Hugby Tackle! - Worchester Warriors adapt rugby for the blind

W/S Hugby team passing the ball to one another, Worcester
W/S A Player tries to evade the opposing team, whilst in possession of the ball
W/S The ball is intercepted by the other side, before being returned to the original player
SOT, Hugby player: "The name Hugby comes from the actual tackle area. So the tackle is not like your conventional rugby tackle; the tackle is a hug, so hence the kind of hybrid name of 'Hugby'."
W/S Players passing ball to one another
W/S Two girls tackle each other as the ball is passed to a member of the orange team
M/S Team members discuss tactics *UPSOUND*: "Put an arm across his chest, put an arm across the ball. Yeah and you need to be trying to stop him moving forward."
M/S Team members discuss tactics *UPSOUND*: "If you've got it in with both hands, you can turn your body."
SOT, Team member: "The opposite sides have to shout 'cat' or 'dog' to each other, because obviously you've got totally blind people playing. So you've got to be able to enable those guys to be able to know where the opposition is."
W/S Passing drill
W/S Passing drill
SOT, Hugby player: "So this has enabled me to be able to play rugby again. And for me it's brilliant. You know, it's just great to be back into playing rugby, really. So yeah."
M/S Ball is passed as one team member compliments visually impaired man on his catching skills *UPSOUND*: "One arm - very confident."
W/S Visually impaired players play Hugby
SOT, Hugby player: "It really does help vision impaired and blind people in playing sports, and it can also help to gain confidence as well."
W/S Two members of opposing teams tackle each other to try to get the ball
W/S The blue team have possession of the ball again
W/S Hugby match
SCRIPT
The Worcester Warriors Rugby Club have adapted the rules of rugby to allow the blind and visually impaired to take part in the sport, nicknamed as 'Hugby' for its 'hugging' tackles. Hugby players were seen taking part in tackling and passing drills in Worcester on Saturday.
"The name Hugby comes from the actual tackle area. So the tackle is not like your conventional rugby tackle; the tackle is a hug, so hence the kind of hybrid name of 'Hugby'," explained one player.
Like the game of Marco Polo, the blind and visually impaired players on the seven-a-side teams continuously shout 'cat' and 'dog' out loud, to let them know where all the players are on their and the opposing team. Though the hugby ball is exactly the same as in rugby, it has been adapted to include a bell, to enable even fully blind team members to join in.
There are several teams, including mixed-sex, women only, and a good mix of ages. One team member describe the modified sport as "brilliant," while another said it had helped him "gain confidence."