Each team has six players in the water, with up to six players on the substitution bench. UWR operates a ‘rolling subs’ strategy, which means players can swap with another player at any time in the game, and as many times as they like throughout the game.
The aim of the game is to score in the opponent’s basket, defending your own goal from the opposition. The game ball is a rubber ball filled with salt water, so that it has weight to pass, and sinks when released. The ball can be passed in any direction, but can only be held out of the water during a re-start following a stop in play to signal commencement of play. UWR is full contact, in a much as you can tackle the person with the ball; or if you have the ball you can tackle anyone you like. There are limits though, with the following being examples of punishable offences:
- ‘high’ tackles (around the neck/head)
- pulling on fins/swimwear/masks/twisting limbs
- hitting/kicking/punches/unsportsmanlike conduct
- holding players without the ball
- backs extending legs into attacking players (essentially a kick)
The rules of UWR are relatively simple. There are three player positions in UWR:
- Goalie
- Back (defender)
- Forward
There are two players in the water for each position, so that one of the pair is active in the position, whilst the other is on the surface. When players swap, this is called the ‘rotation’. Although each position requires its own set of skills, goalies and backs are not purely defensive players; in fact one goalie, one back, one forward – and often the other forward – comprise the attack.
A tournament game usually lasts for up to 15 minutes per half, depending on the tournament. Each team gets on sixty-second time-out per half.
There are three referees in a tournament – one on scuba, on freedive referee and a deck referee (who officiates time, surface play and manages starts and stops in play, via a buzzer which can be heard underwater and on the surface). Players who have committed fouls/offences may be sent to the ‘sin bin’ (chairs on the side of the pool) for a set period until allowed to return by the deck referee.
Underwater Rugby Australia (UWRA) is responsible for managing all nation-level aspects of underwater rugby in Australia, including promoting the rules set down by the Australian Underwater Federation (AUF) and CMAS Underwater Rugby Commissions. UWRA is a commission of the AUF, which is the governing body for underwater sports in Australia.
Full Official CMAS Underwater rules can be found at:
UWRWA 