Rugby getting back in touch
Titans Women’s Rugby Academy (TWRA) has recently been facilitating unique experiences for local rugby enthusiasts in the form of touch rugby tournaments.
The tournaments are in partnership with LegendFit and provide a unique and special way for people of any skill level to get involved in rugby without having to commit to making/taking big hits or tackles such as those in regular 15-a-side rugby.
The touch rugby tournaments are instead a special form of 6-a-side rugby where, as the name implies, tackles are replaced with simple touches.
The core principles remain the same – pass the ball backwards, run forwards, and score past the try line. However, there are a few twists. The ball may not touch the ground during play, and players are not allowed to kick the ball.
Photo gallery: Touch rugby back in action
You have six opportunities (touches) to score a try before possession is turned over to the opposition – in much the same manner as a basketball team must score within a fixed time before possession is overturned.
Points are also measured in the number of individual tries that are scored, adopting the same scoring system as soccer.
The game is of course far more intricate and an interesting, fun twist on the traditional rugby league format. TWRA coordinates the tournament days in partnership with LegendFit through its touch rugby division, TWRA Garden Route Touch.
Typically, between six and eight teams played on the two tournament days that have taken place so far, which were held at the Hornlee Sports Grounds on Sunday 14 and Sunday 21 November.
While predominantly made up of teams from around Knysna, teams from Plettenberg Bay, Sedgefield, and Cape Town have also come out to join in the fun.
The tournaments are mainly made up of men’s teams with KST and Legends being the only two mixed teams. On 14 November the final came down to Plett and Eagle Stars from Sedgefield, which the former won with a score of 4-3.
With the first week out of the way and nerves more settled, the second tournament promised some good rugby – especially with the addition of the WC Islanders from Cape Town who are coached by Stormers skills coach Labeeb Levy. The WC Islanders dominated the opening stages of the tournament as well as their semi-final clash.
In the final, they came up against Plett who gave them sterner opposition, but they ultimately won 7-5.
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