KEY STAGE 2 | YEAR 4 | TIME | 1 HOUR
INTRODUCTION
TO TAG RUGBY
RESOURCES / WORKSHEETS REQUIRED
WHISTLE CONES TAGS RUGBY BALLS PLAYER DEFENDER &
DIRECTION ATTACKER
WHAT IS A TAG BELT?
All players wear a tag belt which has two ribbons (tags) attached to it by velcro. The belt is worn around the waist and
outside of the clothing. Shirts should be tucked in. the tags are positioned on either side of the hips and teams are
distinguished by the colour of the tags they wear.
Note: belts should be firmly fastened to avoid unnecessary movement during the ‘tag’, with any surplus length of belt being
tucked securely out of the way for safety.
OBJECT OF THE GAME
To score a try by placing the ball with downward pressure on
or behind the opposing ‘goal line’.
Note: a try is worth one point so youngsters can keep score
easily
NUMBER OF PLAYERS
Year 1 and 2 tag rugby should be played in teams of no more
than 4 aside, whilst year 3, 4, 5 and 6s should play in teams
of no more than 6 aside. The fewer players in a team, the
higher the player involvement and activity. This is flexible
and can be as many as 10-a-side.
DURATION OF PLAY SIZE OF PITCH
For 4 aside games it is suggested that two halves of four Pitch sizes vary depending on the number of players on the
minutes each are played, with 1 minute for half time, and pitch. 4 aside games can be played on a 12 x 20m pitch, and
two halves of six minutes for 6 aside games. When playing 6 aside games should be on pitches that are 22 x 45m.
festivals, individual players should not exceed 60 minutes Posts are not required to play tag rugby.
of playing time.
Note: for young players it sometimes helps to play in the
same direction for the whole match to avoid confusion.
KEY POINTS
Tag rugby is an invasion game (part of the national curriculum for key stage 2).
The activities throughout this resource incorporate the core values of rugby, teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline
and sportsmanship.
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RULES OF TAG RUGBY
Rule 1: method of scoring
To score a try a player must carry the ball over the opposing goal line and press the ball down on the ground. (To ensure safe
practice when playing on hard surfaces it is suggested a try is scored by players merely running over the goal line with the ball.)
Rule 2: passing
No forward passes are allowed and will be penalised by a free pass being given to the non-offending team. A forward pass is
any pass where the ball travels in the direction of attack.
Note: a pass directly sideways is allowed and can often be the most effective pass.
Rule 3: the “tackle” (tag)
Only a player with the ball can be tagged. A ‘tag’ is the removal of one of the two ribbons attached to the belt. The defender
should then hold the tag above their head and shout ‘tag’. To make this clearer the referee will shout ‘pass’. The defender must
return the tag before returning to the game. They must not throw it on the floor. The ball carrier has to pass the ball within 3
strides or 3 seconds. If the tag occurs just before the try line, they are only allowed one stride. To ensure the attacker does not
prevent a clean tag they should be encouraged to hold the ball in two hands.
Rule 4: free pass
A free pass is used to start the game (from the centre of the field) or to restart it at the place where the ball went out of play or
where an infringement took place.
Note: if an infringement takes place over the goal line or within 5 metres of the goal line, then a free pass should be awarded to
the non-offending team 5 metres out from the goal line to create some space.
At a free pass the ball is held in two hands and on the instruction “play” by the referee the player passes the ball to a team mate.
(Where there is no referee the instruction “play” is given by the opposing team captain.)
The player making the free pass must pass the ball and not just pick it up and run themselves.
The ball must be passed through the air and not taken from the hands of the first player.
To ensure safe practice, the receiver of the free pass should start from no more than 2 metres behind the passer. The opposition
cannot start moving forward until the player has passed the ball. At a free pass the opposition must be 7-metres back.
Rule 5: ball out of play
If the ball or ball carrier goes out of play a free pass is given to the other team 2 metres in from the side-line where the ball or
ball carrier went out.
