemed to have conceded the game.

Matches shall not be rearranged after the designated date except

when postponed due to bad weather where the green was unplayable. The WLB EC shall nominate a date each year when such postponed games shall be played (known as the reserve day). The reserve day is only to be used for playing postponed fixtures due to bad weather and unplayable greens.

If a county cannot play their fixture on or before the designated date, they must concede the match to their opponents who shall be awarded the points for the game and be given the average positive shot difference from all the other matches played in both sections on that day. The County who defaulted will be given the corresponding average negative shot difference.

The winners of each match shall be awarded two points, and the shot difference shall be calculated from shots for minus shots against. If a match is drawn each county shall receive one point.
The Counties which finish first and second in their section shall qualify for the semi-finals. First and second position shall be determined by the two counties with the most points, if there is a tie for points, then counties with the highest shot difference shall qualify, if this is still tied it shall be the county who won the fixture between each other in that year’s section. In the event of that fixture being a draw, it shall be the county who won the most ends in that match.
The semi-finals of the competition to be played in the National Finals each year at 9:30am. The Winner of one section shall play the second placed team in the other. The Final shall be played on the same day as the semi-final between the winners of each semi-final.

5A MEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS and the

LADIES COUNTY SAVEGAR TROPHY

The WLB shall organise a Competition for the County Men and Ladies members of affiliated Counties each year.

The men to be known as the County Championship and the Ladies the

Savegar Trophy. Players must be registered members of their respective Counties and eligible under WLB regulations.

Matches: Teas will comprise of 18 players (plus a maximum of 3 reserves) split into the following disciplines:

2 Rinks of Pairs: Three bowls per player over 18 ends
2 Rinks of Triples: Two bowls per player over 18 ends
2 Rinks of Fours: two bowls per player over 15 ends

Tactical substitutions during games are no allowed and can only be used in case of illness or other reasonable cause ( Law 32 of the current edition (Fourth) of the World Bowls Laws of the Games).

c.. Dress code: Shall be official county kit.

A draw shall be made biennially in which counties are drawn into one of

two sections. Men Counties will be split into two groups of five and the

Ladies will be split into two group of four – with a new draw taking place

every two years.

Each county shall play the other counties in their section once either home

or away so that they play a total of:-

For the men: four games (two home and two away) and for the ladies a total of three (two home and one away or one home and two away). The fixtures shall be reversed in the second year of the draw so that each county play each other home and away over the course of the two years. (Note – for 2026 season, the sections for both men and ladies will remain the same as that of 2025 season, with the fixtures being reversed from last year).

Start Time: All matches will start promptly at 2.00pm for the Men and 1.30pm for the Ladies, on the dates as designated by the WLB Executive committee.

Should they be required, the reserve players shall be ready to play by these times.
All six disciplines games will start together at the appointed start time.
If by the agreed start time for a match, one or more players are absent from one or more of the disciplines, the game must continue and the absent players must be replaced by reserves.
If no (or not enough) reserves are available, the match must continue but the rinks and/or the triples may play short. Neither of the pairs may play short.

Playing short: The number of bowls to be played by each defaulting discipline team must be made up by the remaining players: In Fours discipline by the lead and second playing three bowls each; and In the Triples discipline by the lead and skip both playing three bowls singly and in turn.

As a consequence of playing short, each defaulting discipline team must deduct a percentage from their final score after the game has finished. This should be done as follows:

Fours – one fourth (25%) of the total shots scored (including decimal places), for each of the ends where the defaulting team played one player short, and
Triples – one third (33.3%) of the total shots scored (including decimal places), for each of the ends where the defaulting team played one player short.

The Pairs cannot be played short and in this case the discipline game shall be forfeited by the offending team.

The non offending team shall be awarded 8 shots and 2 points for each conceded discipline game.

Trial ends in each direction will be allowed for all games
There will be no dead ends, instead the jack will be re spotted.

