Forest Rugby

Playing rugby-style games with young scouts isn’t always without its challenges, since the risk of injury is relatively high and it often results in more of a mass brawl than an organized competition.

This version of rugby is designed to curb that a bit and make the game more fun.

Material

Ball or rugby ball
Barrier tape, marker flags, or similar
Referee whistle
Optional: armbands for team identification

Game Mode

To prepare for the game, mark off two goal lines (e.g., with barrier tape). It is important that both lines are the same length and are positioned between two trees. The playing area should be reasonably flat and located in the woods.
Teams are divided using the Alternating Teams method.
The groups have 10 minutes to barricade their goal line with branches and anything else they can find in the forest.
Then the actual game begins: The teams compete against each other with the goal of placing the ball behind the opponent’s goal line (which requires overcoming the barricade). Not all team members are on the field at the same time (Alternating Teams method).

Rules

The ball may only be passed backward.
If the ball is blocked (e.g., in a one-on-one situation), the referee blows the whistle and the player who originally had possession may continue play (backward pass).
Only the player in possession of the ball may be tackled.
Biting, scratching, kicking, and similar actions are prohibited.