This weekend, 11-13 September, Toulouse will be hosting a WateRugby tournament on the River Garonne. Following the success of the Toulouse WateRugby event in winter, this is the second event of its kind where teams of businesses, professionals and amateurs will come together for this quirky, jovial sporting event.
For those unfamiliar with the new sport: there is a 40-metre long and 35-metre wide ground with synthetic turf that floats approximately eight metres from the water’s edge. The rules are mostly the same as the rugby matches we’re used to, however squads comprise eight players, of which five are allowed on the pitch at one time. Each half is just eight minutes and there’s no marked goal area: water is the only try line, so players have to dive to score. The game will be action packed for both players and spectators.
The highlight of the weekend will be the International Tournament at 5pm o Sunday, 13 September. Thirty Stars of World Rugby will coach and play in six teams complemented by amateur players who will have the unique chance to play with their rugby heroes. This will be followed by the final of the Amateurs competition.
The festivities will take place over three days; it’s open to all ages and is free to spectate. There will be five matches per day and a total of 70 games over the entire weekend, promising hours of hilarious and exhilarating entertainment. You can find a programme of the whole weekend’s events here.
Toulouse isn’t all about rugby, well not quite. To discover what else to do in this great city, read James Clark’s Things to Do in Toulouse: Culture, Food and Rugby.
For more information about the Toulouse WateRugby tournament, visit http://waterugby.com. For more information about Toulouse, visit www.toulouse-visit.com. All images courtesy of Toulouse WateRugby.
