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Tag – rugby: A backbone for rugby

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By Anesu Chakanetsa

THEY say, football is a game played by gentlemen, but supported by hooligans, while rugby is a game played by hooligans, supported by gentlemen.
While this statement might seem hostile, it is not a secret that even for those who are watching, rugby is a bone-crunching sport, with scary and furious faces during play and bone-chilling war cries.
In an attempt to bring comfort and assurance of safety among fearful and nervous young people, a ‘safe’ version of the game, ‘tag – rugby’ is gaining traction at the grassroots.
Very soon, Zimbabwe will become a rugby nation if the growth this injury-free type of rugby is enjoying continues.
Tag-rugby is an alternative version suitable for young children.
Tag-Rugby Trust Zimbabwe director Tinashe ‘TJ’ Shamhu says tag-rugby is meant for grassroots development.
“It’s a game largely meant for children under the age of 14 and it’s meant for grassroots development,” he said.
“It exposes them to the rules of professional rugby, though contact will only be the missing thing.
“It’s a game where children will be wearing belts known as tags overlying on each player’s shorts, so instead of having a real tackle one pulls the tag to avoid injuries of muscles and bones.”
In the game, each player wears a belt that has two velcro tags attached to it, or shorts with velcro patches.
Attacking players attempt to dodge, evade and pass a rugby ball while defenders attempt to prevent them scoring by tagging – pulling a velcro attached tag from the ball carrier, rather than a full contact tackle.
According to sports writer Terry Godwin, writing in 1983, tag rugby was first developed in Gilbratar by the Gibraltar Rugby Union.
Due to lack of grass pitches, an alternative variant to rugby was developed.
A 25 cm belt was tucked into the waistband, and its removal by an opponent with a shout of ‘tag’, was classed as a ‘tackle’.
If the attacking team failed to score by the fourth ‘tackle’, the defending team were given possession of the ball.
The codified version of tag rugby was created and pioneered by physical education teacher Nick Leonard in England in 1990 following an idea given by a former service man called Barry Johns.
Leonard then devised a set of rules suitable for children using belts and coloured ribbons attached by velcro.
In Zimbabwe, tag-rugby is receiving a lot of response from local rugby lovers as it is the spring that is expected to feed clubs and the national team with experienced players.
But Zimbabwe’s professional rugby is failing to take off, despite structures existing that can lead to growth.
Historically, Zimbabwe has always enjoyed a strong schools’ base that naturally fed into the senior national teams.
The Zimbabwe team has participated in rugby activities since the late 20th Century with international matches being played as early as 1910.
At one point, the Zimbabwe national rugby team dominated in Africa during the 1960s.
Zimbabwe rugby has lost players to highly resourced nations such as South Africa, Europe and Australasia.
A classic example is Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira, now a vital in the South African Springboks.
However, tag rugby seems to be increasing enthusiasm for the sport.
Last year, a communities’ junior league for primary school children in urban areas was launched.
“So far we have trained 500 coaches around the country about the knowledge of the game,” said Shamhu.
“We have also employed 10 people who are stationed in provinces around the country, and now we have 8 000 students involved in the sport around the country.”
And this year the trust will be venturing into rural areas.
The Tag Rugby Trust is also extending the sport to the disabled.
They hope to have a team represent the nation at Paralympic games.
The trust said it was engaging Government to have the sport on the national schools sports calendar and to unveil new grounds both in rural and urban areas.

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