Rule 6: knock-ons
A knock-on occurs when a player attempting to catch the ball fumbles it and knocks it to the ground or onto another player, in
the direction of attack. Knock-ons are only penalised in year 3 and older games. Knock-ons in year 1 and 2 are not penalised,
and the referee should call “play-on”. This is to promote activity and provide a positive experience for the less co-ordinated
year 1 and 2 players, by not “punishing” a knock-on.
Rule 7: offside
This rule can be introduced at an early stage to allow some flow to a game and develop good habits for the future. Offside only
occurs immediately after a tag has been made. in simple terms, once a tag has been made all defenders must make an effort to
get back on their side of the ball and not deliberately stand offside blocking the pass or waiting for an interception. Offside is
penalised by awarding a free pass to the non-offending team.
Where defenders find themselves accidentally offside at a ‘tag’ they should be encouraged to get back onside as quickly as
possible or duck right down to allow the pass to be made. They must not block, intercept or interfere with the pass in any way.
It tends to be defenders standing offside and within 3 metres of the ball carrier who need penalising the most. Where defenders
are offside but not interfering with play, then play can continue which allows a more free-flowing game.
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SESSION 01/05 | KEY STAGE 2 | YEAR 4 | TIME | 1 HOUR
MOVING
AND TAGGING
RESOURCES / WORKSHEETS REQUIRED
WHISTLE CONES TAGS RUGBY BALLS PLAYER DEFENDER &
DIRECTION ATTACKER
TIPS
Get children to put on tags at the start of the session, this
will save time in between games.
COACHING POINTS
Position yourself so that you can see the entire group as
they play. You can tailor the size of grid to space you have
available.
Head up and looking around as you are moving around the
grid (not looking at the floor).
CORE SKILLS/NATIONAL CURRICULUM AIM
Moving and tagging/consolidate their existing skills and gain
new ones.
ACTIVITY SET UP
Warm up: 10 minutes Make out a grid 30 x 30 metres (or any space you have) with
4 small squares on the outside of the grid (Waste bins)
Waste Not Want Not
HOW TO PLAY
• Spit the group so that there are 4 players who are the Waste Warriors, 2 players that are the Recyclers and the rest of the
group are moving around the grid
• The Waste Warriors must take one tag at a time from the players moving around the grid and place the tag in the marked
out ‘waste bins’
• If a player is tagged they are frozen
• The Recyclers must collect the tags (One at a time) from the ‘Waste bins’ and recycle them back to the frozen player to
unfreeze them
• Once unfrozen the players can continue to move around the grid
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GAMES: 30 MINUTES
ACTIVITY
Tag mania
SET UP
Grid 30 x 20 metres.
HOW TO PLAY
• Players to collect as many tags from the other players
in the grid
• On whistle collect tags
• Winner = most tags
• Extension task – team tag mania, work in pairs to get most tags, get each pair to count the tags
ACTIVITY
Scarecrow grab tag
HOW TO PLAY
• Nominate a group of taggers (defenders)
• The taggers must try to remove the tags
• They must give the tag back once removed
• Once the player has been tagged they must stand still
with their feet apart and arms out by their side - like a
scarecrow!
• Players can be freed when someone ducks under their
arms, must be from behind them
• All players must stay inside the grid
• Extension tasks – make the grid smaller in size to make the players aware of how to move into space. A large space makes
them work harder
• Remind players to shout tag when the player removes the tag and hold it up in the air
• Head up and looking around as you are moving around the grid (not looking at the floor )
• Tagged player to take their tag back as quick as possible to put back on their belts so they can get back into the game
COOL DOWN: 5 MINUTES
• Roll up tags
• Balance on head and walk to the kit bag
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SESSION 02/05 | KEY STAGE 2 | YEAR 4 | TIME | 1 HOUR
TEAM WORK
/APPLYING RULES
RESOURCES / WORKSHEETS REQUIRED
WHISTLE CONES TAGS RUGBY BALLS PLAYER DEFENDER & TENNIS BALLS BEAN BAGS
DIRECTION ATTACKER
TIPS
Two hands on the ball and communication is key in being
part of a team.
