University of Limerick chosen to host major International Touch Rugby Tournament

The University of Limerick was recently chosen by the Federation of International Touch (FIT) as the host venue for the 2025 Atlantic Youth Touch Cup. This is an international underage Touch Rugby competition for national teams from Europe, the Americas and Africa and it has seven grades from Under 15 to Under 20.

It is scheduled to take place from July 31 to August 3 2025 at the University of Limerick and it will be the largest international Touch Rugby tournament ever held in Ireland with well over 30 teams from up to a dozen nations expected to take part. UL is sure to be an excellent venue for this competition. It previously hosted the Tag Rugby World Cup in 2023 which was a great success.

Touch Rugby is a six-a-side non-contact version of rugby where the emphasis is on skills, speed and awareness of space. It is very popular in Australia and New Zealand where the game has long been recognised for its benefits for developing rugby players. Here in Ireland the game is governed by the Ireland Touch Association (ITA) and locally the Munster Touch Rugby club play in Parteen outside the city. See www.irelandtouch.ie or https://www.munsterrugby.ie/domestic/rugby/non-contact-
rugby/touch-rugby/ for more information.

The ITA are looking for players for the following grades:
• Mixed Under 15 – Players born 2010 - 2012
• Mixed Under 18 – Players born 2007 - 2009
• Boy’s Under 18
• Girl’s Under 18
• Mixed Under 20 – Players born 2005 - 2007
• Boy’s Under 20
• Girl’s Under 20

Any junior players born from 2005 to 2012 who are interested in screening for the AYTC and any parents
willing to volunteer can fill out the form at this location, https://forms.gle/eEQRqqTam842RR7U6.

ITA Director Michelle Mulcahy, who is a native of Askeaton, was very happy with the news. ‘I’m so delighted to be selected to host this event in Limerick. We want to share our Irish hospitality to all the teams that will travel from across Europe, South Africa and the USA. It's a great opportunity to showcase Ireland, especially the Wild Atlantic Way, to the nations that will travel to the event.’

"As a growing sport in Ireland, we in the ITA are so proud to be selected to host this event with some of our most talented juniors partaking from across Ireland. Personally, I'm really looking forward to giving all teams an Irish welcome and give all athletes a great experience in Limerick. It will be the highlight of the summer."