The Touch Union to be showcased at Twickenham this Saturday
Salford City Academy’s first ever girls’ team will show off The Touch Union at the Home of England Rugby at the half-time show of England vs Ireland this Saturday.
Fresh format opens the door
The Touch Union is the RFU's new non-contact format of the game. It's fun, fast-flowing and social, while still building on the core rugby union skills - perfect for any age or playing ability.
Ideal for playing at schools or rugby clubs as an alternative to contact, The Touch Union format can be enjoyed by anyone.
Weekly social sessions introduce new players to rugby clubs, as well as providing an engaging game for those who want to keep playing but can’t commit to regular 15-a-side rugby.
Salford City Academy are one of 80 schools who are part of the United Learning Trust which the RFU is working with to develop school rugby.
Local club Eccles RFC have directly benefited from these developments as several pupils joined this season after the club established links with the school.
Liam Morrison from Salford City Academy’s PE department is thrilled to see the newly-found positivity from the students towards the sport.
“Rugby is a fairly new sport for the girls,” said Morrison. “They are really enjoying it and incredibly excited to represent the school at Twickenham today.”
Supporting schools to grow women's game
As well as promoting The Touch Union within education, activity on the Twickenham turf also showcases the England Rugby drive to increase girls’ participation in schools.
RFU Schools and Colleges Manager Chris Sigsworth wants to build on this momentum and capitalise on the opportunity for growth in the game.
With our rugby clubs and partners, such as the Youth Sport Trust and Multi-Academy Trusts, we will be working with schools and college to include rugby within the curriculum, using The Touch Union to introduce girls to the game in a fun, non-contact way” said Sigsworth. “Teachers can access our resources free of charge to help them introduce The Touch Union and there will be further local festivals and development opportunities for staff this term.
“We’re also working with established rugby playing schools to widen opportunities by including the non-contact format of the game, and also by introducing it to female students.”
New innovation gives clubs a boost
The positive effects are already being felt at club level. Simon Parsons of Tunbridge Wells has seen a significant growth in participation since the club introduced The Touch Union format.
“When The Touch Union was introduced by the RFU I jumped at the chance,” said Parsons. “Using their guidance, we run a social touch game every Tuesday and it has grown substantially since the start of the 2021-2022 season. We are implementing rules as we progress, while keeping it as relaxed and enjoyable as possible.
“Off the back of it we have had five or six players return to the sport, two or three new players coming to give it a try and then moving to social contact rugby, some ladies from our development side putting what they learn at training into action in a safe environment and some vets just looking to run about with their mates.
“Membership has improved and we now have a Tuesday bar take that we didn't have before. I heartily recommend setting up The Touch Union and giving rugby to more club members than just the weekend players.”
Clubs who run weekly social sessions are eligible for a free starter pack of equipment.
For more information contact TheTouchUnion@rfu.com
More support for schools and colleges can be found at englandrugby.com/education
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Twitter and intsagram - @TheTouchUnion