Listen to your team mates!
COACHING POINTS
Focus on getting children to work together.
CORE SKILLS/NATIONAL CURRICULUM AIM
Team work/apply rules and conventions for different activities.
ACTIVITY
Warm up: 10 minutes
The Eatwell Plate
SET UP
Mark out five different colored areas, these can be small circles
HOW TO PLAY
Red cones - Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins
Yellow cones - Potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates
Green cones - Fruit and vegetables
Blue cones - Dairy and alternatives
White cones - Oil and spreads
• All group to move around the area avoiding the coloured areas
• Teacher shouts out a type of food and pupils must run into the area that represents the food’s food group
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GAMES: 30 MINUTES
ACTIVITY
Raid the Fridge
SET UP
Make a grid 30 x 30 metres, create four areas (‘plate’) at
each corner and one area in the middle (‘fridge’) marked
with cones (adapt to the space you have available)
HOW TO PLAY
• Split groups into four teams
• Each team to line up at a corner behind a ‘plate’, one
behind each other
• Place rugby balls, tags, tennis balls/bean bags into the
fridge (middle area)
• On the whistle, the first player in the line fetches an item
from the fridge and runs back and places on the plate
• Next in line then goes, team with the most items wins
Progression
• Tennis balls/bean bags = Foods high in fats and sugars
• Rugby balls and tags = Healthy food choice
• Same as above except once all the items from the fridge
has gone all players can take items from other team’s
plate (only take one item at a time)
• One player per team is only allowed to remove the high
in fats and sugars items from their plate and place on
other team’s plate
• The team with the healthiest plate wins
ACTIVITY SET UP
Spaghetti Tag 30 x 20 grid (adapt to the space you have available).
HOW TO PLAY
• Choose 3 taggers • Start again when only a few players are left
• Rest of the team to stand in a line at one edge of the grid • Extension task – make the grid lines smaller, to make
the players dodge more. Players each hold an end of a tag
• The whole team to run from one side of the grid to the
between them, to create a chain/ solid line (introducing
other and avoid getting tagged
defensive lines). Introduce a ball the attackers have to look
• Once a player has been tagged they must join the tagging after
team
COOL DOWN: 5 MINUTES • Players move around the plate looking for space
Bean Game • Teacher shouts out runner bean, broad bean, jelly bean or
• Get all the group to run around the grid jumping bean and player have to adopt that movement
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SESSION 03/05 | KEY STAGE 2 | YEAR 4 | TIME | 1 HOUR
BALL SKILLS
RESOURCES / WORKSHEETS REQUIRED
WHISTLE CONES TAGS RUGBY BALLS PLAYER DEFENDER &
DIRECTION ATTACKER
TIPS
Position yourself facing the sun so that your class can
see you.
Also when it is windy make sure you stand down wind so
you can be heard.
COACHING POINTS
Players must make a strong base to catch the ball; feet
slightly apart, knees bent and eyes on the ball.
Make a w with hands, i.e. Thumbs together, pointing to the
sky. this is where you want the ball!
CORE SKILLS/NATIONAL CURRICULUM AIM
Ball skills/perform actions and skills with more consistent control.
ACTIVITY SET UP
Warm up: 10 minutes 10 x 10 meter wide square.
Food invasion
HOW TO PLAY
• Select three players and tell them to hold their tags in their hands, they are the bad fast food
• All other players have two tags on belt, they are healthy food
• Bad fast food have to get the tags of the healthy food
• If a healthy food loses one tag the they are still safe to run around
• If a healthy food loses both tags they become an bad fast food have to join in getting the tags
• Bad fast food need to try and finish with as many bad fast food as possible
• Separate the healthy food and bad fast food at the end of the game and the bad
fast food have to tally the tags they have collected
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GAMES: 30 MINUTES
ACTIVITY
Souper-heroes
SET UP
30 x 30 meter grid.
