Touch Me If You Can!
Why you should know more about the up and coming sport of Touch Rugby.
So you may be asking, what even is Touch Rugby?
Touch rugby is a fun, fast-paced, fitness building team sport. Introduced from the Southern Hemisphere in the 1970s, touch is one of the fastest growing sports in England. It is a minimal contact sport and despite its name, has few correlations to rugby as there is no kicking, scrumming, lineouts, or tackling involved. Teams are made up of six players on the field at any given time and they often include mixed teams consisting of both men and women, even at an international level.
How to Play:
The aim of the game is for each team to score Touchdowns in attack and prevent the other team from scoring. A touch can be made in defence on any part of the opposite player including their clothing and the ball. Once the touch has occurred, the player in possession of the ball is required to stop and perform a Rollball immediately.
After six touches without a touchdown, the ball is handed over to the opposing side. A penalty is awarded for a ‘forward pass’– defenders who may be offside- and a dropped ball. This year, over 100 teams from 30 nations around the world took part in the 2015 Touch World Cup, held in Coffs Harbour, Australia.
Why you should get involved:
It can be played socially or at an elite level and it provides players with a healthy workout in a fun environment as they get fit, burn calories and build muscle tone whilst having fun with and meeting new friends. It is suitable for players of all ages and skill level and it can be played all year round. It’s a fantastic alternative to better-known sports such as hockey or netball and allows players to show off a wide range of skills including communication, ball skills and teamwork. Most of all, it’s fun!