By Bridget Tunnicliffe
Around 100 competitors turned out for the first touch rugby tournament of the 2010 series on Saturday, marking a strong start to the sports' fourth season in Korea.
Men and women of all ages enjoyed a day of sport and socializing at Seoul's Jamwon rugby pitch under some genuine rays of summer sun.
It was a fairly predictable final as last year's season winners, the Three Alley Dutch Rudders side faced off against the Survivors.
The Survivors pushed them but the Rudders, with a bit of extra speed eventually won 3-1. For the past two years, the Rudders side, made up of solely New Zealand players, have dominated.
But Survivors' captain, Nathan Atkins, 26, believes the Rudders are beatable. ``Yesterday, we actually had a weaker than usual squad because many of our boys were in Gumi playing rugby. I believe this year we can knock them off their mantle,'' he said.
Touch rugby has come a long way in the short time it's been in Korea. Four years ago, a small group of ex-pats, mostly New Zealand, Australian, and English folks who came from rugby loving countries started social touch when there were barely enough players for one game.
Lewis Patterson, 36, a New Zealander, used to be one of those players. He's just returned to Korea after three years, and can't believe how far it's come.
``To see this is just awesome, it's so well organized, everyone gets at least four games today, there's a huge mix of nationalities, and it's a cool atmosphere,'' he said.
Tournament Director Shane Lowndes said a pleasing aspect early this season is that many former players have come back to play.
``There are a lot of people that played in years past that have decided to come back into the sport. It's a real boost and I think part of the reason is that touch has remained consistent for three years now,'' he said.
Every Saturday, from March to November, social touch is played at the Jamwon Rugby pitch, while every 4-6 weeks tournaments are run to accommodate several teams.
Most of the teams are based in and around the greater Seoul area but teams also travel from Gumi and as far away as Busan.
The season culminates in the International Touch Seoul competition, which has been set for Sept. 4 and four teams from overseas are already registered to come over.
Touch is played with an oval shaped ball, it's easy to learn, non-contact, so it's safe, and suitable for men and women. It's also a fast game, which relies on passing and teamwork.
Taidgh Simpson, 31, from California, played touch for only his second time on Saturday. He plays as part of the Seoul Gaels, who normally play Gaelic football.
``We came out last year. The game is quite different but we're getting used to it now, and we like sport, so we thought we'd give it a go. It's a fun day," he said.
For those who would like to know more about touch rugby and how to get involved, visit www.touchtagrugby.blogsport.com, or simply head to Jamwon rugby pitch in Apgujeong-dong on Saturdays at 10 a.m.