The main event of the Pig ‘N’ Porter Festival is the tag rugby tournament on Saturday 16 July.

Organised, reffed and run by the Irish Tag Rugby Association (www.tagrugby.ie), the event draws 120 teams and almost 3000 supporters to what is the LARGEST AND BEST TAG RUGBY COMPETITION IN THE WORLD.

A few FAQs about Tag Rugby…

How many players on an ITRA TAG team?

To play ITRA TAG, you must be part of a team. A team is made up of seven people on the pitch at any time with at least three of these being female. Each squad for the Pig ‘N’ Porter Festival can register and sign up a maximum of 15 players, meaning you can have 7 players on the pitch and 8 substitutes, you still require a minimum 3 girls on the pitch.

What equipment do I need to bring with me to play in an ITRA Event?

• ITRA-approved Tag Shorts – All tag players must wear ITRA-approved tag rugby shorts, which are available from Tag Rugby Sports (www.tagrugby.com), mainly for health and safety reasons as they do not have pockets and can help significantly reduce finger injuries caused by grabbing a tag
• Footwear – The best footwear is boots as they are good on both dry and wet grass. Runners are OK but may be too slippy for the wet conditions
• Eye Protection (if necessary) – Despite ITRA TAG being a non-contact game (with no scrums, tackles or line outs), when playing such a team sport, there is bound to be some contact made between players. For these reasons, eye glasses and sunglasses are not allowed while playing, and for the health and safety of all tag players, this rule will be strictly enforced. If you do need corrective lens, please wear either contact lenses or prescription polycarbonate goggles, which have been designed especially for sports use. All eye protection should fit securely and have cushions above your eyebrows and over your nose
• Team Kit – We recommend that your team all wear the same coloured tshirts/tops as this makes it easier for players and referees to distinguish between teams.
  Pen for Registration. Especially for captains/vice captains

How long does a ITRA TAG match last in the Pig ‘N’ Porter competition?

In both the round robin and the knock-out stages of the Pig ‘N’ Porter Festival, the games last 15 minutes with no half time break.

In the round robin stages, if the scores are level at the end of the game, the end result is a draw.

In the knock out stages of the competition, if the scores are level after 15 minutes of normal play, extra-time of 5 minutes will be added on. During this period, the team to score the first try (golden try) will be deemed to be the winning team.

If no score is registered in extra-time, the team who scored the first try during normal play (i.e. the 15 minutes) will be deemed the winning team.