CORK TAG RUGBY LAWS:
The Tag Rugby Laws provide an overview of the Laws of the game for each of our venues. It is essential that players play the game in accordance with the tag rugby Laws and are mindful for the safety of themselves and for others. It is the responsibility of the Captain to ensure compliance with the Laws of the game and in accordance with safe practices.
1.0 GENERAL OVERVIEW
1.1 All players must wear tag shorts. Any brand of tag shorts can be worn at our venues. Tag belts are not permitted.
1.2 All players playing in our leagues are doing so at their own risk. We advise all players to have their own personal insurance.
1.3 Cork Tag Rugby advises that suitable footwear for the playing surface and prevailing weather conditions be worn. Astro boots and moulded or rubber studded boots are recommended for use on all weather Astro Turf and Grass surfaces as they will give you more grip. Metal studded boots are prohibited in our leagues. Final responsibility rests with players to ensure they use appropriate footwear taking into account the surface that will be played upon and the existing weather conditions.
1.4 A player must not wear any item that is sharp or abrasive. No jewellery is permitted to be worn on the pitch. This includes chains, bracelets, watches, earrings, nose rings, rings and so forth. Where not possible to remove a nose ring for example, a plaster must be used to cover this. All players that do this, do so at their own risk.
1.5 For Health and Safety reasons glasses are not permitted to be worn during games due to the risk of injury. If you need to wear contact lenses please make sure they are designed for sports use.
1.6 All team members must sign the online team registration waiver issued to their team captain and prior to arrival at the venue. The team captain is responsible for returning this by email to info@corktagrugby.ie before 1pm on the day of their game.
1.7 A squad can be made up of 14 players.
1.8 A team consists of 7 players on the pitch with a minimum of 3 female players.
1.9 Only 1 international player is allowed per squad in all competitions (leagues & blitzes).
1.10 An international player is defined as a player who has played for their country at least once in the past 3 years.
1.11 Where a team does not have the required number of players to start the match (minimum of 5 players, 4 guys and 1 girl), that team may forfeit the game or play with the players they have. If they forfeit the game, the result will be recorded as 10 points to 0 victory for the opposition. In the event of a team who brings in players that have already played for another team that night to make up the required compliment of players for the game, they are at risk of having their game forfeited if the opposition objects to the players. Any player playing a second game must get approval from the venue manager prior to game.
1.12 A match shall last 40 minutes, divided into 2 x 20-minute halves. Games may also take an alternative format where teams play 2 games a night, games lasting 20 minutes each.
1.13 The referee organizes the toss. The winner of the toss decides whether to kick-off or choice of end.
1.14 The game is started by a female kick off on the ground from the centre of the pitch.
1.15 A team has 5 tags to score a try. On the 6th tag, the ball will be turned over to the opposite team.
1.16 A male player’s try is worth 1 point and a female player’s try is worth 3 points.
1.17 Accelerator can be called by a team if they are playing more than 3 girls. In this case if 4 girls are on the pitch then a girl try is worth 4 points and so on. The referee needs to be informed once the 4th girl comes on the pitch otherwise the extra point will not be rewarded if a girl try is scored. Accelerator will only come in to play once a team has gained possession and is starting from tag 0.
1.18 From a kick-off or grubber kick, if a collision is deemed likely to occur between the offensive and defensive player, the referee will blow up and give a tag to the receiving team.
1.19 The ball carrier may spin 360° to avoid being tagged. However, if contact is initiated while spinning, then a penalty and a potential yellow card will be awarded to the opposing team.
1.20 The marker must stand directly in front of and 1 metre away from the player conducting the roll ball. The marker must not step into this space until ball is away. The person conducting the roll ball cannot move to block the marker. If the marker or the person conducting the roll ball encroaches on one another, a penalty may be awarded. The defensive line can only move forward when the ball is lifted off ground by the Scrum Half or once the referee indicates ball is in open play.
1.21 When an attacking player is placing or placed the ball down on try line when scoring a try and a player comes in fast and aggressive attempting to make a tag and clatters in to the try scorer this will be deemed as dangerous play. The try will be awarded, and a penalty will be awarded from the half line to restart the game instead of a kick-off to scoring team. If the referee deems fit a yellow or red card may be awarded to the player
1.22 A player may only use their hand to gather the ball. Use of the foot is permitted to flick the ball up from the ground only when safe to do so.
1.23 Players are not allowed to dive for tries or to dive on the ball in open play. If so, a penalty will be awarded against the diving player. A defensive player when running back to regather possession, may go down to scoop the ball up. However, if in doing that motion, their hand or leg touches the ground, it is considered a tag and a roll ball must be taken from where the ball was re-gathered.
1.24 When a try is scored, the game is re-started by a female kick off by the scoring team from the half way line.
1.25 The ball carrier may stop and “surrender” their tags.
1.26 In open play, the ball may only be kicked from the hand. If the ball is kicked on the ground in open play, a penalty is awarded.
1.27 A penalty try will be awarded if the referee deems that the attacking team has been inhibited unlawfully by the actions of the defending team in scoring a probable try.