Re-spotting the jack (Implementing Rule 19.5 of the World Bowls Laws of the Game):

If a jack in motion passes completely outside the boundaries of the rink of play, comes to rest in any hollow in the face of the bank (i.e. above the floor of the ditch) or rebounds to a distance of less than 20 meters from the mat line, the end will not be declared dead. Instead, the jack shall be re-spotted – It shall be placed with the nearest point of the jack to the mat line at a spot on the rink, which is two metres from the front ditch and on the centre line and play should continue.
If the spot mentioned in (a) above is partly or completely covered by a bowl the jack should be placed as close as possible to the covered spot, in line with that spot and the corresponding spot at the opposite end of the rink, without touching a bowl and not less than 2 metres from the ditch.
The spot mentioned in (a) above should be marked using chalk or some other suitable method (i.e. peg which does not protrude above the surface so that it can affect a running jack or bowl).
The appointed Umpire(s) together with County Secretaries (or delegated person) are responsible for measuring and placing the 2 metre peg for re-spotting the jack.

Matches: All matches should be played on the designated dates, however the WLB has no objection to matches being played prior to the designated date providing the re-arranged date is mutually agreed between the two counties concerned and the Competition Secretary (or delegated person in charge) notified of the re-arranged date.
Non Appearance of a Team: Teams failing to arrive at the designated match venue within 30 minutes of the agreed start time will be deemed to have conceded the game. Teams conceding a game shall forfeit the points for the match.The two points for each discipline and the two overall match points shall be awarded to their opponents together with a further 8 shots per discipline (a total of 48 shots).
Game stoppage: If a game is stopped because of darkness, weather conditions or any other valid reason by: (1) The Controlling Body (or authorised person) in the absence of the Controlling Body. (2) The Umpire after an appeal has been made by the players; or (3) Agreement between the players when an Umpire or a representative of the Controlling Body is not present. The game must be continued either on the same day or on a different day. All re-scheduled or re-arranged games to be completed on or before the reserve day. The Scores will be as they were when the game was stopped (Law 33); However the WLB will accept that if a total number of ends played totals 84 this would constitute a game.
If a County cannot play their fixture on or before the designated date, they

must concede the match on their opponents.

Teams conceding a game shall forfeit the points for the match (as stated in

(g) above).

Scoring: Points will be awarded as follows:

Two points shall be awarded for winning each individual discipline, plus a further 2 points to the team with the highest overall aggregate score across the disciplines
One point shall be awarded to each team for a drawn discipline game
Any drawn overall aggregate score will see the 2 points shared.
A Result card/sheet MUST be completed and returned to the WLB Competition Secretary or delegated person as stated on the score card/sheet.

League placing: Placings’ in each section of the County Championships will be determined in the following order:
Points Won
Shot Difference
Highest number of shots scored
Lowest number of shots conceded
Overall match result(s) between the tied teams
Point scored in match(s) between tied teams
The Semi finals and the finals for the men and the finals for the ladies will be played during the National finals week. For the Men: the winner of Section A shall play the runner up of Section B and the winner of Section B shall play the runner up of Section A in the semi final, with the winners playing each other in the final. For the Ladies Savagery Trophy: The winner of Section A shall play the winner of Section B in the final.
The following also to be noted and applies.

Rink Allocations: Rinks to be allocated by a random draw conducted by the County Secretaries prior to commencement of play.

Umpires: Umpires shall be appointed by the host County unless otherwise directed by the WLB Competition Secretary.

Teams: Counties can only enter one team.

Conduct and Discipline: Participating players and officials taking part in the Men’s and Ladies’ County Championship are reminded that they are expected to adhere to the WLB policies relating to conduct and discipline, as set out in the Documents and Policies of the Welsh Lawn Bowls as on the website.

LADIES SENIOR SAVEGAR (Over 55’s)
1. The WLB shall organise a team competition each year for female members of all affiliated counties. The competition shall be known as the Senior Savegar (Over 55’s).

Players representing their County must be 55 year of age before 1^st April of the year they play.

