Quick Guide

Below is a summary of the rules of the game as laid out by the Federation of International Touch (FIT).

• The goal is to score more points than the other team. Each point is known as a Touchdown.  
  • A Touchdown is scored by the attacking team, by grounding the ball over the defender's scoreline within the touchdown zone, and is worth one point.  There are no other methods of scoring.
• The defensive team attempts to stop the attacking team from scoring a Touchdown by making a Touch on the ball carrier.  
  • At all times defenders must use only minimum force to affect a touch – e.g. the ballcarrier cannot be knocked down by the defender making the touch.
  • A touch can be made by making contact with any part of the body, ball, clothing or hair.
  • The attacking ballcarrier can make a touch on a defender.
  • At  the moment of a  touch,  the defensive player who  is performing  the  touch  should  shout  "Touch", which  alerts  both  the  attacking  and  defensive  teams  and  the  referees  that  the  ballcarrier  has  been touched
• The attacking team restarts play after being touched by a defender, by performing a Rollball.  
  • The ballcarrier cannot perform a rollball without first being touched.
• When the Rollball is being performed, the defensive team must retreat/go backwards and be no closer than five (5) metres from the Mark of the Rollball, to be Onside.
  • A defensive player who does not retire 5m is considered Offside and cannot make a touch on an attacking player
  • Onside defenders can only move forward to affect the next touch, once the Acting Half has touched the ball.
  • As a guide 5metres is about 8 steps.
• The attacking team has six (6) Touches to try a score a Touchdown. 
  • If no touchdown is scored by the attacking team after six touches then a change of possession occurs and the other team gains possession of the ball.
• If the ball is dropped by the attacking team a change of possession will occur.
• When passing to another attacking player, the ball cannot be passed forward.
• A pass cannot be made after the ballcarrier is touched by a defender.
• If ballcarrier touches/crosses the sideline they are deemed to be out of play and a change of possession occurs
• A maximum of six (6) are allowed on the field at any one time. A team may consist of up to 14 players.
• Players can substitute at any time of the game.  There is no limit to the number of substitutions a player can make.
  • To substitute correctly the player on field must first enter the interchange area, before their substitute enters the field of play from the interchange box.
• The attacking team starts the game with a tap from the middle of the field.
  • The defending team must be back 10 metres
  • After a team scores, the play begins again with a tap in the middle.
  • Defenders must retreat/go backwards and be no closer than 10m from where the Tap is being