Youth rugby is played under two distinct and separate sets of rules: touch rugby and tackle rugby.

9-and-under and 11-and-under play only touch rugby; this is a league requirement. A players who is 11 (as of 1 January 2010) may play up to U-13 tackle, with the express permission of a parent/guardian, and the determination of the head coach that the player is ready physically and mentally to play at this level.  Players age 10 and below may not play tackle rugby.  No 11-year-old players will ever be pressured to play up to tackle; this is for them to decide.

Touch Rugby

While not a full-contact sport, touch rugby is a contact sport. Players must contact one another to make a tag ("tackle"), players will bind in rucks and mauls, and will bind formally to form scrums. All of this contact will be trained fully in practices, and will be managed closely by coaches and referees during matches. The contact aspects of touch rugby are designed as stepping stones toward full-contact tackle rugby.

For 13-and-under, 15-and-under, and 17-and-under, the current available option is tackle only.  Fort Hunt Rugby current offers tackle to boys 12-17 (11s may play up), and to girls 13-15.  Touch is a possibility for older players, but this is dependent on the number of players available who want to play touch; our experience since 2006 shows that almost all players--boys and girls alike--desire to move up to tackle rugby.  We have never formed a touch team above the 11 age level.

For tackle, playing tackle rugby is not a right; it is a privilege earned in practice and conferred by the coaches.  This is solely for safety purposes.  Coaches will determine if individual players, and our teams as a whole have the requisite skill, experience and maturity to play full-contact, tackle rugby. If the coach determines that as a whole any of our teams are not yet prepared to play tackle rugby, in terms of skills and maturity, then we will play touch until the team is ready.

Tackle Rugby

Tackle Rugby is for 13-and-under, 15-and-under, and 17-and-under players. Players who are eleven years of age as of 1 January 2010 may play up to 13-and-under tackle, with the express permission of a parent/guardian.  Tackle players may play up one age group above their own, with the express permission of a parent/guardian, and with the coaches’ determination that they have the required skills, and phyical/emotional/mental maturity to play at that level.  Players who play up must be within one age year of the group they are playing up to: 11s may play up to 13-and-under; 13s may play up to 15-and-under; 15s may play up to 17-and-under.

Youth tackle rugby is played under modified Laws of the Game (rules) to promote the control of play and safety, in consideration of players’ age, size, both physical and mental maturity, and the fact that most players are rugby novices. Both tacklers and ball carriers will be trained extensively on safe contact, what is permitted, and what is not. For those players with football experience, there will be a period of adjustment with regard to the manner in which tackles are made, and what sort of contact is allowed, and prohibited.

Fort Hunt Rugby actively discourages the mindset of "the big hit." The tackle in rugby is designed for only one thing: to bring a ball carrier to the ground so the ball will be released, with the opportunity to gain possession. Slamming, spearing, lifting, one-arm shots, a shoulder shive or charge, scrag/sling tackles and all contact above the line of the shoulders are strictly prohibited and will be dealt with immediately and strongly in training and in matches.  All of these are dangerous to both tackler and ball carrier.

Our experience is that contact resulting from foul play is very rare, with dangerous contact usually due to accident, or players forgetting their training or becoming carried away emotionally. We recognize this and are proactive, in training and in matches, to keep this under control.

Make no mistake, tackle rugby is a highly intense, fast-paced, full-contact sport. Controlled and focused aggression and the controlled use of physical force are integral aspects of play, and we will train in this. The Fort Hunt Rugby spirit is one in which, during the match, we will play our opponents as hard as we possibly can, without compromise and within the Laws (and expect the same), but before and after the match, we are all rugby players, and therefore mates.

For all questions about our touch and tackle programs, and for more details, please contact the FHYAA Youth Rugby Commissioner, Andrew Vonada at alvonada@hotmail.com, 703-360-1534, or head coach John Dacey at rugby007@aol.com, 703-780-5859.

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