A beginners' guide to Touch Rugby

FirstAid4Sport are delighted to announce a new local sponsorship deal with Lincolnshire Touch. The deal will see FirstAid4Sport being the club’s official supplier of first aid equipment for the 2014 season.

If you have never played, watched or heard of touch rugby before, you can find out more below:

Touch can be played from any age and by any gender, with national tournaments consisting of a 3:3 male to female ratio for a playing team. It consists of 6 players on a pitch on approximately half the size of a rugby pitch with games varying in length up to 20 minutes per half. Substitutes can be made at any time during the game with 8 substitutes available in total.

The main aim of the game is for each team to score as many touchdowns as possible and prevent the other team from scoring. One touchdown equals one point, so a fast attack and a sturdy defence are needed.

Attacking players must perform a “roll ball” once they have been touched by a defensive player. A “roll ball” is where the attacking player must roll the ball between their legs. When this happens, defenders must retire in a straight line, 5 meters from the “roll ball” mark. The possession changes to the opposition team after 6 touches, when it becomes their turn for attack.

A forward pass, being offside, touch-and pass- roll ball over the mark and over vigorous play can all lead to penalties, if the referee sees the infringements. If a player is penalised, their team must retreat 10 meters. The penalty is taken by placing the ball on the pitch, letting go of the ball, touching the ball with your foot and picking it up.

A touch is deemed to be made if any part of the person, their clothing or the ball has been touched. After a touch has been made and affected play, the player in possession is required to stop, return to the mark where the touch occurred, if the mark has been over run and perform a roll ball without delay.

FirstAid4Sport will be following Lincolnshire Touch Rugby team and will have an exclusive video for you to enjoy soon.

If you would like more information about Touch Rugby and how to get into it in your area then visit the England Touch website.