Touch Rugby Tips Overview

Here is a great video.
Touch is a sport close to my heart, I have played it since the 1990s and one thing that frustrates me is that despite the basic rules being available online, not all of the rules are mentioned anywhere online. It is common for new players to get easily confused, especially when defending near their try line and on attack when new players need to realise that they can't try and score off every play.  Touch rugby tips will show you how to do attack and defence in the game of touch rugby or touch as it is called in New Zealand.

It is one thing to know the basic rules and what results in a tap and what is a change in possession, but there are heaps of other rules which you only experience by playing the game. Read through this post and try to take some of them on board!

In the game of touch it is important to realise that some referees will be more vigilant with particular aspects of the rules than others. The substitutions one is an area which is often a trap for young players. You can only have six people on the field at one time, meaning if you are substituting, you need to aim your on-field play towards the substitution box which are some sideline dashes either side of halfway.

The in-goal area creates plenty of problems for the defence and is easily manipulated when you are on attack. The key to remember is that in defence you have to get both feet behind on the try line if the ball is being played by the attacking team either on the five metre mark or just outside it and then must advance, even if they then have to go back to touch an attacker. The defence can't move forward until the dummy touches the ball. The thing to remember for the defence is that they can't stand around waiting in the in-goal, they must actually move forward. Also don't forget to watch out for the five metre line and the try line. They can sneak up quickly.

Attacking in the attacking red zone
You can work some great moves on attack. As always you need to get a predetermined person to scoop the ball from dummy. What you do, especially if you get a penalty five metres out is one person taps the ball and just stands waiting for at least one defender preferably two to advance to the five metre mark and the attacker plays the ball quickly and steps to the side making himself available to receive a pass. The dummy will pick the ball up and has five metres of grace because the defender has to get back into the in-goal. The dummy can either run through, past the defender who touched him and look for support in the in-goal, or he can run a few metres and pass to the player who played the ball. The best way to defend this move is only sending one player to make the initial touch and having this player prepared to retreat in a hurry.  The worst thing you can do is send two unprepared people up to make the touch and allow the attackers to get in behind them to score. On attack if you don't have a dummy, the defence can move up after three seconds. Some referees let you move up immediately if it is being played within the five metres of the try line.

Some other tips include in mixed touch never have two girls defending together on the wing. I prefer a girl, guy, girl, guy etc formation.

On defence when going in for a touch, you want to push off the attacking player with the ball. This helps you get back onside (back five metres) more easily.


Three ups or "three player drives"are an important way to make great territory, although it is also possible to do "two player drives". The key is to run at the same defender who has to keep retreating five metres. You have to run straight angling in at this person. People often go too wide and run at a different player. This defeats the purpose. If a different defender advances quickly to shut down your move, you can either take the touch quickly and run at the gap left in the line by the advancing player, or hike it back to the person who played the ball who can run at the gap.

You only want to go wide on the fourth and fifth touches. The only possible exception is on the first play after a quick turnover in possession. You can't score off every play. It is like a game of chess, you want to manipulate the defence to get a mismatch. You actually mark the number of player rather than the actual player, so it is more of a zone defence. So if attacking players switch positions, you don't follow them across the field. On defence you want to keep your defensive line straight.

When on attack after the first three or four plays, you want some people to run off the ball carrier, into gaps. This keeps the defence guessing. You want to try and work it so that your fast players are matched against the slower players in the opposition. Another great way of opening up some gaps late in the count is to get your wingers standing as wide as possible which stretches the defence. The winger must be prepared to cut inside the final player their inside player is running out of space. Inside balls and double rounds are great ways improving your attack. Also when you are on attack, take the touch by actually touching the opposition with one hand while holding the ball in the other hand. Instead of rolling the ball when playing it, just plant it on the ground. This avoids you being penalised for it rolling more than a metre and it makes it easier for the dummy to pick it up.

When defending, you really want to view the opposition as numbers of players rather than marking an actual player.  Much like chess, you don't want to be sucked into trying to touch a player who someone else is touching as this creates an overlap.  I think the winger should never come in off the wing, but sometimes they have no choice.  You almost view the touch field as having planes running down the field and when two attacking players switch over as part of a double round or switch then the player you are marking changes.  When defending close to your try line, you have to retreat to your own try line if the attacking team play the ball five metres out and you must advance out of the in-goal area once the dummy half picks it up.

Another trap for young players is trying not playing the ball on the mark or running past the mark before playing the ball.  The play the ball is crucial for allowing your team to position the attack.  You are better off when you begin to prepare to take the touch running straight, rather than trying to run around the opposition.  Some people run around in circles and it is difficult for your team mates to know where to go to pick up your play the ball and also you have to be careful that you play the ball on the mark where you were touched rather than having to slowly backtrack to the mark which slows the attack down.

I love running at a 45 degrees angle later in the touch count but you need your team mates to run off you into the gaps to distract the defence.  Things like a double round, switch or inside ball are great ways of keeping the defence on their toes by changing the angle is needed.  You want to draw the defenders into making touches that they shouldn't be making and create some kind of gap or overlap.

