The Colombo Tag Rumble 2015, organized by the University of Colombo rugby team is scheduled to take place on the 24th of October from 7.30 onwards.
The 3rd edition of the event is to be held at the University grounds in Colombo and is expected to feature upwards of 30 teams, including teams from the University of Moratuwa, the Kotalawala Defence Academy, APIIT, IIT and the University of Peradeniya.
Tag rugby is a non-contact team game in which each player wears a belt that has two Velcro tags attached to it, or shorts with Velcro patches. The mode of play is based on rugby with many similarities to touch rugby, although tag rugby is often deemed as a closer simulation of the full contact codes of rugby than touch. 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.
With rugby being one of the most popular sports in the country, it is no surprise that many different tag rugby tournaments have been organized during the recent past. In that aspect, the University of Colombo have been pioneers in the University arena, having organized Tag Rumbles consistently despite not having a major sponsor for the event. The quality of the event is defined by the fact that it has seen the participation of many of Sri Lanka’s top universities over the years. In the past, Tag Rumble has seen the likes of Chamara Dabare, Shehan Pathirana and Rohitha Rajapaksha on the field and this trend is likely to continue this year too.
This year’s event is open to all teams, be it club, University or just a bunch of friends. There are prizes to be won too, as the champions will walk away with 35,000 rupees in cash, while the runners up are set to win 15,000 with registration for the event costing just 3,500. The organizers welcome all rugby fans to make their way to the University Grounds on the 24th to cheer on their teams and experience a day of exhilarating tag rugby.