HOW TO PLAY
• Choose three superheroes and three taggers from the
group and task to tag players, reminding them to give the
tags back, one tagged
• If a player is tagged, they are frozen and a superhero has
to free them bypassing the ball to them
• Two superheroes have to pass the ball to free a frozen
player
• Always have more taggers than superheroes to keep the
game going
ACTIVITY
Hot potato pass
SET UP
Try lines, cones 10 metres, station with 4 or 5 players each,
with plenty of space between the groups.
HOW TO PLAY
• One team on each Try Line • First team to complete the passes win
• Players must pass backwards • Extension task – Develop the practice so the players walk,
jog and then run during the game or the last team member
• Players stand in a staggered line facing forward to the
to receive the ball has to run to the middle and score a try,
centre line
they then join the other end of the line so everyone has a
• Pass along the line go at scoring a try
• Once the last player receives the ball, turn and face
opposite direction and pass ball back along the line
COOL DOWN: 5 MINUTES
You Are What You Eat • Potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy
carbohydrates - Jog on the spot
• All the group to move around the grid
• Fruit and vegetables - Get into group of five
• Teacher shouts out a type of food and pupils must do an
action that represents the food group that it is in • Dairy and alternatives - Balance and stretch
• Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins • Food and drinks high in saturated fats and sugars - Slow
- Star jump motion
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SESSION 04/05 | KEY STAGE 2 | YEAR 4 | TIME | 1 HOUR
MOVEMENT
AND GAME SKILLS
RESOURCES / WORKSHEETS REQUIRED
WHISTLE CONES TAGS RUGBY BALLS PLAYER DEFENDER &
DIRECTION ATTACKER
TIPS
Communication is key to a team, attackers stay behind
the ball carrier.
COACHING POINTS
Hands out to make a target and eyes up ready to catch,
‘thumbs up’ when passing. Hands are positioned like a
thumbs up at the end of the pass to your team mate!
CORE SKILLS/NATIONAL
CURRICULUM AIM
Movement and game skills/plan, use and adapt strategies,
tactics and compositional ideas.
ACTIVITY SET UP
Warm up: 10 minutes Mark out six 5x5 metre grids
Get the Bad Bacteria
HOW TO PLAY
• Groups of five or six, one player chosen to be ‘Bacteria’, the • Cleansers are allowed to pass the ball to their teammates in
rest are ‘Cleansers’ any direction
• ‘Cleansers’ cannot move when they have the ball but they • Once the Bacteria has been caught, players swap roles
must try to catch the ‘Bacteria’ by touching them with the
ball (two hands on the ball)
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GAMES: 30 MINUTES
ACTIVITY
In line tag
SET UP
Grid 30 x 20 metres.
HOW TO PLAY
Split into groups of either 3 or 4
• Teams to line up across try line, team 1 runs out, passing
ball along line (all passes backwards)
• Other teams to follow
• Once at try line, turn, and come back, still passing, when
team 1 is half way down grid, team 2 starts
• Introduce defenders and stagger across the grid. They can
only run along on the line of cones they are in line with
• Extension task – Make sure you change the players in
the middle with those on the outside, add in floating
defenders as well as static ones
ACTIVITY
Game of 6 v 4
SET UP
30m x 20m grid with 4 cones.
