Touch Football Rules

THE OBJECT OF THE GAME: is to score as many try’s as possible and prevent the opposition from scoring any. Each try is worth one point and there are no other means of scoring. The winning team is the one with the most try’s at the end of the game.        

  1. GAME DURATION Games consist of 2 by 20 minute halves with the half time break not exceeding 5 minutes. No clock stoppages will be made except under exceptional circumstances. Such circumstance will be at the sole discretion of the UR Rep.

  2. THE FIELD The field shall be 60x40m with a 5m Try-line. Exact field dimensions, and try line distance may vary depending on the venue, and at the discretion of our staff.

  3. THE TEAM There shall be six (6) playing positions in each team

    • There must be a minimum of two (2) Females, and Males in the game always
    • This league requires your team to have a minimum of four (4) players, including one Male or Female to start the game.
    • Please consider our Default, Forfeit, and Substitute Policy

  4. SUBSTITUTIONS can be made any number of times throughout the match. However, the game remains continuous and does not stop to allow substitutions. Players coming onto the field must wait until the player they are substituting with has come off the field.

  5. STARTING PLAY At the beginning of the game, there is a toin-coss between the Captains. The wining team chooses their direction, at take the first tap. The team who did not win the coin toss take the first tap at the beginning of the second half.

  6. THE TAP Play is started by a tap at the beginning of each half, following a try and when a penalty is awarded.

    • The tap is performed by an attacking player placing the ball on the ground, touching the ball with their foot, then picking it up and playing. NB: The ball must be released from the hands and come into contact with the ground after the or a change of possession occurs.
    • The defensive team must stay at a minimum distance of 10 metres from the mark during the tap, unless they are positioned on their own scoreline.
    • The defensive players can move after the ball carrier has touched the ball with his foot.
    • The player who has performed the tap may be touched without losing possession.
    • The attacking side must be positioned behind the ball when it is tapped.
    • The attacking side may move the ball up to 10 metres directly behind the given mark when taking a penalty tap. In this case, the defending side must still remain 10-metres from the original mark, not the new mark.

  7. SCORING: A point is awarded when an attacking player places the ball on or over the opposition’s try-line. Each try’s is worth one point. Female scoring a try is worth two points. The dummy half cannot score a try. Diving on the try line is strictly prohibited, and will result in the points not being awarded to the scoring team.

  8. POSESSION A team retains possession for a set of six consecutive touches. Possession (or a Turnover) transfers to the opposing team.

    • after the sixth touch
    • after a try;
    • if the Dummy Half gets touched;
    • from an intercept;
    • a player passes the ball after being touched – “touch pass penalty”;
    • a player doesn’t not play the ball in the correct spot after being touched, ‘one step’ is given as leeway
    • from a forward dropped ball, forward pass or other failure to maintain possession

  9. DEFENDING From the tap for the start of game, or from a penalty, the defending team must be at least 10 metres from point of the tap. After making a touch, the defending team must retreat the distance the Event Host marks, at least five metres from the mark where the touch occurred and stay there until the Half touches the ball. If a player does not retreat the entire distance the Event Host has marked, or they leave before the Half has touched the ball, they are 'offside' and may be penalised. They must retreat backwards from the touch point or play the ball area, not sideways. If a penalty is conceded, the defending team must retreat at least 10 metres from the mark of the penalty. If a player makes an attempt to defend whilst still inside the 10 metres, they will be penalised.

  10. THE DUMMY-HALF is subject to several restrictions that do not apply to other players:

    • If the Dummy-Half is touched with the ball, the attacking team loses possession.

    • The Dummy-Half cannot score a try, attempting to do so results in a change of possession

    • If the Dummy-Half takes too long to retrieve the ball, or the ball rolls more than a meter in the play the ball, the Event Host can call play on and defenders can move forward before the Dummy-Half has touched the ball.

  11. KICKING Kicking is allowed on the 4th, and 5th Touch.   

    • Kicks must be under shoulder height of the Event Host

    • Kicks stay in the field of play, kicks that go out are handed to the opposition team

    • Kicks can be any length

    • Kicks that go in goal and are collected by the opposition team on the full or after a bounce are declared the oppositions ball 10 meters out from the try line.

  12. A PENALTY is granted to the non-offending team if

    • the ball is passed forward.

    • a "touch and pass" is committed (a pass after being touched). This is often called a "late pass"

    • a player does not perform the roll ball at the mark (overstepping).

    • an obstruction is committed.

    • a player is offside.

    • a defending player does not retreat in a straight line to an onside position.

    • a player kicks the ball over shoulder height

    • a player acts contrary to the rules or spirit of the sport (e.g. time-wasting, using excessive force to make a touch, phantom touch (calling a touch when they clearly didn't make one, disputing decisions, etc)

  13. WINNING TEAM The winner is the team with the greater number of goals at the end of the game. A draw will be awarded if both teams have an equal amount of goals. The winning team receives 3 points, 1 point each for drawn game and no points for a loss. Your Fun Points will affect your position on the standings. If two teams are matched on competition points, the team with the higher fun points rating will be favoured up the ladder.

  14. FAIRPLAY SYSTEM Each league night you will have an Event Host onsite, but these guys are not official referees. Urban Rec is a recreational league which practices a fair-play and fun-first policy, meaning you should be making your own calls on the game. The Event Host will be there to make the calls not made by individuals, keep time, and help guide the games within the game play rules. The Urban Rec Event Host has the final say on any issue that cannot be self-resolved.

  15. SPORTSMANSHIP All Urban Rec participants have read and agreed to the Urban Rec Code of Conduct. We also exercise a strict Disciplinary Policy. If you are seen to be rude in any way or not playing within the respect of the rules and Code of Conduct, you will be asked by the Urban Rec Staff to sub out of the game. If after returning to the game your attitude does not improve you will be asked to leave the venue, and an assessment will be made if you can play again. We do not tolerate idiots. Play fair.