Tag Rugby T1 RFU Borough Championships Yr 5/6

Event Information

Booking

• This is a Borough Championships
• Schools are permitted to enter the same pupils in both the MSSP RFU and RFL competitions.
• If an event is full, schools will be placed on a waiting list and be notified of this.
• MSSP will contact schools should places become available in the build-up to events.

Age Category

• Year 5/6

Squad Size

• Minimum 7 players. Maximum 10 per squad
• B team available upon request

Team Eligibility

• Mixed gender event
• Games will be 7 a-side
• There must be at least 3 girls on the pitch at any time

Event Eligibility

• This is a Borough Championships event.
• School squads should be well prepared and have time to practise with the RFU competition rules before attending this event.

Kit & Equipment 

• All schools MUST provide their own First Aid kit along with a first aid qualified member of staff.
• Please provide own warm up balls. Match balls are provided.
• Grass Surface.
• Trainers/Astro, moulded and studded boots are allowed. No metal blades will be permitted.
• Schools should supply all players with a ‘tag belt’ that has two ribbons (tags) attached to Velcro. The belt must be worn around the waist with all loose clothing tucked in. The tags are positioned either side of the hips.
• Players of the same team should wear the same colour tops/bibs. No jewellery, baseball caps etc. It is advised that if eyewear is essential, it should be made from plastic rather than glass.
• Staff will be asked to keep score during the games.

RFU T1 Rules

• Ball carriers can run or dodge potential taggers but cannot fend off, guard or shield their tags.
• Players are permitted to spin away from a defender but are NOT permitted to continuously spin.
• Diving in any instance, including scoring a try, is not permitted.
• The game will commence with a Kick, centre field. This kick must travel a distance of at least 10 metres. It must be uncontested by the kicking team to reduce risk of collision.
• Kicking is permitted in the version of the game.
• After a kick, attacking players can move forward, but cannot tag until the receiving player has possession of the ball – or a knock-on has been committed.
• The kick can be from a cone or out of the kicker’s hand to start the play.
• A kick will also restart the game after every try is scored from centre field. The scoring team will kick the ball to the conceding team.
• All other restarts (except a penalty) e.g. change of possession, knock-on, forward pass or ball going out of play will restart with a defensive ‘Tackle Triangle’ and a ‘Rip-and-Pass’ for the attacking team. The referee will indicate where this restart will commence.
• If a try has not been scored after 7 tags, possession turns over to the defending team at the point of the last tag.
• Any acts of unsporting behaviour will result in a handover to the non-offending team at the place where the incident occurred. Play will restart with a ‘Rip-and-Pass’ with the defensive team forming a Tackle Triangle.
• 2 tags must always be attached for the attacker carrying the ball. If this is not the case, the referee will bring the play back to the previous point of restart with the previous tag count.

Rip-and-Pass: (Attacking Team)

• The ball carrier must return to the spot where the tag occurred.
• Turning to face their own team, the ball carrier presents the ball.
• The nearest support player to ball carrier will come in and rip (take) the ball from this position. This player is called the Dummy Half and must pass the ball sideways or backwards from the Rip and should not run forwards.
• The Dummy Half can take a step laterally to assist with passing. You cannot score as a Dummy Half.
• Any player can be the Dummy Half and the player at Dummy Half could change at every ‘Rip-and-Pass’.
• On a penalty infringement – a ‘Rip-and-Pass’ must be used to restart the game – defenders must retreat 5 metres back.

Tackle Triangle: (Defending Team)

• Before the attacking team can ‘Rip-and-Pass’, a ‘Tackle Triangle’ must be formed by the defending team.
• The tagger will return the tag to the attacker’s belt. At the same time, the 2 closest defenders must from a tackle triangle buy placing their outside hand on the tagger’s shoulder – see image attached.
• Once the triangle has been established, the attacking team can rip-and-pass.
• All other defenders must be in line with the base of the triangle. As soon as the attacking Dummy Half passes or kicks the ball, defenders can then move forward.

Offside:

Defence…

• If a defender does not retreat to be in line with the base of the tackle-triangle after a tag, they will be deemed to be offside.
• If a tag is made from an offside position, the attacker can pass directly to a team mate to continue the phase but must reattach their tag before joining back in – This tag will not add to the tag count.
• Repeated or deliberate offside offences will be penalised as unsporting behaviour & the tag count reset to zero.