1.28 A female penalty try is worth 3 points, a male penalty try is worth 1 point.
1.29 Any players not having played at least 3 games in the league cannot play on finals night.
1.30 In group matches, the game shall be won by the team scoring the most points. If the score is equal or if both teams fail to score, then the game shall be a tie/draw. In the event of a tie in play-off games, extra time will be applied.
1.31 In the event of a playoff match being tied at the end of normal time, an extra 5 minutes will be played. If there is no try scored within the 5 minutes of additional time, the team that scored first in normal time will be declared the winner.
1.32 Tag is a social game. All players must always respect other players and the referees. The referee’s decision is final, and all sanctions will be at the referees discretion.
1.33 During a game if a referee deems a player’s behaviour unsporting towards either the referee or another player, the referee at their discretion may award a penalty or sanction the use of a yellow or red card. Forms of bad sportsmanship includes verbally abusing a fellow player or referee, throwing or kicking the ball away in frustration, tags being thrown to the ground or at a player/referee.
1.34 If a player is awarded a yellow card in a 40 minute game, they will be sent off the pitch for 4 minutes. After the 4 minutes has lapsed, they will be allowed back on. Tags will be taken by the referee at the point of issuing the yellow card and returned once the 4 minutes have lapsed allowing the team to return to a full complement of players.
1.35 If a player receives a red card they will be sent off with the team down a player for the remainder of the game. Further sanctions may be given to the player if the referee and venue manager deem it is required.
2.0 ATTACKING PLAY
2.1 The Attacking Team has 5 “tags” in which to score a Try. A Turnover occurs after the sixth tag from where the tag happened. These are called by the referee as Tag 1, Tag 2, Tag 3, Tag 4, Tag 5 (final tag).
2.2 When an attacker is first to ground the ball over the opponents try line, a try is scored. A try scored by a male player is worth 1 point and a try scored by a female player is worth 3 points.
2.3 A tag 5 metres out will be awarded to the defensive team where a grubber kick from the attacking player crosses the try line and touches the ground in-goal or goes dead before being touched down.
2.4 A player cannot pass the ball to another player after crossing the try line nor can he/she run back into the field of play to pass the ball to another player. A tag will be called 5 metres out from the try line if this occurs.
2.5 A player in the motion of scoring a try, if their knee touches the ground before or over the try line, a tag will be awarded with a roll ball out 5 metres and the try disallowed.
2.6 Any player in the motion of scoring a try cannot block their tags inhibiting the defender to tag the player. In the event of blocking tags, a penalty will be awarded with possession awarded to the opposing team.
2.7 A player not in possession of the ball cannot be tagged or obstructed during the game. If a player is impeded, a penalty may be awarded at the discretion of the referee.
2.8 A player while running with the ball knocks off his/her tag, the player is allowed to continue with play and only a tag will be awarded once the opposition comes within tagging distance of the player.
2.9 An attacking player must always run in to space and not change direction and run at defenders. The onus is on the attacking player not to make contact or barge when running with the ball. A penalty will be awarded to the defending team if this occurs.
2.10 If the team in possession of the ball run behind or pass the ball behind their own try line and get tagged, then a dropout will be awarded.
2.11 The Law of Advantage takes precedence over most other Laws and its purpose is to make play more continuous with fewer stoppages for infringements. Players are encouraged to play to the whistle despite infringements by their opponents. When the result of an infringement by one team is that their opponents may gain an advantage, the referee does not whistle immediately for the infringement, the referee allows play to continue with option to return to the original offence. The referee is the sole judge of whether a team has gained an Advantage and has wide discretion when making decisions. When the referee is playing Advantage he/she shall shout “advantage”. When the referee determines that an advantage has been gained he/she shall shout “advantage over”. The tag count continues after advantage is over. Advantage is determined by a Tactical or Territorial Advantage.
3.0 Defending PLAY
3.1 The progress of the ball carrier is halted if a member of the defending team removes one or both of the ball carrier’s tags.
3.2 When a tag is removed, the defender must hold it in the air where the tag was made, drop or place it at that point and assume the marker position. The attacker must return to the point where the tag was removed. The defender must not throw the tag away from where the tag was made. This is considered as unsporting behaviour and may be sanctioned at the discretion of the referee.
3.3 The marker must stand directly in front of and 1 metre away from the player conducting the roll ball. The marker and the defensive line can only move forward when the scrum half has lifted the ball from the ground or if 3 seconds have lapsed from the time the ball is rolled. Otherwise possession will be turned over.
3.4 A defender can tag across the body so long as they do not make contact or interfere with the progress of the ball carrier.
3.5 When a penalty or roll ball is being taken, the defensive line must stand in line or behind the referee. If any player in the defensive line is ahead of the referee, then a penalty advantage will be awarded.
3.6 All penalties are to be taken from the point where the infringement occurred. If a penalty is awarded to a team within 5 metres of the try line, the penalty needs to be taken from the 5 metre mark.
