‘Red Bull Offside’ Tag Rugby on 2 September at CR&FC

Friday, 25 August 2023 01:54 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Althaf Nawaz

Red Bull, a brand that has long been at the forefront of changing the landscape of sports in Sri Lanka, is ready to unveil its latest venture into the arena of modern sports with ‘Red Bull Offside’.

Around 28 eight teams will lock horn at this year’s ‘Red Bull Offside’ Tag Rugby Tournament at the CR & FC grounds Longden Place on September 2. Kick-off is scheduled from 9.00 a.m. onwards.

This tournament will deviate from the conventional rugby format, where players will be allowed to move forward without stoppages. Some of the unique features in this tournament is that players won’t be penalized for off side play and the scorer has to just retain the ball in the hand without touching down, and there is no conversion done.

A try scored under the post will gain 6 points, while either side of the corner flag will gain 4 points. The organisers have infused several other rules to see the game is competed in the highest spirits while minimising injuries.

All the teams are slotted into three groups. Men's category will comprise 12 teams, while the Youth and Women category will have 8 teams each.

The Men’s event will be competed in four groups with three teams in a group where the top teams will move forward for the quarter-final stage.

In the Youth category, the players have to be over 18-years and it has been divided into two groups where the top team will surge ahead to the semi-final stage.

The Women’s segment will be conducted on a similar format as that of the Youth category.

A total of 49 games will be staged on two pitches, where the length and width of a pitch will be 60 and 40 meters respectively. Each half will be 6.5 minutes. Nine players have to be registered and six will play.

It’s well-known around the world that Red Bull and sports go hand in hand, curating events that are legendary and highly anticipated every year. The brand’s creativity has always translated onto the pitch, field, or area - regardless of the sport at hand.

In Sri Lanka, local initiatives by Red Bull have made their mark, from Red Bull Campus Cricket (RBCC) to Red Bull Tuk It, Red Bull Levels, Red Bull Ride My Wave and recently, Red Bull Half Court, which was held at the historic Independence Square in Colombo.

Over the years, the brand behind the Can has become synonymous with energy for countless athletes around the globe. An innovative interpretation of the traditional oval ball game, ‘Red Bull Offside’ will be no exception. The event promises to be a one-of-a-kind adventurous foray into a sport that is truly well-loved around the island.

Men’s Draw:

Group E - Marrons, Team Bulls, The Papare

Group F - The Untaggables, Harlequins, Hard Boiled Eggs

Group G - Sharks, Blues, Green and White

Group H - The Untouchables, Team Red, Team Alpha

Women’s Draw:

Group A - Rugberries, Team Sri, Colombo Reds, Taglete

Group B - Team 1 & 2 to be notified, Saints, Agoal Rugby

Youth Draw:

Group C - Maroon Sharks, Green Lions, SC Boys, AS Girls

Group D - Agoal Rugby Academy, Alexander, Red Lions, AS Boys.