England Touch Association receives recognition from Sport England

[wain]

Can someone in the know shed any light?
It seems Touch was closely linked with Union in England: Touch and Rugby Union

But now has more independence?: England Touch receives recognition from Sport England

I'd love to know if this is seen as a good thing locally? Obviously it makes more sense for aligning with League in my opinion.

Thoughts from any locals? TIA

 

[Perth Red]

Can someone in the know shed any light?
It seems Touch was closely linked with Union in England: Touch and Rugby Union

But now has more independence?: England Touch receives recognition from Sport England

I'd love to know if this is seen as a good thing locally? Obviously it makes more sense for aligning with League in my opinion.

Thoughts from any locals? TIA

Yes union very much took ownership of touch football. This move might help and has clear alignment with the RFL but look how many decades, and millions, it took to get touch football in australia back under the rugby league banner. Also union has touch union in england Seperate to this.

It’s been a massive massive missed opportunity by rugby league globally imo. Touch football could be the vehicle for RL to become seriously international. it’s perfect for schools and snowflake society.

 

[wain]

Yes union very much took ownership of touch football. This move might help and has clear alignment with the RFL but look how many decades, and millions, it took to get touch football in australia back under the rugby league banner. Also union has touch union in england Seperate to this.

It’s been a massive massive missed opportunity by rugby league globally imo. Touch football could be the vehicle for RL to become seriously international. it’s perfect for schools and snowflake society.

thanks mate, almost tagged you in this as I reckon you've spoke on it before.

agreed on the importance it can play globally. Its just a great link. I look at somewhere like Adelaide and the touch community is a pretty loyal and dedicated community, but that doesnt mean all follow NRL. I think the link between the two now is a great way to make that connection. eg. all touch members got a discount to origin this year.

I could see it being a great gateway in other countries where there may not be the depth for loads of junior tackle teams...so a club having a mixed youth touch team provides some sort of pathway.

 

[Perth Red]

thanks mate, almost tagged you in this as I reckon you've spoke on it before.

agreed on the importance it can play globally. Its just a great link. I look at somewhere like Adelaide and the touch community is a pretty loyal and dedicated community, but that doesnt mean all follow NRL. I think the link between the two now is a great way to make that connection. eg. all touch members got a discount to origin this year.

I could see it being a great gateway in other countries where there may not be the depth for loads of junior tackle teams...so a club having a mixed youth touch team provides some sort of pathway.

Yeh the participation rate is nuts and is a great vehicle to get people interested in RL in non RL areas. In WA there are 34k touch footy players compared to 4k full contact players!
small steps have been made to bring RL more into the consciousness that touch footy is a variant of league but lots more could be done. Hopefully in uk RFL can strengthen those links

I’d also like to see nines as the next step, again in Areas developing Interest it’s a great way of getting people playing league with less physical contact and with lessor need to have large number of players.

at moment it seems that if it isn’t seen as a pathway to nrl it’s not worth much which is rubbish and is just as valuable to have participants in RL variants who go on to be active fans of nrl clubs or in Europe SL.