Weekly Rugby Commons II: What’s the use of touch rugby?

Welcome to the second edition of the Weekly Rugby Commons! Our question for the week is a vexing one, and one that many teams contend with. Touch rugby is an activity in which teams and players around the world engage. Some teams prefer one touch, others five (with the option of a kick on the fifth), others add down-ups or sprints to the corner flag to occupy defenders who have just made a “tackle,” and on and on. Touch is undeniably fun,  but it can also become a source of concern when things get sloppy or chippy. Tempers rise, passes start hitting the dirt, and many players begin to wonder if the benefits of touch are really worth the cost.

With this in mind, the question is this: What is the use of touch rugby?

Here are some subsidiary questions to consider and discuss: Should we think of touch as a derivation of 15s, and one that teams can and should use to develop strategies and skills, or is it simply a nice way to get warm and socialize? Under what conditions does touch form good and bad habits? Would you like to share  a favorite form of touch that you believe is more “useful” for your team than others? How do you use touch as a teaching tool?

Please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions!

-The GrowRugby team