StateRegionDivision
Bowls
Published 12 August, 2026
These rules apply to State, Region and Division competitions. Any variations to these rules at Region, Division or District levels will be found on the relevant event page for those events.
Primary Competition Rules
There will be a Pre-Championships Briefing for all teams prior to Roll Up and first round matches. Refer to the Bowls Draw, on the SSV website for the Briefing and Roll Up times and Match Schedule.
EventTime
Arrival, Roll Up and Briefing: 10:00am – 10:30am
Round 1: 10:30am – 11:15am
Round 2: 11:25am – 12:10pm
Round 3: 12:20pm – 1:05pm
Final: 1:20pm – 2:05pm
Presentation: 2:10pm
- Play will be two bowl triples, with two sides in a team, making 6 in total.
- In Round Robin matches play will continue for 7 ends or 45 minutes, whichever comes first.
- If time elapses, the end in progress will be declared void.
- Teams score by the closest team to the Jack, scoring ONE point per end.
- There will be two games (rinks) of 7 ends/45 minutes, with the score of the two rinks combined and the higher total score winning.
- The jack will not be rolled; it will be placed at the start of each end.
- If during play the jack is knocked out of bounds, or in the ditch, it will be re-spotted back at the ‘T’.
- Bowling Order: A1, B1, A1, B1; A2, B2, A2, B2….
- Player Positioning:
- The Lead and Second (A1, A2) at the bowling end, with the Skip (A3) at the head (end with all the bowls).
- Once A1 B1, A2 B2, have had all their bowls they all walk up the other end and the two skips (A3/B3) would walk down to the bowling end to have their bowls.
Matches in the round-robin section will be decided by ‘ends won’.
Points Allocation
- Win: 3 points
- Draw: 1 points
- Loss: 0 points
Round Robin Winner
- At the end of the round-robin, the two teams with the most points will advance through to the final.
- If two teams are equal, then the winners will be determined by the result of the pool match.
- If they are still equal, ‘ends won’ will be used to determine the result, then percentage for/against ‘ends won’.
Grand Final
- If the final is tied, one additional end will be played to determine a winner.
General Conditions
- See the School Sport Victoria’s ‘General Conditions of Competition’. All players, teachers, spectators and officials are bound by the ‘SSV Codes of Conduct’ and the ‘Participant Behaviour Policy’.
Team Size
- Six (6) players make up a team, with three (3) in each side.
- This may consist of boys only, girls only or mixed.
Substitutes
- Each team can have up to two (2) additional substitute players, one (1) per side, bringing the maximum team size to eight (8) players with four (4) per side.
- Substitutes can enter the game into any position in the rink (Lead, Second or Skip).
- Substitutes must enter the game prior to the start of an end and cannot enter the game once any bowls have been delivered for that end.
- There are no limits on total number of substitutions in a game.
Official Rules Standard
- Matches are to be played under Bowls Australia’s rules; unless otherwise stated.
- Please see the SSV Primary Schools Resource Manual for more useful sport specific information.
- Competing schools are responsible for ensuring that reasonable provision is made for the treatment of injuries.
- All schools are required to bring a first aid kit.
- Competing schools are responsible for ensuring that reasonable provision is made for the treatment of injuries.
- All schools participating in SSV Team Sports final are required to bring their own applicable first aid kit (appropriate to the location as there is potential for sporting activities to be some distance away from emergency services) – For more detailed information: First Aid for Students and Staff and First Aid Kit Contents Checklist.
- Sports Tape must be supplied by the student/competing team. Strapping for injury prevention as required must be performed by the student/competing team.
- NB. The First Aid Responder attending the state finals are not permitted to perform strapping.