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UNDER 8s RULES OF PLAY (Tag Rugby)
Players and match officials must ensure that the following Rules of Play and RFU Regulation 15 www.englandrugby.com/governance/rules-and-regulations/regulations are observed when playing at and Under 8.
These Under 8s Rules of Play set out below are part of the Playing Pathway that aim to equip players with the skills they need to safely enjoy rugby union. The Age Grade Rules of Play detail the level to which children of each can play to, coaches and match officials are encouraged to discuss necessary or desired pre-game and in-game modifications that reduce the playing level with the view to provide more appropriate learning opportunities.
Any terms defined in these Rules shall have the meanings set out in the World Rugby Laws of the Game.
The key elements of the Under 8s Rules of Play are:
- • Team numbers: a maximum of 6-a-side
- • Maximum pitch size: 45 metres x 22 metres
- • Ball Size: 3 • Maximum minutes each half: 10
- • Scoring: Players permitted to go to ground to score tries
- • No tackling
- • No kicking, scrums or lineouts
1. General:
- a) The object of the game is to score a try by grounding the ball on or behind the opponents’ goal line. A penalty try is awarded if a try would probably have been scored but for an infringement by an opponent.
- b) For safety reasons, where Tag Rugby is played indoors or in restricted areas, a try can be scored by the ball carrier crossing the vertical plane of the goal line without grounding the ball. This allows players to have their head up and be aware of their surroundings at all times.
- c) The sanction for all infringements is initially a free pass (see Rule 5).
2. Teams:
- a) Tag Rugby is played between teams of equal numbers of players, each team containing a maximum of six players on the pitch at any one time.
- b) Rolling substitutions are permitted and substituted players can return at any time. Substitutions can only take place when the ball is dead and always with the referee’s permission.
- c) Coaches are not permitted on the pitch when the game is in play and the referee is encouraged to advise and guide the teams and players.
3. Pitch Size:
- a) The maximum pitch size is 45 metres by 22 metres, plus 5 metres for each in-goal area.
- b) The referee and coaches may agree to reduce the pitch sizes provided that they agree it is safe to do so.
- c) Adjacent pitches should be no closer than 5 metres.
4. Passing:
- a) The ball may only be passed sideways or backwards (but not forwards) through the air and may not be handed to another player.
- c) If the ball is handed to another player or passed or knocked forwards towards the opponents’ dead ball line then a free pass is awarded to the non-offending team, unless advantage occurs to the non-offending team.
- d) In order to keep the game flowing, referees should play advantage wherever possible.
5. Free Passes:
- a) The sanction for all infringements is initially a free pass.
- b) A free pass is also awarded:
- i. To start the match at the beginning of each half from the centre of the pitch.
- ii. From the side of the pitch when the ball or ball carrier goes into touch at the point where the ball or ball carrier went out of play.
- iii. From where the referee makes a mark when an infringement has taken place.
- iv. After a try is scored, to restart the match by the non-scoring team from the centre of the pitch.
- v. When the ball is pulled from the ball carrier’s grasp.
- c) At a free pass, the passer must start with the ball in both hands and, when the referee calls “Play”, pass the ball backwards through the air to a member of their team. For safety reasons, no player may run until the pass is made.
- d)
- i. At a free pass, the opposition must be 7 metres back from the mark. They cannot start moving forward until the ball leaves the hands of the player passing the ball.
- ii. If an infringement takes place or the ball goes into touch over the goal line or within 7 metres of the goal line, then the free pass must be awarded to the non-offending side 7 metres from the goal line. This gives more space for both attacking and defending teams to play in.
6. The Tag:
- a) All players must wear a tag belt around their waist with two tags attached to it by Velcro positioned over each hip. Tag belts are to be securely fastened and any excess belt is to be tucked away so that this cannot be pulled. Tag belts must be worn outside of shirts and not obscured in any way. Tags must not be wrapped around the belt or otherwise to prevent them from being pulled off.
- b) The standard dimensions for a tag are 38cms in length by 5cms in width although slight variations of a few millimetres are permitted. They should be made of flexible plastic or plastic/canvas material. Tags are generally provided in red, blue, green and yellow and must sufficiently stand out against the player’s strip. The tags must not be the same colour as the players’ shorts or shirts. Tags must be positioned on the side of the hips (not at the front or back).
- c) A “Tag” is the removal of one or two tags from the ball carrier’s belt. Only the ball carrier can be tagged. The ball carrier can run and dodge potential taggers but cannot fend them off using their hands or the ball and cannot guard or shield their tags in any way. The ball cannot be pulled out of the ball carrier’s hands at any time.
- d) If a player does not have two tags on their belt, one on each hip, they will be penalised if they become a ball carrier or if they tag an opponent and a free pass will be awarded to the non-offending team at the place of infringement (i.e. where the infringement was noticed).