Matches shall consist of four rinks of fours and be played over 18 ends.
Dress code shall be official county kit.
A draw shall be made biennially in which counties are drawn into one of two sections, each section consisting of four counties. Each county shall play the other counties in their section once either home or away so that they play a total of three games. Fixtures shall be reversed in the second year of the draw so that each counties play each other home and away over the course of the two years.
All Senior Savegar matches shall start at 1:30pm on the date as designated by the WLB Executive committee. Players expected to arrive by 1pm.
All matches should normally be played on the designated date, however the WLB has no objection to matches being played prior to the designated date providing the rearranged date is mutually agreed between the two counties concerned. In such circumstances the CS should be notified of the rearranged date.
Teams failing to arrive at the designated match venue within 30 minutes of the agreed start time will be deemed to have conceded the game.
Matches shall not be rearranged after the designated date except

when postponed due to bad weather where the green was unplayable. The WLB Executive Committee shall nominate a date each year when such postponed games shall be played (known as the reserve day). The reserve day is only to be used for playing postponed fixtures due to bad weather and unplayable greens.

If a county cannot play their fixture on or before the designated date, they must concede the match to their opponents who shall be awarded the points for the game and be given the average positive shot difference from all the other matches played in both sections on that day. The County who defaulted will be given the corresponding average negative shot difference.
The winners of each rink shall be awarded two points, if a rink is drawn then each county shall receive 1 point. The winner of the match will be the team with the most rink points; if rink points are equal the team with the highest shot difference shall receive 6 points, if the overall score is drawn, then each county shall be awarded 3 points. Thus, maximum points shall be 14 points. Shot difference shall be calculated from shots for minus shots against.
The Winners of each section shall be the county who have the most points, if two counties are tied on points then the county with the highest shot difference shall qualify, if this is still tied it shall be the county who won the fixture between each other in that year’s section. In the event of that fixture being a draw, it shall be the county who won the most ends in that match.
The Winners of each section will play each other in the Final of the Senior Savegar which will be played during the National Finals on a date specified by the Executive Committee.

NATIONAL COMPETITION QUALIFYING ROUNDS.
National Ladies Competitions.

i The CS on behalf of the EC shall organise the following competitions annually:- 4 bowl singles, under 18 singles, under 25 singles (all 21 shots), Pairs (4 bowls per player, 18 ends), Triples (3 bowls per player, 18 ends), Fours, over 55 Fours (2 bowls per player, 18 ends), Senior Pairs (4 bowls per player, 18 ends), 2 bowl singles (21 ends), under 25 pairs (3 bowls each player, 18 ends), Double Rink (2 bowls per player, 18 ends).

For the 2 bowl singles, and the Senior Pairs, each county shall be responsible for arranging their own draw and playing the rounds through until a winner emerges. Each county shall notify the CS or Assistant Secretary of the winner of the competition who will represent the county in the National Finals. Entrants to the county competition must be on the understanding that the winner must play in the National Finals at a date and time which will be advised by the WLB.

iii. For all other competitions, an open draw shall be made by the CS, Assistant Secretary and one other officer.

iv For the 4 bowl singles, under 25 singles, open pairs, Triples and Fours, two convenient neutral venues shall be arranged to play the early qualifying rounds off in one day. No player shall be asked to play more than two games in one day, although a third game can be played by mutual consent, and this would be appreciated particularly in the singles competitions in order to avoid unnecessary travel. All following qualifying rounds should be played on a mutually agreeable neutral green by the closing date specified on the draw sheet. In such circumstances, the first or top player in the draw shall be regarded as the “home” player who shall be responsible for contacting their opponents, offering dates (as per rule 2(h)) and booking a rink at a convenient green, any green fees should be shared between all competitors. For Singles, the “home” player shall also be responsible for arranging a marker. If agreement cannot be reached the home player must contact the Assistant Secretary or CS who shall nominate a green and date for the tie to be played. The winner of the tie must inform the Assistant Secretary or CS.

