University of Nottingham Sport is delighted to welcome Touch Rugby as the latest addition to our group of wide ranging sports clubs.
Touch Rugby is an inclusive, mixed gender sport which enables everyone to play at whatever level they like. In universities, this can range from more socially within intramural activity or more seriously as part of the BUCS programme.
Touch Rugby differs to Rugby Union or League in that there are six players for each team on the field at a time (though there can be up to 14 players on the team, with unlimited substitutions). Tries are still scored as they would be in Association Rugby, but the Touch element to the sport is as follows; once an attacking player with the ball is touched, the ball is placed on the ground and stepped over with the defending team retreating seven metres for the next passage of play. The next passage of play continues with the person collecting the ball, known as the ‘dummy half’, and offloading quickly to resume play. A team can only be touched six times before the ball changes over to the other team, and the ball cannot touch the ground – otherwise the ball is turned over to the other team.
With the formalisation of the Touch Rugby club ahead of the 2023/24 season, the opportunities for University of Nottingham students to get involved with the sport will increase. Whilst Touch Rugby teams have represented the university previously, winning the bowl and plate in the last University Touch Championships, the official establishment of the Touch Rugby club will provide development of a structured programme to enable more Nottingham students to partake in the sport at every level.
Inaugural club president Hannah McLaughlin spoke to University of Nottingham Sport about the formation of the club saying “Touch Rugby is one of the fastest growing sports within universities in the UK. It is a fast-paced athletic game that equally welcomes those from a rugby background and those who want to pick up a casual social sport. I can’t wait for touch rugby to be a UoN sport and be part of the green and gold!”
Committee member Catrin Dimond added that “Anyone is welcome to come along to our first few training sessions, which will be taster session going over the rules or drills and some game play, so all abilities and levels are welcome to join. We will also have a stall at Welcome Fair to allow students to get to know the sport and our committee, and the opportunity to have any questions answered, whilst the clubs Instagram channel will advertise how students can get involved, sign up or answer any queries.”
In addition, Nottingham is fast becoming the home of the sport, with much of the BUCS series played at the University’s Riverside sports complex and the England Touch Nationals and other major events at Highfields Sports Complex. In late July 2023, the Atlantic Youth Touch Cup saw 32 teams from 10 countries competing across seven youth divisions, with the event hosted by University of Nottingham Sport with England Touch. Chris Simon, England Touch CEO, commented on the Touch Rugby club development by saying “It’s great news that the University of Nottingham is setting up a Touch Club. The sport is growing rapidly across the country and no more so than in the university sector.”
It promises to be an exciting period for the sport of Touch at the University, and next year sees the Touch World Cup come to England for the very first time. An expected 130 teams from 40 countries will arrive at the University of Nottingham in July 2024 as our Highfields Sports Complex once again plays host to a major international tournament, and one that will bring the very best Touch Rugby players in the world to our campus.
By then, the University of Nottingham Touch Rugby club will have completed its first year and one that we hope is very successful both on and off the pitch. If you would like to get involved, you can get in touch with and follow the club on social media (Instagram and Facebook), as well as speak to them at our Welcome Fair in September.
Find out more about getting involved with sport and fitness at the University of Nottingham this September by visiting our dedicated Welcome web page here.
Posted on Friday 8th September 2023