Touch Rugby
Non-contact rugby variant — touching the ball carrier instead of tackling, mixed-gender competition.
👥6 per team🌤outdoor
What is Touch Rugby?
Touch rugby (or simply "touch") is a non-contact team sport derived from rugby league in 1960s Sydney. Six-a-side teams score by placing the ball over the try-line; defenders "touch" the ball carrier to force a play-the-ball. Games are typically 40 minutes with rolling substitutes. It is played worldwide across men's, women's and mixed formats.
Quick facts
Category
Ball Sports
Type
Team sport
Players
6 per team
Where played
outdoor
Country of origin
🇦🇺 Australia
Estimated origin
Late 1960s Sydney (from rugby league warm-ups)
Olympic
No
Popularity
major
Sources & provenance
Last verified 2026-08-24.verified