Touch rugby is a modern version of rugby football. In this game, the players of one team touch their opponents by hands or any part of their body instead of physically tackling them.
Touch rugby is that version of rugby where the players are replaced by just a single touch of the opposite team members. The first basic rules of touch rugby were introduced by the South Sydney Junior Rugby League Club in the 1960s. The international governing body of touch rugby is the Federation of International Touch (FIT).
Touch rugby is a team sport. The players of one team try to touch the opponents anywhere on the body or clothes. The players, touched by the opponents, are declared out of the play. They have to wait outside the boundary.
The sport is conducted for men, women and even for mixed teams comprising of both male and female players. The game is closely linked to rugby, and there is no harsh tackles or kicking.
The players must put their maximum efforts on running, passing the ball between teammates and defensively catching it.
History of Touch Rugby
Touch rugby has initially been introduced by South Sydney Juniors Rugby League Club members Bob Dyke and Ray Vawdon in 1968. It was initially developed as a training method for the rugby league players and the retired players to remain fit.
In 1972, touch rugby unfurled its wings, and the first NSW Touch Association was established. At that time, it had six competitions and around 1500 players.
By 1975, the game received its international recognition in New Zealand. In 1979, the first women's Touch competition was held at a representative level.
In the following year, the first National Championship of Touch Rugby was organized in Newzealand. In 1988, the sport witnessed a positive turn, and the First Touch World Cup was organized at the Gold Coast.
The World Cup is held even today quadrennially. In the early 2000s, the sport was popular in East Asian countries.
In 2003, Japan also hosted the first-ever Touch World Cup, and by 2011; Scotland hosted the European Touch World Cup. With the advent of touch rugby worldwide, the NRL and Touch Football Australia tied up a partnership in 2013.
Variants
Tag Rugby
It is similar to touch rugby in which the players tackle by pulling off a velcro tag attached on the belt of the ball carrier. ,
Rugby Union
This game is played on a grass field where two teams intend to goal inside two H-shaped goalposts placed on both sides.