v The Double Rink and over 55 Fours ties must be agreed by mutual consent at a convenient green before the designated closing date as per the arrangements specified in point iv above.

vi For the Double Rink there is no limit to the number of substitute a club can use from one round to another, but when the match begins only one substitute is allowed per rink in the event a player becomes injured or unwell.

vii Entrants competing in the over 55 Fours must have had their 55^th birthday before 1^st April of each year.

viii The under 18 singles, and under 25 pairs shall be played from start to finish at the National Finals unless entrance numbers are such that a qualifying round on a neutral green is required.

ix For the under 25 pairs competition, players playing together in a pair can be from different clubs.

x For all competitions except the 2-wood singles (last 8), under-18 singles and under 25 pairs (both played from start to finish at National Finals), the qualifying rounds will be played to the semi-final stages. The semi-final and final being played at the National Finals.

National Men’s Competitions.
1. The CS on behalf of the EC shall organise the following competitions annually:- Singles, Senior Singles, Under 18 Pairs (4 bowls per player, 18 ends), Triples, Senior Triples (3 bowls per player, 18 ends), Fours, and over 55 Fours (2 bowls per player, 18 ends), and under 25 pairs (3 bowls each player, 18 ends).
2. Competitors entering the Senior Competitions must have reached their 60^th birthday before 1^st April of that season. For the Over 55 Fours, competitors must be 55 years of age before 1^st April of that season.

For the under 25 pairs competition, players playing together in a pair can be from different clubs.

Each County shall organise the qualifying rounds in their own county. The number of qualifiers for the National Finals shall be as follows: – Carmarthen County – 2 , Ceredigion – 1, Mid Glamorgan – 2, Mid Wales – 1, Montgomeryshire – 1, Monmouthshire – 2, Pembrokeshire – 1, South Glamorgan – 2, Vale of Glamorgan – 2, West Glamorgan – 2.
Where dates of competitions are not fixed, or where ties can be played by mutual consent prior to the fixed date (or closing date) then the dates should be arranged as per rule 2(h) unless the organising county have their own arrangements.
Any player(s) who do not take part in county finals when they have qualified for the same may not be eligible to play in the National Finals. In such circumstances the county secretary should inform the CS who following consultation with the EC will make a ruling.

County Secretaries must inform the CS of the full names, date of birth (for all age-related events) and clubs of all qualifiers including reserves if known by the date stipulated by the EC.

National “Open” Competitions

The CS on behalf of the EC shall organise a National “open” singles (21 shots) and pairs (18 ends) competition annually.

Entrance to these competitions is open to all male & female members of affiliated clubs who pay their entrance fees.
All entrants must be available to play in the National Finals if they qualify.
Each entrant in the pairs must consist of a male and female competitor who can play for different clubs. Each pair must nominate their home green on the entry form which must be one of their two clubs, and this can only be changed prior to the first round of the competition.

The competitions will be organised on a knockout basis. To reduce travelling time and costs, all entrants will be allocated into groups based on geographical areas consisting of approximately the same number of players.
The process for arranging games is outlined in rule 2 (g), (h), (i), (j). (k), & (l) apply.
From these groups the eight qualifiers will emerge to play in the National finals.

