A sealing and restraint system for joining a first longitudinal section of plastic pipe to a second longitudinal section of plastic pipe to form a secure pipe joint, each of the sections of plastic pipe each having a spigot for mating with a socket end of a next adjacent pipe section, the socket ends each being preformed with an internal raceway formed adjacent a mouth opening thereof which is formed during the manufacture of the pipe section, the sealing and restraint system comprising: a sealing element installed within the raceway of the socket end of one section of plastic pipe, the sealing element comprising an elastomeric sealing ring having a periphery and having a protruding ear located at one circumferential location about the periphery thereof, the sealing element being installed by temporarily collapsing the sealing element inwardly upon itself and positioning the sealing element in the raceway, and thereafter allowing the sealing element to return to a normal uncollapsed state; a companion restraining element located within the raceway of the socket end of the same section of pipe, the restraining element comprising a hardened gripping ring having an external peripheral surface and an internal peripheral gripping surface, the griping ring having an opening gap at one circumferential location about the periphery thereof; wherein the protruding ear of the sealing ring engages and fits within the opening gap in the gripping ring when the gripping ring is installed within the raceway of the socket end of the section of plastic pipe, whereby engagement of the protruding ear within the opening gap serves to prevent extrusion of the sealing ring within the gap in the gripping ring and also limits closure of the gripping ring after engagement of the spigot end with the socket pipe end as the pipe joint is assembled, and wherein the internal peripheral gripping surface comprises rows of gripping teeth which are adapted to grip the exterior surface of the socket end, the gripping teeth allowing movement of a mating spigot pipe end within the mouth opening of the spigot pipe end in a first longitudinal direction as the pipe joint is being assembled, and which are further adapted to restrain movement of the mating spigot pipe end within the mouth opening of the spigot pipe end in a second, opposite longitudinal direction. a sealing element installed within the raceway of the socket end of one section of plastic pipe, the sealing element comprising an elastomeric sealing ring having a periphery and having a protruding ear located at one circumferential location about the periphery thereof, the sealing element being installed by temporarily collapsing the sealing element inwardly upon itself and positioning the sealing element in the raceway, and thereafter allowing the sealing element to return to a normal uncollapsed state; a companion restraining element located within the raceway of the socket end of the same section of pipe, the restraining element comprising a hardened gripping ring having an external peripheral surface and an internal peripheral gripping surface, the griping ring having an opening gap at one circumferential location about the periphery thereof; wherein the protruding ear of the sealing ring engages and fits within the opening gap in the gripping ring when the gripping ring is installed within the raceway of the socket end of the section of plastic pipe, whereby engagement of the protruding ear within the opening gap serves to prevent extrusion of the sealing ring within the gap in the gripping ring and also limits closure of the gripping ring after engagement of the spigot end with the socket pipe end as the pipe joint is assembled, and wherein the internal peripheral gripping surface comprises rows of gripping teeth which are adapted to grip the exterior surface of the socket end, the gripping teeth allowing movement of a mating spigot pipe end within the mouth opening of the spigot pipe end in a first longitudinal direction as the pipe joint is being assembled, and which are further adapted to restrain movement of the mating spigot pipe end within the mouth opening of the spigot pipe end in a second, opposite longitudinal direction.