HOW TO PLAY
• Split group into 6 attackers and 4 defenders
• Defenders need to be lined up 7 metres away from attackers
• Defender must hand back the tag and must not obstruct,
• Free pass to start the game pass or be offside
• Run past defenders to score • Extension task – Only after 6 passes can a players score,
• If tagged pass the ball backwards to team mate within 3 introduce more defenders or attackers to change the game
strides away
COOL DOWN: 5 MINUTES
Clean the Kitchen • Players stand back to back with partner in the middle of
the ‘kitchen’
• Played in a 30 x 30m grid (‘Kitchen’)
• When ‘Cleaning’ is called the respective players run to their
• Split the group into two teams, one team is called
safe zone while the ‘Cross-Contamination’ players try to
‘Cleaning’ and the other is ‘Cross-Contamination’
take their partners tag and vice versa.
• Each team has a safe zone where they can’t be tagged
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SESSION 05/05 | KEY STAGE 2 | YEAR 4 | TIME | 1 HOUR
GAME TIME
/APPLYING RULES
RESOURCES / WORKSHEETS REQUIRED
WHISTLE CONES TAGS RUGBY BALLS PLAYER DEFENDER &
DIRECTION ATTACKER
TIPS
Teams must complete a certain number of passes before
scoring, but instead of giving a set number, the players
are given a food group to work with (every players has to
name a food in the food group) or tries by certain players,
perhaps those less inclined to be involved.
COACHING POINTS CORE SKILLS/NATIONAL
Encourages positive support, moving running forwards and CURRICULUM AIM
short, accurate passing. Game time/applying rules and conventions.
ACTIVITY SET UP
Warm up: 10 minutes 15 x 20 metre grids x 2.
Rugby netball
HOW TO PLAY
• Standard netball rules (players cannot run etc., with following variations)
• Points are scored by scoring a try, putting the ball on the floor on or over the try line
• If the ball hits the floor, it goes to the other team
• Players may intercept, but must be no closer than 2 metres to the ball carrier
• Players may pass in any direction
• Apart from turning on the spot, players are not allowed to move with the ball
• Scoring to be recorded with tags to create a tally or bar chart, or spare balls as a pictograph (data presentation)
27
GAMES: 30 MINUTES
ACTIVITY
Tag rugby
SET UP
Grid 30 x 30 meters
HOW TO PLAY
• The rules of play are exactly the same as rugby netball
warm up, apart from the below variations
• Players may run when the have the ball, with the objective
to reach the try line without being tagged
• Players may only pass the ball when they are tagged. If they
pass without being tagged, the ball is given to the other
team. If the ball carrier is not tagged, they can run to the try line and score a try
• Tags must be returned after the ball is passed
• Play starts and restarts with a free a pass, which starts the players thinking about attacking and defensive formations. The
“offside line” should be 5 to 7 metres away from the point of the free pass, depending on size of the playing area
• Remember to refer to rule 7 offside
• Extension task 1 – the first progression will see any forward passes penalised, thus encouraging backwards passes and
staying in support. For defence, remaining onside is essential
• Extension task 2 – the final, and optional progression is to allow players to pass whenever they want. This is optional, since
the players that don’t want to touch the ball will pass immediately, whereas the rule that they can only pass when tagged
encourages them to run with the ball
TEACHERS COMMENTS
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KEY STAGE 2 | YEAR 4 | TIME | 1 HOUR
SESSION
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
RESOURCES / WORKSHEETS REQUIRED
WHISTLE CONES TAGS RUGBY BALLS PLAYER DEFENDER &
DIRECTION ATTACKER
TIPS
Encourage defenders to stay onside (see rules), positive
team play, encourage taggers to return tags.
COACHING POINTS
Encourage players to keep the ball in 2 hands making passing
easier, providing a better grip on the ball and preventing a
player from protecting their tags with their hands.
CORE SKILLS/NATIONAL
CURRICULUM AIM
Moving and tagging, team work, ball skills, decision
making, movement and game skills.
ACTIVITY SET UP
Warm up: 10 minutes Grid 30 x 20 metres.