3.7 Two defenders cannot ‘close the gap’ on an attacking player by stepping into the space that the attacking player is running in an attempt to tag the player. If this occurs, a penalty will be awarded to the attacking team.
3.8 If a defender is running back and goes to intercept a pass from the attacking team and knocks the ball backwards, if the ball goes over the try line and touches the ground in-goal or goes dead then a dropout to the defending team will occur.
3.9 Ball can be slapped backwards but must remain in play. If the ball goes out of play from a slap back, it is a penalty. At the discretion of the referee, any slap back that goes out of play directly preventing a try scoring opportunity will result in a penalty try. Repeated slap back preventing a try will result in a yellow card at discretion of referee.
3.10 If a defender knocks the ball forward in an attempt to re-gather possession from a pass or kick, advantage may be played. If no advantage, the ball is turned over and a set of 5 tags is awarded to the non-offending team.
3.11 If a defender intentionally knocks/slaps the ball on, then a penalty will be awarded to the attacking team.
3.12 A player may defend with one or no tags. However if he/she receives the ball, he/she must immediately play the ball – i.e. pass or grubber kick the ball and may not take more than one step in doing so.
3.13 If a Defender calls a phantom tag, a “tag” without physically removing the tag, play may continue, but a Penalty is awarded if no Advantage is gained.
3.14 If a defender ‘late tags’ a player, a penalty advantage will be called. Advantage will be played, however if no advantage is made (more than 10 metres) a penalty will be awarded from where the original infringement took place. If, however advantage is gained by the team, the referee will call advantage over and play continues. When a player on the team is next tagged, the tag count continues.
3.15 In an attempt to get a tag, if a member of the defending team places their hand on the back or shoulder of the player in possession of the ball which aids the defender getting the tag, a penalty will be awarded to the attacking team. A player placing a hand on the attacking player inhibits the momentum of the player in possession of the ball.
3.16 A tagged player may if there is no Marker replace both of his/ her tags, tap-kick the ball and play on. If the tagged player is missing one or both tags he/she may only tap-kick the ball and then pass taking no more than one step.
4.0 Kicking / Kick-offs
4.1 There are only 3 situations where kicking the ball is allowed:
- A kick-off.
- A drop-out kick
- A grubber kick is permitted in open play
4.2 In open play, the ball may only be kicked from the hand (grubber kick) and not while it is on the ground or while it is in the air, having hit the ground. The ball when grubber kicked must be below shoulder height of the referee until it bounces on the ground. Otherwise, possession will be overturned, and a roll ball given to the opposition.
4.3 From a kick-off, the ball must travel forward at least 10 metres. The kicking team may not take possession of the ball or obstruct a player from the receiving team until it has been played by the receiving team, or until the ball has gone at least 10 metres. If the ball does not go 10 metres and the kicking team plays the ball, a penalty against the kicking team will be awarded.
4.4 From a kick-off, if the ball is kicked out over the opposition try line without bouncing in the field of play, a penalty on the half way line will be awarded to the non-kicking team.
4.5 From a kick-off, if the ball is kicked and bounces in the field of play, then crosses the try line and goes dead before being gathered by the opposition, a drop out kick will be awarded.
4.6 From a kick off, if the ball bounces in the field of play and goes out over the touch line, a 5 metre roll ball in field will be awarded to the non-kicking team.
4.7 From a kick-off or drop-out kick, if the ball does not go 10 metres, the opposition team can gather the ball and play on. A penalty will be awarded to the opposition if the attacking team gathers the ball not having travelled 10 metres.
4.8 From a kick off or grubber kick, if a collision is deemed likely to occur between the offensive and defensive player, the referee will blow up and give a tag to the receiving team.
4.9 From a drop-out kick, if the ball is kicked out over the opposition try line or touchline without bouncing in the field of play, a penalty on the 5 metre mark will be awarded to the non-kicking team.
4.10 From a drop-out kick, if the ball is kicked out over opposition try line after bouncing in the field of play, a drop-out kick will be awarded. From this drop-out kick, if the ball is kicked over the opposition try line, a roll ball 5 metres out will result to the defending team.
4.11 From a grubber kick, if it is played deliberately by the defending team and re-gathered by the attacking team and they get tagged then it will be back to tag 0. However, if a grubber kick is deliberately kicked at a defender and not played intentionally by the defender, if the attacking team re-gathers the ball the tag count will continue.
4.12 In open play, if a ball is grubber kicked close to the opposition try line and it crosses the try line and touches the ground in-goal or goes dead after it strikes a player from the defending team who has deliberately played the ball, a drop-out kick will result.
4.13 In open play, if the ball is grubber kicked and crosses the try line and touches the ground in-goal or goes dead after being touched by the defending team who has not deliberately tried to play the ball, a changeover will be awarded to the defending team with a roll out 5 metres from the try line.
4.14 Any team in possession of the ball on their own defensive try line who intentionally runs or passes the ball back over their try line in order to receive a drop-out kick will be penalised for intentional foul play and a penalty will be awarded to the opposition on the 5 metre line.