The nine sides that represent Ireland in international tag rugby competitions are getting ready for the 2025 season and there are opportunities available for tag players and other athletes who fancy giving it a go.
If you're a tag player - or come from a sporting background and fancy a change of scene - we'd love you to put yourself forward for consideration in the coming months.
We are hosting an open trial at the National Indoor Arena on Sunday 12th January. You can register for free at this link and we encourage you to give it a go and see where it takes you.
Further details and FAQs are below
About international tag
Ireland competes annually with Great Britain in the British & Irish Cup, typically played in August or September. Ireland is a board member of the International Tag Federation (ITF) and enters the ITF Tag World Cup, which is held every third year. Ireland recently hosted the 2023 ITF Tag World Cup in Limerick, and took home 8 medals in the process.
Ireland also regularly competes with France, South Africa, Australia, and other tag-playing Nations. The next ITF Tag World Cup is likely to take place in Australia, in Autumn/Winter 2026.
Do I need to have lots of tag experience?
We are actively looking to work with athletes from other sports who are interested in a change of scene. Tag provides a structured environment, high-level competition and access to coaching, but with less commitment than several high-level sports.
International tag is full of players who previously played rugby, hockey, Gaelic footbal, hurling and camogie, and plenty of other sports.
Does it matter if I have another ongoing sporting commitment?
Each coaching team will have different requirements for participation, but generally speaking we have always worked with players who have commitments to other sports. In the recent cycle we worked with several AIL rugby players, senior GAA players, and Div1 hockey players.
What teams are there?
We currently run Men's, Women's, and Mixed teams in open, senior, and even masters grades:
Men's Open (all ages)
Men's Seniors (born in or before 1996)
Men's Masters (born in or before 1986)
Women's Open (all ages)
Women's Seniors (born in or before 1999)*
Women's Masters (born in or before 1989)*
Mixed Open (all ages)
Mixed Senior (Men born in or before 1993/Women born in or before 1996)
Under 22s teams (men and women born in or after 2003)
What's involved in playing for Ireland?
Each of the teams named above has a coach and an assistant coach, who design and implement a programme of training that runs from March to August. Trainings are held on weekends, typically Sundays, at a venue in one of the major tag areas in Ireland (Dublin, Limerick, Cork) or in a mutually convenient location like Portlaoise. There are fewer sessions in February, March and April and an increased volume of sessions in May, June, and July.
All players who are part of Irish squads are expected to fulfil a minimum (7) number of weekly games in Premiership tag. Most players will play regularly at this level and vastly exceed the minimum numbers. If you're interested in playing but not currently on a Premiership team, we can put you in touch with someone.
Any other questions?
You can drop us a line through the website or reach out to:
Irish Tag Rugby Programme Director Simon Bewley - simon.bewley@tagrugby.ie
Irish Tag Rugby Performance Director Alex Mullin - performance@tagrugby.ie
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