Ten minutes before kickoff

Teams return to changing room

Ten minutes before kickoff the players should end their warm up and return to the dressing room.

“Lipstick camera” on

The “lipstick camera” i.e. the covert camera positioned in the dressing rooms) will be enabled about for less than a minute, according to prior agreements between Team Managers and TV personnel.

1 minute call to each team

Issue a 1 minute call to each team to be ready to exit the dressing room.

Teams leave dressing room

The teams leave the dressing rooms and line up in the tunnel.

Teams take the field

The teams take the field and line up for the anthems.

They should proceed in single file, captain first, and line up on the 15 metre line, facing their own replacements bench.

Anthem team A

The exception here would be if a host nation is playing, their anthem would always be played second, regardless of whether they were Team A or Team B.

Anthem team B

Cultural challenges

You’ll know in advance whether neither, one or both nations are performing a cultural challenge.

Where both teams are performing challenges, the team that has won the coin toss will perform their challenge first. The other team may respond after the team that won the coin toss starts or wait until they finish before responding.

The rule is in place to protect the unique cultural traditions of Rugby and recognising Rugby’s core value of sportsmanship.

Any breach of this rule will incur a sanction.

Tonga performs its cultural challenge prior to kickoff

Final preparations

Look for confirmation from the broadcaster that they are clear for the match to begin. When ready, signal to the referee with the pre-agreed signal.

Kickoff

The match is underway.