What is beach rugby and how can you get involved?

Beach rugby is one of the fastest growing and most enjoyable to play variations of rugby. Beach rugby is obviously played on sand with less players, shorter matches, and a more relaxed (usually boozy) atmosphere. Beach rugby combines the physicality of rugby with a fun social beach environment. Whether you're a competitive player looking to keep your skills up in the offseason or a washed up old boy, beach rugby is perfect for you. 

Unlike traditional rugby beach rugby focuses more on creativity, having fun, and the social aspect between and after the matches. It's much less competitive and often teams drink heavily throughout the day, but it's still fast, very physical, and surprisingly demanding. 

What is Beach Rugby?

Beach rugby is played on sand, usually at a local beach (sorry to landlocked folks) with smaller teams, shorter games, and simplified rules. While formats can vary depending on the governing body and hosting club most games have:

• 5 players per side

• Much smaller fields

• Inflatable boundaries

• 5 minute halves

• Continuous play

• Every penalty is a free kick

• No conversions 

• Restarts are a free kick

Because the field is smaller and there are fewer players, the games move quickly. Speed, fitness and agility are just as important as traditional rugby. 

The largest difference in my opinion is that there are no lineouts, scrums, or traditional restarts. All of these infringements result in a free kick for the team who would usually be given possession in traditional rugby. And for restarts, the non scoring team gets a free kick at mid field. This keeps the game flowing and makes it more adaptable for new players. 

Why Is Beach Rugby Exploding In America?

Beach rugby has been quite popular in Europe as they even have an official governing body with written out rules. Beach rugby has existed for decades in the US, but is just now starting to become more mainstream. It’s very popular for men's clubs and college rugby players to have fun and reconnect during the summer. The style captures what most players love about the sport; competition, brotherhood, and drinking. 

The largest aspect for growth is the social, novelty, and travel aspect of it. While there are many smaller local tournaments, a lot of tournaments are largescale tournaments in big cities like Miami and Los Angeles, making them destination vacations for old teammates to meet up making it a whole weekend affair filled with good times and cold beer. The combination of community and competition shows one of rugby's strongest cultural elements.

For those local tournaments you only need around 10 players per team and it's easy for men's clubs, alumni organizations, and college players to create teams and play for a day in the summer. The sport also spreads mostly through word of mouth and I've never heard of someone that has had a bad experience at a tournament. 

Main reasons we think beach rugby is so popular

• More relaxed

• Fast Paced

• Great for team bonding 

• Open to all ages and skill levels

• Very social

• A great opportunity to day drink

• Chances to share traditions with other teams

• Chance to connect with old teammates

What to expect

If you've never played beach rugby before, the whole experience will be very different than usual. The atmosphere is much more relaxed and more focused on having fun than winning. 

You can expect:

• A 7’s tournament style with pool play then playoffs

• Festival like environment

• Teams having mini socials between matches 

• No shoes, no shirts, no problems

• Fast paced games with lots of scoring

• Sand everywhere imaginable

• A lot of alcohol

Popular Tournament’s around the US

Beach rugby tournaments are held all over the US mostly run by local men's rugby clubs in the area. They often have highschool, competitive mens, and social mens divisions all at the same tournament. Some are more competitive than others, but I think all of them are going to be a fun social experience for everyone involved.

Here are some popular tournaments:

• Ozarks, MO

• Pensacola, FL

• Cleveland, OH

• San Diego, CA

• Hollywood, FL

• Santa Monica, CA

• Buffalo, NY

• New York, NY

Some of these tournaments attract teams from across the country and even world, creating a unique rugby atmosphere and an opportunity to make new rugger friends. 

Many tournaments also include food trucks, music, plenty of alcohol, and post game socials, making them much more than just a traditional rugby event. 

How To Bring Beach Rugby To Your Area

Not every rugby community has the privilege to have an annual beach rugby tournament nearby. If you're not in an area without a large body of water like a lake or ocean it’s even harder to make it a reality unless there's a large beach volleyball complex that would allow you to move some things around. 

Starting a beach rugby tournament doesn't require a massive amount of setup or upfront cost and can even be a money making opportunity for clubs. Many tournaments started as small local tournaments with just a few teams. The key is setting up the first event and growing through existing local teams from there. 

Steps to bring beach rugby to your area:

• Reach out to your local men's club and ask if they've ever considered having a tournament 

• Direct message men's clubs on instagram that host beach rugby tournaments for info on what they do

• Contact the organization that's in charge of events on your local beach/ sandy venue

• Start small - you only need around 6 teams to have a great event

Beach rugby tournaments often grow quickly once they get started and become something everyone wants to get involved in. Players are always looking for fun ways to blend rugby with social gatherings and reuniting with teammates. Tournaments can often grow to have multiple divisions, age groups, and genders. 

Conclusion

Beach rugby captures everything that makes rugby special; competition, camaraderie, and a special social experience. With shorter games, smaller teams, and simplified rules it's easy for all players to pick up. As beach rugby continues to grow across the United States I hope you go out there and sign up a team for your local tournament or try and bring a beach tournament to your city and put your own twist on things.