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Pass and Score Rugby

Play this fast-paced team game focused on passing, movement, and scoring over a try line.

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You’ll need

  • Rugby Ball
  • Cones (or any other object to mark out the playing area)
  • Bibs (or any other way of marking different teams)

Before you begin 

  • Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. There's also more guidance to help you carry out your risk assessment, including examples.   
  • Make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely. 
  • Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help. 

Let the experts at your local rugby club run this session for you!

To register interest in your Scout Group being twinned with a local rugby club enter your details using this form.

Planning and setting up this activity

  • Choose a spacious, accessible area and mark out a playing area with cones or other objects.
  • Using cones or markers, create two in goal areas (called try zones) and a halfway line.
  • Check the terrain to ensure it’s free of hazards, such as steps or rabbit holes. You could use cones or tape to mark or block off  any dangers.
  • Check the weather forecast and sunset time to ensure there’ll be sufficient light throughout.
  • Ask everyone to tie long hair back and remove any jewellery, watches, and such before playing.
  • Remind everyone to bring a drink and wear long sleeves, long trousers and trainers.
  • Read our guidance on running wide games and active games safely.

Running this activity

  1. Gather everyone together and explain that you’ll be playing a game called Pass and Score Rugby. You could ask if anyone’s played a rugby-style game before or what they know about scoring in rugby.
  2. The aim of the game is to score points by passing the ball over the try line to a teammate, who must catch it successfully. Each successful score earns the team 1 point.
  3. Ask everyone to get into two teams of around 7–10 players. If you have lots of players, you can rotate teams or allow for substitutions.
  4. To begin, decide which team starts with the ball. You could use a quick game of Rock, Paper, Scissors or a fun quiz question.
  5. The starting team should have the ball in the centre of the pitch.
  6. Players can pass the ball in any direction, but passes must not go over other players’ heads.
  7. If the ball is dropped or knocked forward (ball fumbled and travels towards the opposition try line), the first team to form a 3-player T1 Scrum (or Tackle Triangle) wins possession. The player putting the ball into the scrum must pass it away from the base, they can’t run with it directly. The defending team must stay behind the scrum until the ball is passed.
  8. To score, the ball must be passed over the try line and caught by a teammate. A dropped ball in the try zone does not count as a score.
  9. When you’re ready to play, run a quick warm-up to get everyone moving and ready.
  10. At the end, make sure to run a cool down to help everyone stretch and recover.

How to progress skills

  • The first pass from the scrum must go backwards toward the team’s own try line.
  • The defending team must stay behind the scrum until the ball has been passed.
  • The attacking team must make at least two backward passes before they can score.

Reflection

This activity was all about learning how to pass, move into space, and work as a team to score points. What did you enjoy and what went well? Was it similar to other games you’ve played before? 

You may have had to think carefully about where to pass and how to support your teammates. Did you find it easy to keep the ball moving or to stay in position?
You also had to respond quickly when the ball was dropped and work together to form a scrum. How did your team communicate and organise yourselves? Did you come up with any strategies to win possession or score more effectively? What did you learn about teamwork and timing? 

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

You must run your activities in line with the Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults (Yellow Card) and report any concerns to the UK HQ Safeguarding Team.

Active games

The game area should be free of hazards. Explain the rules of the game clearly and have a clear way to communicate that the game must stop when needed. Take a look at our guidance on running active games safely.

Contact games and activities

Make sure everyone understands what contact is acceptable, and monitor contact throughout the activity.

Outdoor activities

You must have permission to use the location. Always check the weather forecast, and inform parents and carers of any change in venue.

  • To make this activity easier, you could allow more time to form the scrum, reduce the number of defenders, or let players retry a dropped pass without a turnover.
  • To make this activity harder, you could limit the time to pass after a scrum, require backward-only passing, or reduce the space available in the try zone.

This game can be adapted to suit a wide range of abilities. Players can pass at walking pace, and the rules around scrums and scoring can be simplified to reduce cognitive or physical demands. Clear instructions, visual demonstrations, and peer support can help ensure all participants feel included. You can also adjust team sizes, pitch layout, and timing to support SEND learners or those with limited mobility.

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.

Scouts Physical Recreation Activity Badge

If you enjoyed this activity, try some of our other activities sponsored by the RFU.