Rugby Union

Rugby Union is a team sport involving several skills such as pass and catch, kicking, and evasion in which a team attempts to score more tries than the other.

Rugby Union has both contact and non-contact formats which SGOs and teachers adapt easily to make is suitable for their students and deliver either as a “for all” offer to maximise participation, or to target specific groups of young people.

Primary Formats

‘Rugby Mega Fest’ - provides several fun, easy to deliver, game-based activities. This develops a variety of transferrable sport skills, builds confidence and develops social skills. These activities support and include the playing of T1 Rugby (either as TAG or touch). This easily adaptable approach works excellently for SEND students and young leaders.

Secondary Formats

Non-contact (T1 Rugby): Can be played on any surface, with mixed gender teams and adaptable rules and team sizes to meet the needs of those taking part. There is the option to include elements such as uncontested scrum or kicking to provide additional challenge and specific skills and tactics. As non-contact, this format is great for SEND students and young leaders.

Modified Contact (XRugby): This has the elements of contact such as the tackle, but with simpler rules and modified elements to make it easier to play and teach. This is format is easy to adapt to suit all, but should be delivered by trained staff.

Find out more about how to play rugby union formats, and watch the how-to videos for each format.

Equipment needed

• Rugby balls
• Cones
• Bibs
• Gumshields (if playing contact)
• Tag belts (optional)

School Games formats

Learn more about the School Games formats for your chosen age group (Primary or Secondary) by selecting the appropriate document below.

The layout is similar with each document providing information in the following order for:

• SGOs (highlighted pink) to support delivery of inter-competition and advocacy of the sport to schools
• Schools (highlighted green) to support delivery of intra-competition and curricular sport
• Young people (highlighted blue) to set up and deliver the proposed format activities

Free School Games activity resources are available here.