Tag rugby, the fastest growing summer sport in Ireland, returns to Mullingar for its third season on Thursday May 27 and will be sponsored by the Lane Club.
“Tag rugby is a non-contact, mixed team sport and is played by both men and women of all ages and skill levels. Its primary beauty is that it doesn’t need any prior rugby experience but will reward anyone who can run and catch,” said club captain and organiser, Ray Murphy.
“Last year, just under half of all the participants (48 per cent ) had never played rugby before,” he added.
In tag, the tackle is reduced to the grabbing and removal of one of two pieces of Velcroed strips from the hips of your opponents, and possession is surrendered after six of these are made without any score. The central inclusive beauty of tag is that a female try is worth three points to just one for a chap’s.
“Tag rugby is fun, sociable and has mass appeal to everyone aged between 18 and 60, so whether you are the fittest person in your gym, or someone who hasn’t played sports since you were in school, tag rugby could be the game for you,” said Ray Murphy.
“Tag is primarily about running and passing, where agility, speed and good hand/eye coordination are more important skills than brute force and strength. The game encourages people from all sporting backgrounds to participate together in mixed social teams. Many of our teams are made up of work colleagues looking to blow off a bit of steam together”.
While many tag matches are of a competitive nature, the majority of players take full advantage of the social aspect and meet up with their opponents and referee after the game. So, for anyone thinking of taking up the sport, remember that post-match socializing around the barbie is a central and key part of the tag rugby scene.
The Lane Club have kindly organised a whole host of post match social events for every Thursday night throughout the summer. All updates will be available through Facebook.
The 2010 seasons starts on Thursday May 27 and will run over the following 10 Thursdays. Open nights will be held every Thursday from May 6, and these evenings will give anyone interested in trying out tag rugby the chance to come out to the club and get involved in some practice matches run by the coaches and experienced taggers before the season kicks off proper. It also gives experienced teams the chance to blow off the cobwebs and get a few practice games in.
Each team consists of up to 12 squad members with seven players on the pitch at any one time. There can only ever be a maximum of four men on the pitch for your team. Rolling substitutions ensure tired legs get a rest whenever they need one.
There are three sections for teams - advanced, intermediate and beginner. The advanced would suit teams with more than a few seasoned rugby players, the intermediate section is perfect for teams with a season or two of tag under their belts, and the beginners section does exactly what it says on the tin.
Cost of entry is €500 per team with a 10 per cent discount for those teams who volunteer a referee. This works out at €4 per person per night for a squad of 12 players.
Individuals who are not affiliated to a team and want to participate are very welcome to come out to the open nights where they will be assigned to a team short a player or two.
For more information please contact [email protected].
