The game
What is touch?
Touch is a running and passing game played with an oval ball. It's a sport in its own right, with its own rules, federation and World Cup.
How a game works
Two teams of six. You attack by running and passing (passes go backwards or sideways) and score a try by putting the ball down on or over the try line.
When a defender touches the ball carrier, play stops for a moment. The ball goes down at the mark in a rollball, a teammate picks it up, and the attack carries on. After six touches, the ball goes to the other team.
There's no kicking, the pitch is about half the size of a rugby field, and teams swap players in and out freely while play continues. That's what makes touch so quick: it rewards fitness, smart running lines and good communication.
Where it comes from
Touch took shape in Sydney in the 1960s and has grown into a worldwide sport. The Federation of International Touch runs the rules and the Touch World Cup, held roughly every four years since 1988.
In Germany, Touch Deutschland e.V. has represented the clubs since 2005 and is a member of the European and international touch federations.
Who plays
Women and men, together in mixed teams and in single-gender games, from teenagers to over-50s. You don’t need any background in rugby or any other ball sport.
In Hamburg we train mixed, explain everything in English and German, and play a proper game every session.