Scottish Rugby is piloting a new initiative to try and get more people engaged with rugby called the Tartan Tens.
The main purpose of the initiative is to try and get people back into rugby by offering a relaxed an informal form of the sport locally. The pilot is targeting lapsed and disengaged players who are thinking about getting back into rugby but not quite ready to make the full commitment. To start off some people just want to play locally, at a time and a place that’s convenient for them therefore Tartan Tens could be right up their street.
Thinking about getting back into rugby but not quite ready to make the full commitment? Tartan Tens could be just the rugby fix that you need. We understand that multiple sessions in a week, combined with long travel to away games doesn’t work for everyone - Some people just want to play locally, at a time and a place that’s convenient for them. Look no further!
Over the course of the Rugby World Cup we’ll be running Tartan Tens events at venues across Scotland – Glasgow, Edinburgh and the Borders. Our aim is to provide a flexible and informal format of contact rugby that will help adult males (aged 18+) re-engage with the game they love. Everything is simplified, from the rules to the number of players (10-a-side) – it’s about getting people on the field and having fun!
To keep things moving, we’ve done away with certain technical aspects that dominate the modern day game; scrums are uncontested, there’s no jumping in the line-out and rucks are limited to two players per side. A breakdown of the laws can be found below and as you’ll see the emphasis is on free-flowing rugby with lots of tries.
Getting involved couldn’t be any easier, simply pick a venue close to you, sign up below and turn up on the day ready to play. You’ll be provided with a match jersey for the game, and there’ll be food on offer should you wish to hang around afterwards. The cost of participation is just £3, which we ask you to bring on the day.
We look forward to seeing you getting stuck in at an event soon, make sure and tell your friends!
Tartan Tens Events:
Selkirk RFC - Saturday 12th September, 12pm Edinburgh Northern RFC - Sunday 27th September, 12pm Whitecraigs RFC - Sunday 27th September, 12pm
The Rules
We know that simple rugby equals fun rugby, so for Tartan Tens we've taken rugby as you know it and removed some of the complexities:
Time - 20 minute games (10 minutes each way) Scrums - Uncontested (Hooking Only) and formed by the 5 players closest to the infringement Lineouts - No Lifting and formed by the 5 players closest to the infringement Pitch Dimensions - 22m to 22m / Touchline to Touchline Kicking – Permitted in open play but there are no conversions or penalty kicks Breakdown – Rucks can include the ball carrier and defensive tackler, plus one more player from each team (maximum 4 people)