Club Rules

1.2. Membership of the Club shall comprise Playing, Non-Playing, Student, Life, Honorary and Honorary Life members. The Membership of Honorary Members may be limited in time.

1.3. All new members shall be invited to complete an application form for membership for consideration and approval by the Membership Committee.

2. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

2.1. At the end of each rugby season the Honorary Secretary shall convene an Annual General Meeting. The date of the proposed Annual General Meeting shall be posted on the Notice Board at the Clubhouse at the beginning of each season and be published in the Fixture Card.

2.2. At least three weeks written notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be given to each member of the Club by such means as the Honorary Secretary shall deem appropriate. The notice shall specify the time and place of the Meeting and be accompanied by an agenda of the business to be transacted at it.

2.3. The agenda shall include, inter alia,

2.3.1. nominations for the offices to be filled for the ensuing year and shall include the following:

2.3.1.1. The President, who shall be the High Master of St Paul’s School

2.2.1.1. The Chairman, the Honorary Secretary, the Club Captain, the Honorary Treasurer all of whom shall be Old Paulines and shall hold office for one year but shall be eligible for re-election.

2.3.1.3. Team Captains, Fixture Secretary, County Representatives, Old Pauline Main Committee Representative all of whom shall hold office for one year but shall be eligible for re-election

2.3.1.4. Vice Presidents who shall hold office for three years but be eligible for re-election.

2.3.1.5. Nominations for these offices and any other offices shall be made to the Honorary Secretary in writing not later than six weeks before the Annual General Meeting.

2.3.2. The appointment of a General Committee which shall consist of the Officers under 2.3.1.1 to 2.3.1.5 inclusive above and any other members whom the General Meeting elect together with the Secretary of the Old Pauline Club and the Captain of Football at the School.

2.3.3 A proposal to receive and approve the Annual Accounts copies of which shall be made available to the General Meeting which may be adjourned to receive and approve the audited accounts.

2.4 The amounts of the annual subscriptions, life membership and match fees and the dates upon which they become due shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting.

2.5. All paid up members of the Club shall be entitled to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting.

2.6. Election of officers shall be by a show of hands and in the event of any dispute the Chairman may call for an election by paper ballot or adjourn the meeting for that issue to be determined separately.

2.7. A quorum for a General Meeting held under these Rules shall be ten paid up members of the Club.

3. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

3.1. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened by The Honorary Secretary upon receipt by him of a written request so to do signed by not less than twelve paid up members of the Club such request to particularise the purpose of the request and any resolutions proposed.

3.2. The Secretary of the Club shall within a reasonable period of time following receipt of such request convene an Extraordinary General Meeting by giving a notice to all paid up members as prescribed in clause 2.2. above.

4. COMMITTEES

4.1. General Committee

4.2.1. The General Committee shall appoint the Executive Committee, the Disciplinary Committee and the Membership Committee each of which shall report to the General Committee at least once every year.

4.2.2. The General Committee shall have power to appoint a member to fill any office falling vacant during any season after the Annual General Meeting and by unanimous vote may elect as an Honorary Member or as an Honorary Life Member any person who has rendered the Club service of great value but such membership shall not entitle him to hold any office in the Club or to vote at Meetings.

4.2.3. A Meeting of the General Committee may be convened upon not less than one week’s notice being given to each member thereof.

4.2.4. The General Committee may co-opt additional members to any Committee or sub-Committee and may appoint one or more sub-Committees and for such purposes as it may deem appropriate.

4.2.5. A quorum for a General Committee Meeting held under these Rules shall be seven members.

4.2. The Executive Committee

4.2.6. The Executive Committee shall consist of The Chairman, The Club Captain, the Hon. Secretary, the Hon. Treasurer and three additional members appointed from the Club Membership by the General Committee one such member being representative of teams lower than the “A” XV. A quorum for an Executive Committee Meeting shall be four members.

4.2.7. The Executive Committee shall have the conduct of the ordinary management of the Club and shall meet as often as it may decide but not less than every six weeks during the rugby season. The ordinary management of the Club shall include the suspension of any Member of the Club who has not paid his subscription.

4.2.8. The Executive Committee may refer any matter and shall refer any extraordinary or contentious matter to the General Committee.

4.3. The Disciplinary Committee

4.3.1. The Disciplinary Committee shall consist of a member of the Executive Committee, a referee from the Club, and a Team Captain and such other members as the General Committee may appoint and shall number not less than three.

4.3.2. The Disciplinary Committee shall determine its own procedure and decide questions of conduct of any member of the Club and shall have power to suspend, request the resignation of, or otherwise deal appropriately as it sees fit in its absolute discretion with any member of the Club whose conduct on or off the field shall in any way have reflected adversely upon the Club. The Disciplinary Committee shall afford the member who it is alleged has offended in any way the opportunity of making to the Disciplinary Committee such representations as he sees fit. Any person who has appeared before the Disciplinary Committee and who is aggrieved by any decision made against him may appeal in writing to the Hon. Secretary of the Club who shall convene a Meeting of the General Committee to determine the issue. The decision of the General Committee shall be final subject to any overriding decision of a County Constituent Body or the RFU.

4.4. The Membership Committee

4.4.1. The Membership Committee shall consist of the Chairman, the Club Captain, the Hon Secretary and the Hon. Membership Secretary and three Vice Presidents and shall meet regularly during the rugby season.

5. TEAM SELECTION

Teams shall be selected by a Sub-Committee of the Executive Committee consisting of all Team Captains and the Team Secretary and Chaired by the Club Captain. The Selection Committee shall normally meet every week during the rugby season.

6. HONOURS TIES

6.1. Two Honours Ties shall be awarded in each season, the first to the 1st XV Captain and the second to any member who has played for the 1st XV in not less than two-thirds of the matches in that season. Only those members who have played for the 1st XV in not less than half of the matches in that season shall be entitled to vote in respect of the second Honours Tie and such voting shall take place under such conditions as those entitled under this Rule to vote shall decide.

6.2. A third Honours Tie may in any season be awarded to any member, at the discretion of the General Committee, for particularly meritorious service to the Club.

6.3. Merit ties may in any season be awarded to any member, at the discretion of the General Committee, for meritorious service to the club.

7. ALTERATIONS

7.1 None of these rules shall be altered or rescinded unless the proposed alteration or rescission shall first have been submitted to the General Committee and subsequently shall be approved by not less than two thirds of those present at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting.

7.2. Any dispute concerning the construction or interpretation of these Rules shall be decided by the General Committee whose decision shall be final.