Flag Rugby: The Ref Calls It Out Loud
Five-on-five flag rugby games where a student referee explains every call out loud: tag, forward pass, out of bounds, or try. Students learn the adapted rules, practice referee communication, and work on accepting calls.
How to play
- Mark two 30 x 20 m fields with cones and make 4 teams of 6: each field plays 5-on-5 and one player from each team sits out, one refereeing and one as touch judge (2 min).
- Review three basic signals (2 min): arm up and “Tag!” on a pull, arm forward and “Forward pass!”, and arm straight out with “Try!” on a grounding in the end zone.
- Play 4 minutes per field: after a tag the ball carrier stops, hands the flag back, and restarts with a backward pass. The ref narrates every call with the reason: “Tag, restart here.”
- After the game, the touch judge tells the ref one well-explained call and one that was hard to hear (1 min).
- Rotate ref and touch judge each game: four 4-minute games including changes (17 min total).
Rules
- No contact: only pull flags; pushing, grabbing jerseys, or tackling is a penalty.
- Passes go backward or flat; a forward pass gives the ball to the other team.
- Safety: defenders don't dive for flags and ball carriers don't guard their flags with a hand.
- On the sixth tag in a row, possession changes.
Variations
Easier
A smaller field, 4-on-4, and the ref only calls tags and tries.
Standard
Five-on-five with a ref who narrates every call plus a touch judge.
Harder
Add advantage, and the ref has to explain when it applies and when play comes back.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: serves as the fixed touch judge or refs from the sideline with an assistant.
- Hearing impairment: arm signals are held for two seconds and the touch judge uses a flag.
- Lower fitness: plays on the 4-on-4 field with free substitutions.
Learning goals
- Apply the basic rules of flag rugby as a referee.
- Communicate calls with voice, signal, and reason.
- Respect the referee and accept calls without arguing.
Equipment for a class of 25
- rugby balls: 2
- flag belts: 25
- pinnies: 12
- cones: 16
- whistles: 2
Teacher tip
The key is that the ref talks a lot and loudly; if they whistle in silence, stop play and have them repeat the call out loud. Check that flags hang at the hips, not in front.
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