Attacking team – The team with possession of the ball in a game, who are trying to get past a defending team to score a try.
Backwards pass – Unlike other invasion games, the ball can only be passed backwards to a teammate. Any pass that travels forward results in a turnover of possession and a free pass to the other team.
Ball carrier – The player on the attacking team holding the ball. They can choose to run with or pass the ball to a teammate.
Centre spot – The spot in the middle of the pitch where a game is (re)started. The game is restarted after a try by the team who conceded the try having a free pass from the centre spot.
Dead ball line – A horizontal line at either end of the pitch. If a player holding the ball or a ball crosses this line, it is a turnover of possession to the other team.
Defending team – The team that does not possess the ball, who are trying to stop an attacking team from scoring.
Defensive line – A formation a defending team uses to try and stop an attacking team from scoring a try. It involves the defenders being in a straight, horizontal line across the pitch, with even gaps between each defender. A good defensive line stays in a line moving up the pitch to limit space for a ball carrier to run into.
A tag rugby glossary can help teachers gain a solid foundation for the terminology and keywords they may encounter when teaching the unit.
Foul – When a player commits an offence of the rules of Tag Rugby/rugby. A foul results in the other team getting a free pass at the spot of the foul.
Free pass - Similar to a free kick in football, it is awarded for any offence on the pitch. It must be taken at the spot the foul took place, and any opposing players must be 3-5 metres away until it is taken.
Knock-on – When a player loses control of a ball as a ball carrier or catching a pass. If the ball drops on the floor in front of the player, this is a ‘knock-on’ and results in a turnover of possession to the other team to restart using a free pass.
In goal area – The space between the try and dead ball lines. It is the area where the attacking team can score a try.
Interception – When a defender is able to catch an attempted pass being thrown from a ball carrier to a teammate to affect a turnover.
Obstruction – A foul that occurs when an attacking player without the ball runs in front of the ball carrier to stop an opponent from trying to tag them. It results in a free pass being given.
Offside – An offence in rugby that leads to a free pass being awarded. When a ball carrier is tagged, an imaginary line is drawn horizontally across the pitch where the tag takes place. The attacking team must organise themselves behind the attacker just tagged on their half of the pitch and defending team must move back onto their side.
Referee – The official in charge of a game of Tag Rugby.
Tag/Tagging – The removal of one of the tags from a ball carrier's tag belt by a defender. This means the ball carrier has to pass the ball to a teammate after either taking three more steps or after 3 seconds.
Tag belt – A belt worn by each player when playing tag rugby. Each player should have two tags on their belt, one on each hip.
We have glossaries for all sports and activities on The PE Hub platform including tag rugby.
Touchlines – 2 parallel lines that run vertically on either side of the pitch. If the ball goes off the pitch passed these lines, either by being thrown or a ball carrier stepping over the line, it is a turnover of possession.
Try – The scoring system used in tag rugby. A try is scored by a ball carrier placing the ball down with pressure over the try line somewhere in the in-goal area.
Try line – A horizontal line across the pitch near both ends. A team scores a try by crossing this line and placing a ball down.
Turnover – A turnover is when possession changes from the attacking team to the defending team. This may happen due to an attacking team committing a foul or taking the ball out of play. It can also happen if a defending team intercepts a pass.