Attack…

• Attacking players cannot receive a pass in front of the ball carrier. This will be deemed to be offside as a forward pass has occurred. This will result in a changeover in possession.
• A player will be offside after a kick IF they collect it without the kicker being in front of them.

Kicking:

• Kicking will be permitted in this version of the game. A kick during open play must be below head height – this will reduce the risk of collisions.
• A kick will be used to start the game (and to restart the game after a try has been scored). This can be from hand with a direct kick, a drop kick or from a cone or tee, centre field. The ball must travel at least 10 metres into the opponent’s half. The kick must be UNCONESTED by the kicking team until gathered by the defenders or the ball has been knocked on.
• If the ball leaves the field via the kick-off, the defending team will receive the ball at point of exit and play will restart with a ‘Rip-and-Pass’ and ‘Tackle Triangle’.
• During play, if a kick is attempted, the ball can be collected by an attacking player coming from an onside position from any distance (10m does not apply).
• A second kick is NOT permitted if it has just been kicked and chased. This will reduce the risk of attackers potentially injuring defenders who are attempting to retrieve the ball. Instead, the ball must be collected by hand, but once the player has control of the ball, they may kick it again.
• The tag count does not reset if a kick and chase has successfully been collected by the kicking team.

Tagging:

• Only the player in possession of the ball can be tagged.
• A ’tag’ is made by a defender removing a tag from the ball carriers’ belt.
• When a defender has removed the tag, he/she stands still at the point at which the tag was removed.
• The ball carrier returns to where the defender is holding the tag and restarts the game by a ‘Rip-and-Pass’ in the correct manner – after a tackle triangle has also been formed by the defenders.
• Immediately before a ‘Rip-and-Pass’, the tagger must re-attach the tag that has been taken, back onto their belt. This prevents any disadvantage in the play.
• Players cannot take part in the game without both tags properly in place on their belt – one tag positioned on each hip – not in front or behind.

Scoring a Try:

• A try is scored by placing or touching the ball down on or over your opponents’ try line.
• If tagged in the act of scoring the try will stand. The attacker is permitted 1 step / 1 metre after being tagged to place the ball down.
• After a try has been scored the scoring team will restart with a kick, centre field on the halfway line, into the non-scoring teams’ half.
• All other starts and restarts will be with a ‘Rip-and-Pass’ whatever the situation.

For Tag Rugby based skilled games through School Games, please visit:

https://media.yourschoolgames.com/documents/sport-format-resources/Rugby_Union_Primary_Format.pdf

Draw Format  

• First stage is round robin groups. Final group standings will be determined from results. Winners of the groups will take top seed of their group, 2nd take 2nd seed of their group, etc.
• All teams will progress to a second stage of competition according to their placement in the first round, with the format to be determined by the number of schools entered.
• After the first round, if necessary, It may progress into a knock out format.

Awards

• Winners: GOLD medal, certificates and trophy.
• Runners Up: SILVER medal and certificates
• 3rd Place: BRONZE medal and certificates
• REFSPECT winners – Certificate
• Participation certificates will be presented to all participants.

Results 

• Results and event report will be available on the news webpage within 24 hours of the event ending.

Progression Pathway

• TBC

Staffing and Spectators – IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• Due to a range of safeguarding concerns, spectators will not be permitted entry at any MSSP events as of 8th October 2025.
• Primary schools must inform parents in advance when inviting students to take part.
• All staff attending the event must have enhanced DBS clearance and have been fully vetted by their primary school.
• DBS numbers, full name and school photo ID will be required in advance by the host school for events on school sites.
• Upon arrival, all staff members must sign a Code of Conduct form to confirm their intent to support the safeguarding of children at MSSP events.
• Staff must complete a team-sheet ready for registration.
• Staff may be asked to keep score during the games.

MSSP Duty of Care

At Merton School Sport Partnership, the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of every participant is our highest priority. Our Duty of Care framework outlines the measures we take to ensure all events are safe, enjoyable and accessible, covering key areas including safeguarding, health and safety, equality, diversity and inclusion, risk assessments, medical provision, codes of conduct, photography and data protection.

We ask all schools, staff, volunteers and participants to familiarise themselves with these expectations before attending MSSP events.

For full details, please download the MSSP Duty of Care document or visit the relevant section of our website HERE for further guidance, policies and event information.