Tag rugby for kids

What you actually need

For a basic session with 8–12 kids:

• Tag belts and tags: one set per child. Sold in 12-belt sets with 24 tags — enough for a primary school class. £20–35.
• A junior rugby ball (size 3): smaller and lighter than an adult ball, much easier for small hands to pass. £10–20.
• Training cones: 20–30 for marking pitches and drills. Buy a multi-colour set.
• Bibs in two colours: for splitting groups quickly. A 10-bib set covers most sessions.

Total starter cost: about £60–100 for a full coaching kit. Most grassroots clubs already have this equipment.

Basic rules

• No contact: defenders pull tags, not players. Tagged player passes within three steps.
• No scrums or rucks: turnover happens via tag count or ball to ground.
• Six tags = turnover: like rugby league's six-tackle rule.
• Tries only: no kicking. Ground the ball over the line for one point.

Teaching tips

The biggest mistake is starting with running drills. Start with passing. A 5-year-old can learn a proper two-handed rugby pass in 10 minutes if you slow down. Stand 3m apart, feet to feet, pass following the eyes. Once they can pass, everything else follows.

At 5–7, the goal is to make rugby fun and make the child want to come back next week. Tactics, defensive shape, kicking — all of that is for ages 9+. Keep it fun, keep them moving, keep them laughing.

Where to play

Local rugby league clubs in Northern England are the main route — most have junior sections starting at age 4. Australian clubs run "mini-mods" or "Junior League" similarly. Primary schools often run after-school tag clubs; the RFL provides curriculum support to schools wanting to introduce tag rugby through PE.

From tag to contact

Most kids progress to modified contact rugby around age 8 and full contact rugby league at 10–11. There's no rush — many top NRL and Super League players didn't play full contact until 12 or 13.