Touch Rugby

Rugby is the second largest participation sport in the word behind soccer with over 3 million participants worldwide. Over 1.9 million spectators and a global TV audience of 3.4 billion watched the Rugby World Cup, in Australia in 2003. 

In America there are over 2000 Rugby Clubs, many with up to three 15-person teams. 

Much of Rugby’s value comes from its rich history, traditions, camaraderie and community involvement with the sport. 

The game was ‘invented’ in 1823 in England when William Webb Ellis a young student of the Rugby School “with fine disregard for the rules of football (soccer)” picked up the ball and ran with it. American Football emerged from rugby in the 1880’s. According to Rugby Magazine (the journal of record for US Rugby) a recent National Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association survey reported that the number of US Rugby enthusiasts was 600,000. 

Further, youth rugby is growing rapidly making up over 25% of registered participation nationally with 525 teams (High School and junior rugby clubs) and over 30,000 men and women collegiate players.

What is Touch Rugby?

Touch Rugby is a unique, non-contact version of rugby that can be played safely in PE classes, after school programs or recreationally at the weekends. Touch Rugby is great because all players get to run, catch, pass and score, regardless of their position, gender, size, shape or ability.

Touch Rugby is a team-invasion game, resembling an all inclusive and continuous team game of tag with a ball. It is easy to learn and (with appropriate training) easy to referee and coach. It encourages teamwork and enhances athletic skills and fitness. As such, Touch rugby is very complementary to other sports; increasing generic athletic skills that require balance, coordination, agility and  visual awareness, handling, decision making and of course core fitness.

WHY WOULD I PLAY? Check this out....

Rugby for football players?

FUN FACTS

• Top level rugby players average 4 -7 miles running per game.

• They sprint at full pace on average a distance of 20 meters 30 times in a match.

• Fast jogging is done for an average 20 meters 90 times in a match.

• Changes of speed (accelerations) happen 750 times in a match (once every 3 to 4 seconds).

• In an 80 minute match players can burn 2000kCal. (This is equivalent to a 200lb man running a half marathon-13 miles!)

Some other sports in comparison...

• NBA - 2.7 miles per game (although mostly at high pace)

• NFL - average player only moves (not runs) for 11 minutes (wide receivers cover most distance average 1.25 miles)

• Tennis pros - approx., 3 miles in a 5 set match (mostly at full speed and with lots of changes of direction)

• NHL - max., 4 miles per game (mostly gliding on ice punctuated by quick bursts of sprints and actually little time on ice in 60 minute game))

• Soccer - 90 minute game all on filed for 90 minutes average distance 7-9.5mies per game....

• Baseball - no measurable distance or energy expenditure...