Summer touch rugby XI kicks off in style

(CRFU): Summer is here and a festival of summer Touch Rugby starts at the Cayman Rugby Football Union. Bigger and better than ever, Summer Touch-Rugby XI boasts a record number of teams taking part this year. The sport is proving so popular with men and women alike that it’s a job and a half just to squeeze in all the games needed to allow everyone to play. Touch has a number of differences from the more traditional forms of rugby and is loved for its simplicity. Very little equipment is needed, the rules are easy to learn rules and with no tackling the risk of injury is much less. Teams are mixed with three guys and three girls on the pitch at any one time. The basic principles are simple – run forwards, pass backwards and each team attempts to advance the ball up the field to score a try.

When an opponent touches you (on any part of the body, clothing or ball) you have to stop and start the next phase, you get six touches and if a try isn’t scored then the ball gets turned over and the opposition have a go.

This year there is a different format as the usual three Divisions have been condensed into two larger Leagues. There is a Competitive League for all those high octane types that love a real challenge and a Social League for those who take the game less seriously or are new to the sport.  Each league will consist of 16 teams and with 14 players in a squad that nearly 450 people actively participating in the sport over the summer. Take that Sun Lounger and Couch, here come Sweat and Effort!

Last year’s Division 1 Champions Island Air will be looking to fly high once again as they renew their battles with rivals old and new. SteppingStones are back looking for sweet revenge and Delta has recruited well over the last few weeks and look to be a strong candidate for top spot. Captain Jyoti Choi is like a cross between Don King and Del-Boy Trotter in his ability to wheel and deal and bring together a myriad kaleidoscope of touch-stars.

The full rota for the Competitive League is Island Air, SteppingStones, Delta, PwC, Alphasoft, Broadhurst, KPMG1, Village Greenies, Walkers Blue Iguanas, KPMG2, Genesis Trust, OFSCL, Deloitte, Maples, DART and Team Guru.

The newly titled Social League is for those that are either new to the game, of which there are many, or those that take things a little easier and so can play at a pace that suits all. That’s not to say that the games won’t be challenging as with touch rugby there is a level for everyone. As the teams jostle for league position there usually emerges two or three sides that vie for the top spot.

Social league will host Maples Mavens, Rawlinson & Hunter, Walkers Hatchlings, UBS, DMS, Grant Thornton, Baraud, GCM, Conyers Dill Pearman, Appleby, BDO, LIME, Trident, Zolfo Cooper, Harmonic and Queensgate.

It’s going to be a busy summer down at the South Sound Rugby Ground so get down early for a view of one of the fastest growing sports in Cayman.