What is Tag Rugby?

With its growing popularity amongst children, there are plenty of clubs and groups offering Tag Rugby training and it’s a really great way to get youngsters into rugby.

What is tag rugby?

Tag Rugby is a fantastic introduction to the game of rugby and really helps increase fitness due to its fast pace. It’s a fun, fast-moving, non-contact game, ideal for both children and adults. Each player wears a Tag Belt with Velcro tags attached to them. Attacking players must dodge defenders who are attempting to ‘tag’ them by pulling the Velcro tag from the player with the ball. As Tag Rugby is a non-contact sport, harsh tackles are not allowed, which minimises the risk of injury.  Tag rugby is often used in Rugby League and Rugby Union training.

What are the rules?

Kicking, tackling, scrums and contact are not allowed in Tag Rugby. When a tag is achieved, the defender must stop running, hold the tag above their head and shout ‘tag’. The attacker must then pass the ball to a team mate within three seconds to continue the game.

Why tag rugby for kids?

Tag Rugby is now the RFU’s official version of the game for under seven and eight year olds. The sport is both safe and fun and encourages youngsters to stay active and improve their awareness of space and speed.

What equipment do you need?

Most Tag Rugby players wear a tag belt which has two PVC tags attached to it by Velcro. These are pulled off during the game by the opposition to denote a tackle. If you’re planning on setting up your own Tag Rugby game, the Tag Rugby Development Kit is ideal as it also comes with markers, stopwatch, whistle, foam and synthetic rugby balls and instruction cards. It’s a greater starter pack to get youngster in the fun, interactive fast-moving evasion game.