MINI-JUNIORS

Under 7 & Under 8 Mini Tag Rugby

In accordance with Stage 1 of the RFU Rugby Continuum, our U7 and U8 teams play "Tag Rugby" - a non-contact form of the game that is lots of fun to play and is very easy to learn and teach. Tag rugby was developed to allow children to learn the game safely, gradually assimilating the skills of running, passing and teamwork before being introduced to the concept of contact both with other players and the ground.

Our U7 and U8 teams are open to both boys and girls. Age groups are decided by a player’s age on the 1st September. A player who is 6 on 1st September is U7 and will play for that age group for the remainder of that season. Similarly a player who is 7 on the 1st September is U8 and will play for that age group for the remainder of the season.

The emphasis at these age groups is on learning the basic rugby skills in a safe and enjoyable way. However both U7's and U8's play fixtures against teams from other clubs, both home and away. Each season they act as mascots at several Rotherham Titans home matches, running out with the players at the start of the match and playing exhibition tag rugby games during the half-time interval.

Next season we will be introducing the RFU "Rugby Proficiency Award" scheme, giving the players an opportunity to gain certificates of achievement as their rugby skills develop.

Rugby Union has always been a great "social" sport - and we see no reason why our younger players should miss out on this aspect of the sport. The kids (and parents!) love to socialise in the clubhouse after every match. We also hold several social events every year - these serve to develop a sense of belonging and to raise money towards the development of our section.