Rfu.Com/O2touch 02 Get Hands on with Introduction Get Hands on with Introduction 03 Touch Rugby Touch Rugby

Funded by rfu.com/O2Touch 02 Get hands on with Introduction Get hands on with Introduction 03 Touch Rugby Touch Rugby Few sensations in sport compare to the thrill of running with a rugby ball in hand and scoring a try. The good news is that it couldn’t be easier to experience that release on a regular basis. Touch rugby is the answer. This exhilarating sport can be played by almost anyone, regardless of gender, age, ability and experience. The simplicity of touch rugby is This booklet is the RFU’s its strength – all you need is two comprehensive guide to getting teams, a ball and you’re away. the most from this fantastic sport. Touch allows you to keep fit It gives useful tips on tactics, without setting foot in the gym. rules, refereeing and organising Above all, touch is the perfect club events. But above all, it is a opportunity to relax and have call to action: get your hands on fun with friends, whilst improving a rugby ball. You’ll not regret it! coordination, strength and speed. For further information, Our busy lifestyles mean we have please visit our website at to make choices about how we rfu.com/O2Touch fill our precious spare time. Too often, the constraints of training every week and playing every weekend become impractical. Therefore more and more people are choosing to play touch rugby, getting their team sport fix without compromising their job, studies, family or relationship. Clubs are the lifeblood of rugby in England: a vital network for keeping the sport in good health. For clubs, touch rugby represents Touch [tuhch] a means of recruiting new players and retaining existing members, vb. to stop the opponent by tapping any part of their body or ball; as well as keeping the doors open n. 1 either of the sidelines or the area outside; 2 a piece during the summer months. of skill, showing sleight of hand or nimble footwork. 06 Get hands on with Class of touch: Get hands on with Class of touch: 07 Touch Rugby The inside line Touch Rugby The inside line Fitness Principles of Play CLUB SELECTION Touch rugby is easy to learn and TOUCH: A CRASH COURSE Go forward to score tries/ a great way to get in shape. It is touchdowns, although it can be One of the best ways to get especially useful within warm ups A fast-paced game, touch tactically advantageous to move and in pre-season training. towards the sidelines making involved is to join a club. is similar to conventional rugby space for attacking play. Miss- Finance passes and quick hands make Just remember the five Fs… Touch rugby is a good way to keep but without the tackle, scrum, ground before a touch is made. club facilities open all year round and a successful means of gaining ruck, maul, lineouts or kicking. When defending, deny your Fun new members. Touch tournaments opponents time and space by Touch rugby is enjoyable, sociable can also attract local business The object is to score the moving forward and making the and exhilarating, the perfect sponsorship. touch. The faster you move up, sport to play with family, friends, most tries, each being worth the less ground they can make. partners, work colleagues and old Fundamentals team-mates. Touch rugby brings together one point, and to prevent the Support the ball carrier, giving the core skills of many sports, more options in attack and Flexible opposition scoring. developing the basic principles keeping possession. Close Touch rugby can be played by men of attack and defence, without support saves passing the ball and women regardless of age, the need for contact. It teaches The team that wins the toss The half (scrum half equivalent) a long way back to a teammate. ability or fitness. It can be played running, dodging, chasing, chooses the direction of play and is not allowed to score and loses at a club, in the park or on the passing and catching, as well as starts with a tap from the middle possession if caught with the ball. The speed of getting the ball off beach. All you need is an open decision-making, communication of the pitch, the opposition being The opposition then restart play the floor following a rollball is space and a ball. and support play. back 10 metres. with a rollball, backwards between crucial and the ball carrier should the player’s feet. always know where support The ball is passed backwards players are. A flat pass directly as in contact rugby. It may be The length of the match can sideways can often be effective. passed, knocked or handed be varied but is often two 10 between players who must stay minute halves and the size of Frequent Interchange: a fresh onside, behind the ball carrier. the pitch can vary, with matches set of legs can be the difference Defending players stop them by frequently played across half a between winning and losing. touching the ball carrier. rugby pitch (ie 70 metres long Interchange players while your by 50 metres wide). team is on the attack. Once you After a touch all defenders must have scored, it is a good idea to be back 5 metres from where Each team comprises of six get a whole new set of players on the touch was made and after 6 players on the pitch at any one the field for maximum intensity. touches the attacking team must time. Squads can be anything hand the ball to the other side. up to 14. However, smaller Team communication is vital: squads enable maximum both talk on the field and overall When a try/touchdown is scored involvement. In a mixed understanding of what the team play resumes with a tap in the competition, the gender balance is trying to do and how to affect it. middle of the field from the team can be adapted appropriately that didn’t score. ensuring that both genders Running with the ball in two hands are represented at all times. reduces the risk of dropping it. The ball must be run over your opponents’ try/score line and touched firmly down, the referee confirming the score. 10 Get hands on with Touch points: Get hands on with Touch points: 11 Touch Rugby Getting started Touch Rugby Getting started NUTS AND BOLTS 1 Passing 6 Scoring 8 Possession 9 Penalty The ball must be passed A try/touchdown is awarded A change of possession When a player/team is backwards or directly sideways when a player places the ball occurs when: penalised the opposition at all times. A forward pass on or over the scoreline before restarts play with a tap taken results in a penalty to the other being touched. – The ball is dropped to ground. at the mark, the defending team. A “touch and pass”, team retiring 10 metres from when a touched player passes 7 The Tap – The scrum half/the half is the mark. Play restarts with the ball after the touch, results The tap restarts play from touched while in possession. a tap when the following in a penalty. a penalty. The ball is placed infringements occur: on the ground at the mark. – The sixth touch occurs. 2 The Tackle/The Touch The attacking player releases – Forward pass. A touch can be made on any it from both hands and taps – The scrum half/the half part of the body, ball, clothing it with either foot a distance places the ball on or over – Touch and pass. or hair, with one hand or two. of not more than one metre the score line. Minimum force is to be used before picking it up cleanly. – Performing a rollball prior at all times. The team in Any player from the attacking – A rollball is performed to a touch being made. possession is entitled to team may take the tap or pick incorrectly. six touches. the tapped ball up. – Not performing a rollball on – A tap is performed incorrectly. the mark. 3 Ruck Ball/Rollball This restarts play from a touch. – The player in possession – Using more than the minimum The player in possession steps on or over the touchline. force to effect a touch. stands on the mark, facing At a change of possession, the opponents’ defending line play is restarted with a rollball. – Defenders offside at the and rolls the ball backwards rollball (5 metres). between his feet a distance of not more than one metre. – Defenders offside at the This player may not pick the tap (10 metres). ball up. The player picking it up is the scrum half/the half. – Incorrect substitution. 4 The Scrum Half/The Half – Falsely claiming a touch. The scrum half/the half is the player who picks up the ball from a – Misconduct. ruck/rollball, they are not allowed to score and lose possession if – Playing more than the caught with the ball. allowable number of players. 5 Offside – Deliberately delaying play. An attacking player is offside when forward of another – Obstruction - defending attacking player who either has players must not obstruct or possession or who last had interfere with attacking players possession of the ball. supporting the ball carrier. A defending player is offside when not retreating 5 metres for a rollball or 10 metres for a penalty or restart of play. Defending players cannot move forward until the scrum half/ the half has touched the ball. 12 Get hands on with Touch points: Get hands on with Touch points: 13 Touch Rugby Getting started Touch Rugby Getting started 10 Substitution 13 Extra Time (The Drop Off) Teams may interchange players Should a knock-out match be a at any time but substitutes draw at full time, in a period of may not enter the pitch until extra time: the replaced player comes off and must start in an onside – Each team loses one player.

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