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New National Touch Series (NTS) and Challenge Touch Series (CTS) for 2012
Due to the dramatic growth of Touch in England, and the number of clubs wanting to play Touch, a review of the NTS has been undertaken to ensure it maintains its status as the highest level club tournament.
In a bid to maintain the high standards of the NTS, and allow for new and developing clubs to establish themselves on the Touch scene, a new two tier system is being launched for the 2012 season.
The introduction of the new Challenge Touch Series (CTS) aims to develop the club game and encourage more club sides to get involved at a national level. This will be tied in with development days for referees, grass root players and more elite players running alongside each Touch event.
Key points for the 2012 NTS/CTS:
- The NTS will reduce to 16 teams (from 20 teams) per event.
- The 16 teams offered a place in the NTS for 2012 will be the top 16 teams from the 2011 series that had the highest average points per event (Total NTS points/number of NTS events participated in) and have shown a commitment to the NTS in 2011 by entering 3 or more NTS events. These teams will be:
| Bareback Riders | Coast to Coast Custard | Hot Custard | Oxford Touch |
| Bristol Fijians | Durkas | London Galaxy | Phoenix Touch |
| Cambridge Hornets | Galaxy II | Nottingham Touch | Statue Bro |
| Cardiff Raptors | London Scorpions | Manchester Chargers | Thames Valley Viking |
- These teams will be required to pay a bond of £180 early in 2012 to commit to all five events and secure their place. The money will go towards the NTS Finals fee in July and will be non-refundable if they do not take part in all five NTS events. Those that do not pay will lose their place and it will be offered to the next best NTS team from 2011.
- The Finals for both the NTS and CTS will be held over the weekend of July 28th/29th at the flagship Lilleshall National Sports Centre at the newly established ˜Series Finals weekend.
- The CTS will be run on a similar basis to the NTS and will grow to be a strong competition in its own right.
- No NTS sides will be able to participate in the CTS. There will also be player restrictions that will be announced soon.
- At the end of the NTS/CTS there will be promotion and relegation of teams for the 2013 competitions.
- Venues to be announced in early February.
Clubs hosting an NTS/CTS
- In 2012 there will be a new way of allocating events. All ETA affiliated venues/clubs can nominate to host an NTS/CTS event.
- Clubs are encouraged to affiliate if they wish to host an NTS/CTS event.
- Nominations must be in by 25th January 2012. Announcement of the venues will be made in early February.
- Details on how to nominate your club as a host venue will be available in the near future.