Smaller, faster and more experienced players can break from dummy half, but they must make sure they have team mates in support to receive their pass because dummy half can't score or get touched.  The only problem is if they get isolated and touched then it is a turnover.  There is also the danger that the defending player who is offside, retreats back onside and makes a touch.  It is risky running from dummy half, but it can create great attacking plays by providing an overlap.

Touch NZ Simplified Playing Rules
1) Scoring: A touchdown will be awarded when a player places the ball on or over the score line prior to being touched. A touchdown will be worth one point. The Dummy Half is not permitted to score touchdowns.

2) Substitution Box: Teams may interchange players at any time. Players coming on to the field may not do so until the player being replaced has come off. Substitutions must occur at or within the team’s substitution box.

3) Possession of the Ball: A change of possession shall occur when:–
*The ball goes to ground.
* The Dummy half is touched while in possession.
* The Dummy half places the ball in the Touchdown zone.
* The 6th Touch occurs.
* The player in possession steps on or over the boundary of the field of play.
* A roll ball is performed incorrectly.
* A tap is performed incorrectly.
At a change of possession play is restarted with a roll ball.

4) Passing: A player may pass, knock, throw or otherwise deliver the ball to any onside player in the attacking team. Passing forward is NOT permitted.

5)The Tap: The tap is taken by placing the ball on the ground on the mark, releasing the ball from both hands, tapping the ball with the foot a distance of not more than one metre and retrieving the ball cleanly. Any player from the attacking team may take the tap.

6) The Penalty: When a player/team is penalised the non offending team shall restart play with a tap. The tap is taken at the mark and the defending team must retire ten metres from the mark until the ball has been tapped.

Play restarts with a tap when the following infringements occur;
* Forward Pass
* Touch and Pass
* Roll ball performed off the mark
* Performing a roll ball prior to a touch being made
* Defenders offside at the roll ball (5 metres)
* Defenders offside at the tap (10 metres)
* Deliberately delaying play
* More than six players on the field
* Incorrect substitution
* Falsely claiming a touch
* Using more than the minimum force to make a touch
* Misconduct

7) Roll ball: A means of restarting play. Players must perform the roll ball on the mark while facing their opponent’s defending score line and rolling the ball backwards between their legs a distance of not more than one metre. Players must not delay performing the roll ball.

8) The Touch: Players from both teams are permitted to affect the touch. A touch is contact with any part of the body, ball, clothing or hair. Minimum force is to be used at all times. The team in possession is entitled to six touches.

9) Touch and Pass: A player is not to pass the ball after a touch has been made.

10) Dummy Half: The dummy half is the person who picks up the ball after a team-mate has performed a roll ball.

11) Offside/Onside: After a touch has been made all defending players must retire 5 metres from the mark. Defenders cannot move forward until the dummy half has touched the ball.

12) Sideline: If a player with the ball touches or crosses the sideline s/he is deemed to be out of play and a change of possession occurs. Play restarts with a roll ball 5 metres in from where the player went out. If a touch is made before the player goes out, the touch counts.

13) Obstruction: Players of the attacking team are not to obstruct defending players from attempting to affect a touch. Defending players are not to obstruct/interfere with attacking players supporting the ball carrier.

14) The Field of Play: The field is 70m long (score line to score line) and 50m wide. Substitution boxes measuring 20m in length shall be situated on both sides of the field at halfway. The Touchdown zone is the area beyond the score line.

15) Team Composition: A team may consist of up to 14 players. A maximum of six (6) are allowed on the field at any one time. A minimum of four players are required for the match to be played.

16) The Toss: The captain winning the toss shall receive possession of the ball and a choice of direction and substitution box for the first half. The Referee will supervise the toss.

17) Duration: The match at Touch New Zealand Tournament level shall be 20 minutes each way with a 3 minute break at half time. Associations may alter the duration of matches to suit their particular requirements.

18) Extra Time and the Drop Off: When a match is drawn and a single winner is required, extra time is played and teams drop off players every two minutes until down to 3. The first team to score a Touchdown wins the match once both teams have had possession.

19) Player Attire: All team members must be correctly attired in team uniforms. Footwear with moulded soles is permitted. Bare feet, spikes and footwear with screw in studs are not permitted. Players are not to wear any item of jewellery that might be dangerous.

20) The Referee: The Referee is the sole judge on matters of fact and is required to adjudicate on the rules of the game during play. The Referee may impose any sanction necessary to control the match. All officials, players and coaches involved in the match are under the control of the Referee.

21) Foul Play will Not be Tolerated: Any foul play (the Referee being the sole judge) will result in the offending player being penalised, sent to the sin bin for a period of time, or being sent from the field for the remainder of the match, depending on the severity of the offence.

22) Mixed Teams: A mixed team is made up of a ratio of male/female players. The team is not permitted to field more than three male players or not less than one male player at any time.


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