- ACTIONS BY THE BALL CARRIER:
- e) When the ball carrier is tagged the ball must be passed to a team mate within 3 seconds. The ball carrier must attempt to stop as soon as possible; within approximately 3 strides, but the ball can be passed in the act of stopping. If the pass takes longer than 3 seconds or the player takes more than approximately 3 strides a free pass is awarded to the non-offending team at the place where the tag occurred.
- f) After a ball carrier has been tagged, that player must go to the tagger, retrieve their tag and place it back on their belt before re-joining play. If the player continues to play and influences the game without collecting their tag, a free pass is awarded to the non-offending team at the place of infringement (i.e. the point at which that player had influence).
- g) Players are however only allowed one step to score a try after being tagged.
- h) If the ball carrier is tagged whilst standing inside the opponents’ in-goal area they must ground the ball immediately in order to score. Referees may assist by advising the ball carrier “Touch the ball down and I’ll award the try”, or similar.
- ACTIONS BY THE TAGGER:
- j) When a tag is made, the tagger must stop running, hold the tag above their head and shout, “Tag”. At this stage the referee must call, “Tag – Pass”.
- k) If the ball carrier stops running within 1 metre of the tagger, the tagger must move back towards their own goal line, at least 1 metre, to allow room for the ball to be passed. If the tagger fails to retire at least 1 metre before re-joining the game, they are to be considered offside and a free pass will be awarded to the non- offending team at the place of infringement (i.e. where the infringement was noticed).
- l) Once the ball has been passed, the tagger must hand back the tag to the player and cannot re-join the match until this has been done. If a tagger continues to play and influences the match with an opponent’s tag in their hand, or throws it to the floor, a free pass is awarded to the non-offending team at the place of infringement.
- m)
- i. To reward good defence and to promote the ball carrier’s team keeping the ball alive by passing the ball before being tagged, the team in possession of the ball will only be allowed to be tagged a maximum of 6 times before scoring a try. At the 7th tag, the referee will stop the game and award a free pass to the other team at the point that the tag took place. If the 7th tag takes place one step from the goal line and the ball is grounded, the try will be disallowed and the opposition will be given the ball for a free pass 7 metres out from the goal line, in line with the point the goal line was crossed.
- ii. Coaches of the teams may agree to reduce the maximum number of allowable tags to provide more of a challenge to their players, both in attack and defence. If coaches cannot agree then the 7th tag ruling will apply.
7. Offside:
Offside only occurs at the time of the tag where the offside line is through the centre of the ball except for the tagger for whom it is 1 metre further back. When a tag is made, all the other players from the tagger’s team must attempt to retire towards their own goal line until they are behind the ball. If a player, in an offside position, intercepts, prevents or slows down a pass from the tagged player to a team mate, a free pass will be awarded to the non-offending team. A player can, however, run from an onside position to intercept a pass before it reaches the intended receiver.
8. Ball on the Ground:
- a) Players of Tag Rugby must be encouraged to stay on their feet, with the ball in hand. If the ball goes to ground, players can pick it up, run and pass but they must not dive to the floor to recover the ball.
- b) If the ball is passed other than forward and goes to ground, play will continue and either team may pick up the ball. If the passed ball rolls into touch a free pass will be taken from the touchline by the opponents of the team who the ball touched last.
- i. If the ball is passed or knocked forward (other than as set out in (b)(ii) below), a free pass is awarded to the non-offending team unless advantage occurs to the non-offending team.
- ii. Where the ball is on the ground over the goal line:
- • If a team drop the ball over their own goal line, and their opponents fall on it or touch it down a try shall be awarded.
- • If a team drop the ball over their own goal line, and then fall on it or touch it down a free pass shall be awarded to the attacking team 7 metres from the goal line.
- • If the team in possession drop the ball forward over the goal line, and there is no advantage to their opponents, a free pass shall be awarded to the defending team 7 metres from the goal line.
- • If the team in possession drop the ball backwards over the goal line and then touch it down or fall on it a try shall be awarded.
- • If the team in possession team drop the ball backwards over the goal line and their opponents touch the ball down or fall on it, a free pass shall be awarded to the defending team 7 metres out from the goal line.
9. Infringements:
In Tag Rugby, there is an emphasis on running with the ball, evasion, running in support of the ball carrier, passing and running to tag the ball carrier. The following are not permitted:
- a) Tackling or contact: The only contact allowed between the two teams is the removal of a tag from the belt of the ball carrier. Any other type of contact on the ball carrier, such as shirt pulling, running in front of or barging the ball carrier, forcing the ball carrier into touch, etc must be penalised with a free pass and the players concerned reminded of the rules;
- b) Kicking of any kind;
- c) Hand off or fend off (a hand off being the placing of an open palmed hand against an opponent’s face or body while a fend off is an outstretched arm by the ball carrier towards an opponent to discourage that person from making a tag);
- d) The ball carrier or a potential tagger must not deliberately make contact with an opponent. If such contact is made the game must be stopped, the offender spoken to, reminded of the non-contact rules of tag and a free pass awarded to the non- offending team; and
- e) The ball must not be pulled from the ball carrier’s grasp;
- f) Acts of foul play.
