Touch Programmes

Touch Rugby Programme

A ground breaking initiative aimed at encouraging more children and adults to reap the benefits of getting involved with rugby as a healthy lifestyle hobby which promotes the importance of teamwork has been unveiled by the WRU.

The WRU has 14 Participation officers across Wales that are spearheading grassroots participation in various formats of rugby union, one format is local Touch Leagues.

Participation Officers are based in rugby strongholds across the East and West of South Wales in accordance with regional rugby demarcations, with two full time positions also delegated to North Wales.

There four officers in the Cardiff Blues Region, covering Merthyr, RCT, Cardiff, and the Vale of Glamorgan, three in the Dragons region, Caerphilly, Newport, and Gwent Valleys, and three in the Ospreys region, Bridgend, Swansea, and Neath Port Talbot. With two based in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire within the Scarlets Region and two spread across the East and West of North Wales.

WRU Touch Leagues

This summer, the WRU will roll out a summer touch rugby programme across Wales for adults of all ages, abilities and physical activity levels to participate in the sport.

There will be organized opportunities for adults to join competitive leagues with their friends and family, and the opportunity to progress from regional to national competitions. Touch rugby is a great way to socialize whilst keeping fit and leading a healthy lifestyle.

Touch Leagues are planned across Wales to start in May 2013. For more information regarding the local Touch Leagues, Please contact you're relevant officer below:

North Wales - Jim Salisbury jsalisbury@wru.co.uk 07584488277
Scarlets - Daryl Richards drichards@wru.co.uk 07833494311
Ospreys West - Tom Sloane tsloane@wru.co.uk 07584488286
Ospreys East - Mikey Williams mwilliams@wru.co.uk 07584488287
Blues North - Liam Scott lscott@wru.co.uk 07584488285
Blues South - Sophie Wilkinson swilkinson@wru.co.uk 07584488290
Chris Cornford ccornford@wru.co.uk 07584488242

Back to Sport

The WRU are also bringing rugby to a wider adult audience and providing a new vehicle for adults to get back into shape. The Back to Sport initiative, offers a brand new opportunity for adults to take part in a new and exciting non-traditional sport called Atomic Touch; a non-directional hybrid format of Touch. This initiative is ideal for those who want to get back into shape and try a new sport whilst meeting new people or just want to have fun with some friends.

Touch rugby in schools

Across Wales, the WRU are delivering a coordinated approach to schools touch rugby. Using a hybrid format of Touch, Atomic Touch is being delivered by the participation officers to year 7 and 8 pupils in secondary schools across the nation, which also includes regional tournaments and a national end of year tournament linking in with the URDD at Gemau Cymru.

http://www.urdd.org/en/gemaucymru/what-gemau-cymru

Year 9/10/11 pupils are also having an opportunity to play Touch through opportunities to attend Touch Festivals organised by WRU Player Development Officers.

These Programmes are delivered in the spring and summer terms to ensure more young people are enthused to play the game and continue playing in community programmes throughout the summer.

For any further information about Touch, please contact Ben Rose on brose@wru.co.uk or go to http://www.walestouch.co.uk