Abu Dhabi: For rugby fans who would like to get on the pitch without the fear of being hurt in a tackle, the touch form of the game is back in Abu Dhabi for a second season from Tuesday.
Touch rugby is a game derived from rugby league in which players do not tackle in the traditional way, instead just having to touch their opponents.
All technical aspects of traditional rugby such as scrums, rucks, mauls, line-outs and goal-kicking have been done away with.
Encouraged by the success of the autumn leg, the Abu Dhabi Harlequins Rugby Club, in partnership with the Park Rotana and Coopers, will begin the winter leg of the Abu Dhabi Harlequins Coopers Touch Series — a nine-week tournament.
"The autumn leg, which finished in December, pitted 15 teams and 180 players against each other over ten weeks," said organiser Ben Crompton.
Undefeated
"On the finals day the Saracens went undefeated to take the cup in a thrilling final against the Maulers, eventually running out 6-5 winners."
The Abu Dhabi Harlequins touch rugby event is now in its second year and the organisers have already had more than 20 different teams and 250 men, women and children playing in the league.
Crompton, who is also membership secretary for Abu Dhabi Harlequins, said: "Touch rugby is a fantastic family sport for men, women, boys and girls based on rugby but completely non-contact.
"In the last leg our oldest player was 61 and our youngest was 12. It's mixed and all teams must have a girl on the pitch at all times, and when ladies score their tries count double."
Training on offer
Abu Dhabi Harlequins use their dedicated pitches at Zayed Sports City (on airport road by Al Noor Hospital) to host the touch rugby matches every Tuesday evening.
"We offer training for teams new to touch rugby and are continually striving to improve the quality of touch being played in the city," Crompton said. "Entry is open to men and women over the age of 12."
Those interested in entering a team — teams are a maximum of 12, with six on the pitch at any one time including one female — or finding a team to play with, can visit the Abu Dhabi Harlequins Rugby Club website, email touch@abudhabiquins.com or call Chris on 050-2571139.
The game
Touch rugby is derived from rugby football, but players do not tackle in the traditional, highly physical way, but instead touch their opponents using their hands on any part of the body, clothing, or the ball.
A formal, competitive variety, known as Touch, developed from rugby league and now exists as a sport in its own right.
In addition, touch rugby games are played as training activities for rugby league and rugby union.
