This year over 13,000 players will take part in Ireland's fastest growing social sport.

ITRA is bringing tag rugby to 13 venues around Ireland so make sure you drop into your local venue and experience the fun.

"In addition to the multiple ITRA leagues running across the country, this year we are delighted to be bringing the Volvic summer league to Athlone and Kildare as well, " said Helen Kenny, ITRA operations manager.

Volvic are once again title sponsors of the league and all ITRA players can look forward to complimentary bottles of Volvic mineral water after exhausting matches.

"Tag rugby is a very active sport and staying fully hydrated, especially during the summer months, is a must", says Kerry O'Sullivan, senior brand manager for Volvic. "Therefore Volvic are delighted to be visiting each ITRA venue throughout the summer to give complimentary Volvic mineral water to all players.

The league takes place on weeknights with the first round of matches kicking off at 7pm. The majority of teams play in the mixed social grade, where both men and women play together in the same team.

Tag rugby is a non-contact sport with no rucks, mauls or line-outs . . . players are penalised for any contact they make, accidental or otherwise. As the key skills required are speed (for running away from your opponent) and good hand-eye coordination (to grab the tag of the person attacking), tag rugby is the largest sport which allows men and women to combine their skills and play together in a competitive, but social, environment.

And remember that a female try in the mixed social grade is worth three points, where a male try counts for just one . . . so the female members of all good ITRA teams are a central part of the team's scoring strategy. So, what shout will you hear most often during the league?

"Watch the girl!"

To cater for the different levels of skill and ability, the league has four grades for teams to compete in, with a new grade being introduced this year for absolute beginners.

While a little healthy competition can add to the enjoyment, the spirit of tag rugby is all about having fun . . .

regardless of how well you play or how many games you win.

ITRA and Volvic encourage the true spirit of tag rugby by acknowledging teams that play for fun and enjoyment, while showing a healthy respect for the opposition and referee, and making the most of the long summer evenings with friends in great social surroundings.

To this end, the Volvic 'Spirit of Tag' award is presented to one team in each venue, who, according to the ITRA referees, have best shown enthusiasm, good humour and positive attitude both on and off the pitch throughout the season.

With all these initiatives in place for the upcoming season, the Volvic Tag Rugby Summer League is destined to live long in the memory of all tag rugby players. For more information, log onto www. tagrugby. ie.