The length of the match and number of periods of play is determined in the rules of the competition being played. Most matches consist of two periods of 25 minutes, plus any injury time or time lost for other reasons.
A period of play ends when time is up, the ball does not have to be “dead”. If a ball has been deemed Rougeable and time then expires, the attackers may not choose a Set-Piece-Bully on the 3-yard-line, but must accept the award of 3 points; however, if a Rouge has been scored, the attacking team may attempt a Conversion.
In House Ties and knockout rounds of the Junior Shield, if the scores are level at full time, the two teams will play five minutes each way of “Golden-point” – i.e. the first team to score any Point wins. If there is no score after these two five minute periods, the teams will play “sudden-death-conversions”. A coin is tossed to decide the order of play; then one team takes the ball along the 3-yard-line, as in a Conversion. This continues until one team scores and the other team does not. See Laws for Conversions.
In ladder competitions (not Leagues) when a positive result is needed, there are not periods of “Golden-point”; in the event of a draw at full-time, “sudden-death-Conversions” are used to decide the result.