Other Sport / tag rugby
‘We want the league to be as inclusive and social as possible’
Three friends who had good experiences of playing tag rugby in London are now working together to set up a similar league in Bristol. John Cameron, James Hawken and Gus Hamilton, who are all doctors working at Bristol’s hospitals, are determined that the league will get more Bristolians than ever out in the fresh air and picking up a new sport.
“We were all previously working in London and loved playing in the tag rugby league there,” says James. “When we moved to Bristol we couldn’t find anything similar. So, we talked to the organiser in London and they suggested that we start our own. We are still working closely with the London league, as they have a great model.”
Tag rugby is a minimal-contact version of rugby, where players all wear two velcro tags. The aim of the game is to prevent tries from being scored by removing a player’s velcro tags when they are carrying the ball.
is needed now More than ever
Without the contact aspect of rugby, it’s a sport that’s open to people of all abilities – something both John and James are keen to stress. “We want the league to be as inclusive and social as possible,” says James. Each team in the new Bristol league will consist of between ten and 20 people, with seven people on the field for each team at any one time, including a minimum of three women.
This is to help keep the games competitive, and make sure everyone is involved, James explains. “We think it keeps it more inclusive, so everyone is involved and no one is lost on the field. A try scored by a woman will be worth two points, compared to one for a man, which is the system that we had in London.
“We think the points system keeps it more interesting as teams might have to think more tactically. If, for example, there is a breakaway try, players will still need to be engaged as the ball could then be passed to a woman to score for an extra point.”
The Bristol tag rugby league is modelled on a similar one in London
The league is also a chance to meet new people, and this is something the trio are particularly looking forward to setting up. “One of the reasons I enjoyed it in London so much was because of the social aspect and the number of friends I made through the league,” James says.
John adds: “For young professionals who have just moved to Bristol, we hope that this league is a chance for them to meet new people and make some friends.
“That’s why we’ve chosen to run it on the Downs, so we could encourage the social side. The plan is to go to the King’s Arms on Whiteladies Road after the games each week, for food and drinks. It’ll be a chance for everyone to get to know each other.”
Two taster sessions are being run on May 3 and 10 at 7pm on the Downs (near the corner of Stoke Road and Upper Belgrave Road). The league will officially start on May 17 and run through to June. For more information and to sign up as an individual or to register a team, visit www.trytagrugby.com/news/2018-04-11/try-tag-rugby-to-launch-in-bristol
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