Keep the ball safe
HOW TO PLAY
• Four players given a ball at the start of the game
• When the game has started, non-ball carriers have to chase and tag a ball carrier
• If a tag has been made legally (shouted tag, waved it in the air etc.), the ball carrier “buys” their tag back by exchanging their
ball for the tag
• The new ball carrier must be allowed to begin running before they are tagged
• The old ball carrier must put their tag back on before re-joining the game
• Taggers are only allowed to tag a ball carrier, and must return the tags, and not throw them onto the floor
• Ask the group where you can keep money for example in a bank or post office
• Extension task 1 – allow players to pass the ball before they are tagged. If the pass is unsuccessful (dropped, intercepted or
inaccurate), the other team gets the ball. If the player is tagged before they pass the ball, the exchange of ball for tag must still
happen
• Extension task 2 – ball carriers can now score tries. If they score at one end of the pitch, they are allowed a 5-second rest/safe
time, before they have to try to score at the other end of the pitch. If a player is tagged, they must still exchange the ball to get
their tag back. Passing is still allowed, but can be taken out to suit the group
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KEY STAGE 2 | YEAR 4 | TIME | 1 HOUR
SESSION
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
RESOURCES / WORKSHEETS REQUIRED
WHISTLE
CONES TAGS RUGBY BALLS PLAYER DEFENDER &
DIRECTION ATTACKER
TIPS
If you have enough rugby balls, attackers can be given
a ball in order for them to practice running with the
ball in 2 hands.
If you don’t have enough balls, you could state that
a ball carrier is worth 2 points if tagged. To develop
passing and decision making, you could allow a ball
carrier to pass the ball to a team mate.
Emphasis must be on accurate passes, with penalty
points if the ball is dropped, or not accurate.
ACTIVITY
Team bulldog
SET UP
Two rectangular grids 15 x 20 metres.
COACHING POINTS
This is a safer version of bulldog that encourages players to work together in defence, and practice their tagging
skills. Attackers get to practice their dodging in attack, and develop an understanding of the difficulties presented by a well
organised defence.
HOW TO PLAY
• Split the group players into two, a defence and attackers
• The Defence team to line up in a “wall” across the pitch
• The other team waits at the end of the pitch, for the signal to go
• When this has been given, the attackers have to reach the far end of the pitch without being tagged by the defence
• If an attacker is tagged, the defence get one point, and the tagged player may
return to the game ready for the next round
• Taggers must return the tag once they have tagged an attacking player
• After 6 rounds, the total number of people who are tagged represents the
defence’s score, and the teams swap roles
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GAMES: 30 MINUTES
ACTIVITY
Hare and Hound
SET UP
2 channels, 5 metres wide.
HOW TO PLAY
• One attacker with a ball enters the channel and one
defender enters the channel Attacker must beat defender
and score a try
• Players switch role between attacking and defending
• Attackers must run forward
• Extension task – Introduce odd number of attackers and
defenders
• Once attacker is tagged they have to pass the ball, stagger
defenders to come into the channel at different points
ACTIVITY
Stuck in the mud
SET UP
Grid 30 x 20 metres.
HOW TO PLAY
• Choose 20% of the players to be taggers. Use bibs, or remove their tags, to help the remaining group to identify them
• When the game starts, the taggers will have to tag as many
non-taggers as possible
• When a non-tagger is tagged, they must stand still, and create a target with their hands (touch thumbs together and point
fingers upwards, with hands on front of chest)
• A “stuck” player can only be freed by an unstuck player, who matches the stuck player’s target, and high-10’s that player
• The game is over either when all of the players are stuck, or when the time runs out
• Extension task 1 – create teams, and keep score based on either the number of players caught in the time limit, or the
number of players left stuck at the end of the game. Adding bonus players, who count as extra points if they are caught or
stuck at the end of the game
• Extension task 2 – to develop passing and catching, introduce “freers” who will have a ball each
• The freers cannot be tagged, and their only role is to pass the ball to a stuck player, with a successful pass and catch freeing
the stuck player
• Now that the stuck player is free, and has a ball, they become the freer
31