If a penalty try is given in a Rugby Union match, the shirt number of the try scorer will be designated as to be eight (8). If a penalty try is awarded in a Rugby League match, the shirt number of the try scorer will be designated as to be that of the player awarded the penalty try (or the player who would have scored the try). In the case of no player being awarded a penalty try in a Rugby League match, the shirt number of the try scorer will be regarded to be seven (7).
For the purposes of any trade relating to Rugby league or union shirt numbers, a player will be deemed to wear all through the game the shirt worn at the start of play (or, in the case of a substitute, when he comes on to the pitch). Any player whose shirt number bears no number at the start (or, in the case of a substitute, when he comes on to the pitch) will be considered to be wearing the number given to that player on the team sheet. In the event of that player not being mentioned on the team sheet, the player will be given the number 16 for rugby union and 14 for rugby league. If any player wears a shirt with letters instead of numbers, the alphabet is taken to correspond with numbers 1 to 26 e.g. A=1, J=10 etc. In the event of any ambiguity about the identity of a try scorer, Rule 5 of the SportsSpread Rules will apply.
Players must start the match for all trades to be deemed valid, i.e. players starting on the bench will not be deemed valid.
