What Is a Six Again in Touch Football?
Touch football has no rule officially called six again. The equivalent is the zero touch rule, introduced with the 8th Edition. It restarts the touch count at zero after an intercept or a deliberate knockdown.
Players borrow the phrase from rugby league. They then look for a rule that does not exist under that name. The confusion costs teams possession, because the two mechanisms work very differently. Team Spirit Sports works with touch clubs and schools across Australia.
This guide explains what people mean by a six again in touch football. It covers what the zero touch rule does and how the codes differ.
Key Takeaways
- Six again is a rugby league term, not an official touch football rule.
- Touch’s equivalent is the zero touch rule, added in the 8th Edition.
- Zero touch follows intercepts and deliberate knockdowns, not infringements.
- In touch, defensive infringements produce a penalty tap instead.
- Some touch sources use six again informally to describe zero touch.
The Short Answer
If a referee restarts your touch count without stopping play, that is the zero touch rule. Nobody in Australian competition will call it six again officially.
The phrase still circulates, because some touch resources use it as shorthand. If you hear it at your club, they mean zero touch.
What the Zero Touch Rule Covers
Zero touch applies in specific ball-contact situations. There are three main ones.
An Intercept
When possession changes because a defender intercepts, the first touch on the new ball carrier is zero. The intercepting team effectively receives a full set.
A Deliberate Knockdown, Ball Stays Up
If a defender deliberately makes contact with the ball in flight and an attacking player regathers it before it hits the ground, play continues. The next touch is zero.
A Deliberate Knockdown, Ball Goes Down
If the defender knocks the ball forward and an attacking player drops it while trying to regather, the attacking team keeps possession. The count restarts at zero.
There is one exception worth knowing. It applies when the defender propels the ball back towards their own dead ball line. If the attacker then drops it, possession changes.
Six Again and Zero Touch Compared
The two rules look similar and are triggered by completely different things:
Rugby league six again | Touch football zero touch | |
Triggered by | A defensive infringement, usually at the ruck | Contact with the ball in flight, or an intercept |
Replaces | A penalty | Nothing, it is a consequence not a remedy |
Is it a punishment? | Yes | No |
Play stops? | No | No |
Introduced | 2020 in the NRL | 2020 with the 8th Edition |
That last row explains most of the confusion. Both arrived in the same year, and the NRL version received far more television coverage.
Why Touch Does Not Need a Six Again
Rugby league introduced six again to reduce stoppages caused by repeated ruck penalties. Touch never had that problem in the same way.
When a defending team infringes in touch, the attacking side receives a penalty tap. Play restarts quickly and field position improves, so there is no need for a separate set restart.
Zero touch solves a different problem entirely. It stops defenders being rewarded for slapping at the ball. Otherwise that would be a cheap way to end a set.
Worked Examples
Three situations, and what the referee should call:
Example One
A defender reads a wide pass and catches it cleanly. That is an intercept. Their team now attacks with the count starting at zero.
Example Two
A defender gets a hand to the same pass but cannot hold it. An attacking player grabs it before it lands. Play continues and the next touch is zero.
Example Three
The defender slaps the ball forward and the attacking player fumbles it. The attacking team keeps the ball anyway, restarting at zero.
In all three, the deciding factor is what happened to the ball. Nothing depends on whether anyone broke a rule.
What Zero Touch Is Not
Beginners frequently expect a restart in situations where none applies:
- Offside defenders. That is a penalty, not a zero touch
- Defenders failing to retreat. Also a penalty
- An accidental knock from the hands during a touch. The touch counts and possession is retained, but the count continues
- A forward pass. That is a change of possession
The distinction is deliberate. Zero touch rewards attacking teams for regaining the ball, not for being infringed against.
The Tactical Effect
A zero touch is worth more than most players realise. Your side has just gained a fresh set with the defence already scrambling.
Two things follow from that. Defenders who were mid-retreat are now badly positioned, and your attacking line is often already deeper than usual.
The teams that use it well react instantly rather than resetting. Listening for the call and adjusting on the run is what turns a zero touch into a touchdown.
Why Defenders Should Think Twice
Slapping at a pass looks like a free attempt to break up an attack. Under the current rules it usually is not.
If it fails, the attacking team gets a fresh set. A clean intercept still starts your own count at zero, which is the reward the rule intends.
The risk sits with the half-hearted attempt. Committing fully to the intercept or leaving the ball alone are both better options.
Hearing the Call
Referees call zero touch clearly, because both teams need to reset their count together. Attacking players who miss it play as though a touch has been used.
Losing track of the count is one of the most common causes of a wasted set. Reacting cleanly to a sudden change is partly a mental skill. It is where sports psychology meets a rules question.
Does It Change Social Competition?
Affiliated competitions apply the rule as written. Social and corporate leagues vary more, and some run older conditions or simplify the count entirely.
Ask before round one rather than during a set. Competition conditions of entry override the general rulebook wherever they say so.
A Note on Older Guides
Zero touch did not exist before 2020. Any coaching video, club page or rules summary predating the 8th Edition will not mention it.
Older international resources used a signal described as six more touches. That is likely where some of the terminology drift began. If a resource still says five metres for the defensive line, treat it as out of date.
Coaching the Reaction
The rule rewards teams that react fastest, so it is worth naming as a habit rather than trivia.
Two things help. Have someone repeat the referee’s call aloud so the whole line resets together. Then attack immediately rather than regrouping, since the advantage decays within seconds.
Most sides do the opposite. They pause to confirm what happened and hand back the ground the rule just gave them.
Team Spirit Sports and Kit for Longer Sets
Zero touch means sets run longer than the scoreline suggests. Players cover more ground in a match than they expect, and mostly in Australian heat. Team Spirit Sports builds touch kits for that workload.
Airflow does most of the work. Panels built from mesh fabric sit where the body holds heat. Across 45 minutes that adds up.
The base fabric matters just as much. Committees comparing suppliers should understand what makes the best fabric for sportswear before comparing prices.
Team Spirit Sports supplies touch apparel under licence from Touch Football Australia and Queensland Touch Football. The current approval period ends in 2028. Seven jurisdictions are covered: Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and the ACT.
Know the Call, Use the Set
There is no six again in touch football, but there is something that does a similar job. Zero touch hands your team a fresh set whenever you regain the ball from a defender’s hands.
Learn the call, react immediately and you will convert more of them than the opposition does.
Kit your squad with our 3D design tool, or contact our team for a tailored quote.
Six Again and Zero Touch FAQs
Is there a six again rule in touch football?
Not under that name. The zero touch rule performs a similar function. Six again is a rugby league term.
What is the zero touch rule?
It restarts the touch count at zero. It applies after an intercept or a deliberate knockdown by a defender.
When was zero touch introduced?
With the 8th Edition playing rules, in force from 2020. