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Mixed National Touch Series – 2023 explained
England Touch is consolidating the Mixed National Touch Series for 2023, bringing the previous Elite and Development competitions together into one coherent structure in which teams can progress through the national ranks.
The move formalises the way that the Elite and Development competitions were organised in 2022 into four divisions, with space available for up to 16 teams in each division.
It has been done to try and make fixtures more competitive by bringing more evenly-matched teams together more often during the course of a season.
Divisions 1 and 2 will be played on a Saturday, with Divisions 3 and 4 on a Sunday, with all three Mixed NTS weekends to be played at Burton RFC on June 17-18, July 1-2 and July 15-16.
Teams will be initially ranked based on their 2022 finishing positions, with the increase in numbers also giving scope for more teams to join the National Touch Series for the first time.
- All of the divisions will play to the same format each weekend, with four pools of four, followed by knockouts in the afternoon. Matches will be 20 minutes long with a planned six matches per day
- League points will be allocated based on finishing positions on the relevant day. Division 1 winner receives 64 points, runner-up 62 points, etc. Division 2 winner receives 32 points, runner-up 30 points, etc
- Teams which finish 15th and 16th in Event 1 will be relegated to Division 2 for Event 2, while the teams which finish in the Division 2 main final (ie 17th and 18th in the overall standings) will be promoted into Division 1 for Event 2. There will be no mid-season promotion/relegation between Divisions 2 and 3
- For Event 3 teams will be tiered into Divisions based on their overall standings at that point from Events 1 and 2
- All 32 teams in Divisions 1 and 2 are expected to enter all three tournaments to maintain competition integrity
Divisions 3 and 4 will follow the same format as Divisions 1 and 2, with a maximum of 16 teams in each division. There is no requirement to enter all three events, but it would be recommended to give teams the best opportunity to progress and maintain competition integrity.
If teams are tied on league points at the end of the season they will be ranked on a countback system, with try difference coming first and then the number of tries scored coming second.
The increase in teams also means that England Touch will be live streaming two fields during the course of the day at all three events, the first time this has happened throughout a club Series in England!
Event charges
Divisions 1 and 2 (invite only)
£300 deposit per team payable for the series (3 events) by 12/02/23
£600 per team balance due by 07/04/23
Division 1 and 2 teams have been emailed with more information
Divisions 3 and 4, open to all teams
Round 1
£100 deposit payable per team by 12/02/23
£200 per team balance due by 07/05/23
Round 2
£100 deposit payable per team by 12/02/23
£200 per team balance due by 07/05/23
Round 3
£100 deposit payable per team by 12/02/23
£200 per team balance due by 07/05/23
As well as live streaming, the tournament fee covers venue and field hire, photography, medical provision, referees, PA and marquee hire, equipment and other expenses.
Teams can pay their deposits via their JustGo membership portal. If there are any issues being experienced or clubs have any questions then email Aisling Musgrove (Events Manager) via events.manager@englandtouch.org.uk
