There is only 1 way to tap of in touch.

1. Place the ball on the ground.
2. Release it with BOTH hands.
3. Tap the ball with your foot.
4. Pick up the ball
5. And sprint through the whole team and score a try!

Well, apart from the last step, that is how you start the game with a tap. A lot of people actually do not know this believe it or not and just do a “Rugby” style tap off, or one where they just touch the ball on the feet while continuously holding the ball and start to play.

1 thing to keep in mind is that the ball should not roll a distance of more than 1 meter. So you don’t really want to TAP! it, just taaaaap it.

There is a very familiar saying in almost any ball sport. “Let the ball do the work.” The ball can beat the player everytime. It is logical really.

Consider this. A person on average can run at say 5 meters/second. The average speed of a pass, say 4 meters in half a second. ie 8 meters/second. (Conservatively speaking.) Holding the ball with both hands puts the defender in two minds also so the attacker should have the advantage hands down. (No pun intended there)

Anyway, enough ranting. There are a couple of interesting rulings regarding passing.
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An interesting rule that not many beginner or intermediate players are aware of is that if a penalty is awarded, and the player chooses or mistakenly rolls the ball as if touched, the dummy half can pick up the ball, and play as if he/she is not a dummy half. ie that person can be touched and not lose possession.

This is according to rule 15 Penalty situation player note C “If a player chooses to Rollball in lieu of a tap, the player who receives the ball is not deemed to be a half. “

We learn something everyday!

A very basic rule that many already understand very well is do not pass the ball forward, and do not lose the ball in a forward direction.

Specifically in Touch Rugby, the rules state “A player in possession may pass, flick, knock, throw or otherwise deliver the ball to any other onside player in the attacking team.” (more…)

There are a couple of interesting points that would be worth while mentioning about possession related to the rules.

If the ball is dropped to the ground a change of possession results. This is a given. However, if the ball contacts the ground while still under the control of a player (e.g. falling over) a change of possession DOES NOT result and play is to continue.

This leads to an interesting scenario.
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