8 . NATIONAL FINALS

The WLB EC shall agree the dates of the annual National Final Championships. These will be announced on the WLB website prior to the beginning of the season.
It is the responsibility of all entrants to ensure that they are available to play in the National Finals if they qualify. Failure to play will result in disciplinary action which may include a ban and/or a fine.
Dress code: – as per 2 (m). Shoes should have a smooth sole. All players in a team competition must wear identical tops and will be asked to change into the same colour and pattern as their team members if necessary.
Red and Blue stickers will be issued to all competitors, and each scoreboard will be marked red and blue to match. Scorecards must be signed by both players/ skips and returned to the championship office immediately after the completion of each game.
Competitors are not allowed to consume alcohol smoke or vape during play at the National Finals. The use of mobile phones on the greens is not allowed. Competitors should be aware they may be subject to a drug test.
Bowls must bear a legible stamp of any date providing that it is able to be read.
The championship organisers will make every effort to play matches on the date and time stipulated in the handbook and website, but competitors may be asked to play at different times if severe congestion or bad weather disrupts the schedule. Players must be prepared to play as and when requested by the championship organisers, players not available to do so will forfeit their place in the competition. Play under floodlights may be necessary.
If a substitute is required, they should be one that has already been used, or if no substitute has been used, the substitute must be a member of the same club who has not previously entered the competition concerned during the current season. Substitutes may be required if there is extreme congestion of matches caused by duplications in later rounds.
Trophies will be held by the winners of the competitions for one year. Should any damage occur during that period to the trophies the cost of the repair will be borne by the player or players concerned who held the trophy.
The decision of the CS (in consultation with the officers and EC of the WLB) on any query or dispute that may arise during the National Finals is final and irrevocable.

JUNIOR TEAM COMPETITIONS.

The CS on behalf of the EC shall organise the following Junior Team Competitions annually which are open to the Junior Academies of all affiliated Counties to enter-

Junior Super 9’s.
1. The Competition shall be mixed gender. Male and female players must be under the age of 25 on 1^st April of each year.
2. Each County Academy are entitled to enter one team in the competition.

Each team to consist of 9 players plus one reserve who can be played at the Team Managers discretion.

Dress Code shall be Whites or County or Club kit.
No alcohol to be consumed during play, or mobile phones to be used on the green. No smoking or vaping on the green or on the banks.
A team shall consist of a pair, triples, and fours

A draw shall be made in which counties are drawn into one of two sections, “A” and “B” with all teams in each section playing each other.
Play in section games shall consist of 2 trial ends, followed by 9 ends. Time limit (including trial ends) for each game shall be 1 hour when play must stop after completion of the end in play. If the jack has been legally cast the end must be completed.

Number of bowls per player: – Pairs – 3 bowls, Triples: – 2 bowls, Fours:- 2 bowls.
There shall be no dead ends in the section games or in the final. In the event of the jack being legally moved outside of the boundaries of the rink (or embedded in the bank) it shall be placed on the 2M marker on centre line from the front ditch (or as near as practically to it as possible) and play shall continue.
In the section games, visits to the head are restricted to one only per team per end by the skips.

In the section games, winners of the tie are the team that scores most shots, two points awarded for each rink won, 1 point for a drawn rink, 6 points for an overall win, making a maximum available total of 12 points in each game. The winners of each section shall qualify for the final. The winning team in each section shall be the team with the most points, if this is tied then it shall be the team with the highest shot differential (shots for minus shots against) which qualifies, if this is tied then the finalist shall be the team who won the most ends, and if still tied the teams play a one end decider with team with most shots scored qualifying for the final (if tied after one end play another until winner emerges). The Winner of the final shall be the team who scores the most shots.
The Final will be played over 13 ends (after two trial ends have been played) with no restrictions on visits to the head.
In the case of teams withdrawing, or adverse weather the CS can change the format of the competition as necessary to ensure it runs as smoothly as possible.

In the case of any dispute or confusion over interpretation of these rules, the decision of the CS is final and irrevocable.

Junior Double Rink Competition.
1. The Competition shall be mixed gender. Male and female players must be under the age of 25 on 1^st April of each year.
2. Each County Academy are entitled to enter one team in the competition.

Dress Code shall be Whites or County or Club kit.

No alcohol to be consumed during play, or mobile phones to be used on the green. No smoking or vaping on the green or on the banks
Each side shall comprise of two teams of four (consisting of male & female players) plus one reserve who can be played at the Team Managers discretion.
A draw shall be made in which counties are drawn into one of two sections, “A” and “B” with all teams in each playing each other.

Normal fours regulations will apply except for the conditions stipulated below.
Play in section games shall consist of two trial ends followed by 9 ends or 1 hour (which includes two trial ends).

Only one visit to the head per team per end by the third or skip in group games will be allowed. A bell (or whistle) will be sounded at the commencement & end of each session. When the bell (or whistle) is sounded to signify the end of play, all ends in progress must be completed before play stops. If at the time of the bell (or whistle) sounding to signify the end of play, the lead had already legally cast a jack (irrespective of whether it had been yet centered) to begin a new end, then that end shall be completed before play stops.
There shall be no dead ends in the section games or in the final. In the event of the jack being legally moved outside of the boundaries of the rink (or embedded in the bank) it shall be placed on the 2M marker from the front ditch (or as near as practically to it as possible) and play shall continue.
The sides which finish first in each section shall play in the final. These shall be the sides which have the highest number of points. If there is a tie for points between two or more sides for the top position in the section, then the side with the highest shot aggregate shall qualify. If this is still tied, then the side that have won the greatest number of ends shall qualify. If still tied, a “one end decider” will be played with Team Managers (or Captains) tossing a coin to decide who plays first. If the result of the “one end decider” is a tie, then the process is repeated until a winner emerges.

The final shall be played over 12 ends with two trial ends and no restrictions on visits to the head. If scores are tied after 12 ends, the two sides will play a “one end decider” until a winner emerges (as described above).
The CS shall have the authority to amend the schedule or rules as they deem necessary for the best interests of players and the competition itself. In case of any dispute, query or challenge to the rules, the decision of the CS is final & irrevocable.

Under 18 – three bowl Pairs Competition.
1. The Competition shall be open to males and females who were under the age of 18 on 1^st April of that year.
2. Each County academy can make two entries to the competition, plus one reserve for each pair making a total of 6 players per County.

Teams shall consist of any combination of gender (male only, female only, male and female). Each team will consist of two players, each playing 3 bowls. The Team Manager is allowed to use the reserve at their discretion but can only replace one of the original named players in each pairing.

Dress Code shall be Whites or County or Club kit.
In the qualifying stages, entrants will be drawn in one of two sections “A” or “B” with each pair playing a maximum of 4 games. Counties entering two “pairs” will have a pair in each section. Counties who only enter one pair, will be drawn into either section “A” or “B”.
Play in the section stages shall be for 1 hour or 11 ends whichever comes first. Two trial ends shall be played immediately prior to the first game after which no trial ends will be played in the qualifying stages. A bell (or whistle) will be sounded at the commencement & end of each session. When the bell (or whistle) is sounded to signify the end of play, all ends in progress must be completed before play stops. If at the time of the bell (or whistle) sounding to signify the end of play, the lead had already legally cast a jack (irrespective of whether it had been yet centered) to begin a new end, then that end shall be completed before play stops.

No visits to the head will be allowed in the section games, except on the 11th end of each game when one visit per skip will be allowed.
There shall be no dead ends in the section games or in the final. In the event of the jack being legally moved outside of the boundaries of the rink (or embedded in the bank) it shall be placed on the 2M marker from the front ditch (or as near as practically to it as possible) and play shall continue.

No alcohol to be consumed during play, or mobile phones to be used on the green. No smoking or vaping on the green or on the banks.
The winners of each game shall be awarded two points, if the result is a draw, then 1 point each shall be awarded. The winner of each section shall be the team with the most points, if there is a tie for points, then the team with the highest shot aggregate shall be declared section winners, if this is still tied it shall be the team who has won the most ends. If this is still tied, then the teams shall play a one end play-off to decide who wins the section. The winner of each section shall play each other in the final.
The final shall be played over 15 ends with two trial ends and no restrictions on visits to the head. If scores are tied after 15 ends, the two sides will play a “one end decider” until a winner emerges (as described above).

The CS shall have the authority to amend the schedule or rules as they deem necessary for the best interests of players and the competition itself. In case of any dispute, query or challenge to the rules, the decision of the CS is final & irrevocable.

EDITION:- 1

As Approved by the WLB Executive Committee on 27/04/2025.