The National Match Rules
Rules of the “National Challenge Trophy”
Ordered by the Council of the National Match
(Revised in 2019)
1. There shall be an Annual Match known as “The National Match” between English, Scottish, Irish, and Welsh Teams.
2. There shall be one team for each of the Nationalities. Each team may include a captain, adjutant, main coach, up to 5 coaches and up to 5 reserves and shall include 20 shooting members up to a maximum of 33 members.
3. (a) The test of nationality shall be either
(1) Country of birth, or
(2) Descent from parents or grandparents who were qualified by country of birth or
(3) Country of residence for a continuous period of not less than five years immediately preceding the date of the Match.
(b) A person who has been a member of a team of one of the Nationalities specified in Rule 1 in the National Match or in any match under the direction or control of the NRA shall not thereafter be eligible to shoot for another Nationality in the National Match.
(c) A person who has been a member of a team which has shot against any Nationality for which he is qualified to shoot under paragraph (a) of this Rule or against Great Britain, in any match under the direction or control of the NRA may not be a member of a team in the National Match during the following two-and-a-half-years.
(d) A person may not be a member of a team in the National Match in any year in which he is a member of an officially accredited Overseas Team.
(e) A person who has been a team member for a particular country under the rules in force at that time shall remain qualified to shoot for that country in perpetuity.
(f) Participation in the NRA Cadet International Match or any cadet competition does not count for the purposes of Rules 3(b) or 3(c).
4. The National Match shall normally take place at the Annual Meeting of the National Rifle Association at Bisley, but every fourth year it may be held at another venue within the United Kingdom determined by each Nationality in alphabetical order i.e. England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales starting with Scotland in year 2008. If that Nationality cannot hold the Match, the next Nationality in the rota will organise the Match away from Bisley. The Council of the XX Club of the Nationality whose turn it is to organise the Match away from Bisley shall notify in writing the other XX Clubs and the NRA not later than 15th October following the last Match of the date and place in the United Kingdom of the Match for the ensuing year.
5. (a) All matters concerning the National Match, not by these rules placed within the province of the Team Captain shall be in the charge and control of the Council of the National Match. The Council shall consist of a President and the Captain and two other Representatives of each Nationality. The President of the Council shall be appointed for one year by each Country in turn in alphabetical order, i.e., England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales.
(b) The Council shall elect an Honorary Secretary, who need not be a member of the Council, to serve for such a period as the Council shall determine.
(c) A Meeting of the Council may be convened at any time by the Honorary Secretary at the request of the President or of any of the Captains. Any such Meetings shall be summoned by at least 14 days’ notice in writing to every member of the Council. Such notice shall specify the place, day and hour of the Meeting and the general nature of the business to be transacted. Length of such notice may be reduced at the discretion of the President if the urgency of the business to be discussed in his opinion so requires.
(d) At all Meetings of the Council every member shall be entitled to one vote upon every question raised. In the case of equality of votes the President shall have a second or casting vote. In the absence of the President the members present shall elect one of their members to act as Chairman. A Chairman so elected shall in the event of equality of votes have a second or casting vote.
(e) The quorum at all meetings of the Council shall be seven.
6. The XX Club Council of each Nationality shall in such manner and for such term of office as it may think fit elect or cause to be elected the Captain of the Team of its own Nationality and its other Representatives on the Council of the National Match.
7. (a) In the event of the Match being held elsewhere than at Bisley the Captain of the team in whose Country the Match is to be held shall be responsible in consultation with the other Captains, for all arrangements in connection with the Match.
(b) Each Captain shall be responsible for all the matters in connection with his team including the selection and conduct of its members and he shall have the absolute control of his team in all matters relating to the Match.
(c) Each Captain shall nominate an Adjutant who shall deputise for him in the event of circumstances preventing him from fulfilling any of the duties of his office.
(d) Each Captain shall appoint an Umpire unless the Captains of all competing teams agree to appoint one Umpire only.
8. The following conditions shall apply to the National Match:
(a) The rules of the NRA current for the year of the Match as to ranges, targets, arms, scoring and position for the first stage of the Queen’s Prize shall normally apply.
(b) At each range the number of shots shall be seven with one convertible sighter.
(c) Unless the Captains of all competing teams otherwise agree only such ammunition as issued at the Meeting where the Match is held shall be used.
(d) There may be Check-Register Keepers at each firing point.
(e) In all matters not provided for by these Rules the current Rules of the NRA shall apply.
9. These Rules may be revoked, added to or altered by a majority of at least two-thirds of the members of the Council present at any Meeting of the Council held at Bisley during the NRA Meeting and summoned by at least 28 days’ notice in writing to all members of the Council specifying the intention to propose the revocation, addition or alteration together with full particulars thereof. Rule 5 (e) shall apply to any such Meeting.
By order of the Council of the National Match.
For clarification the XX Club Councils referred to in Para 6 above refer to the Councils of the English Twenty Club, the Irish Rife Club (Bisley), the Scottish XX Council and the Welsh Rife Association.
R. Pizer
Honorary Secretary
National Match Council
1.1.2019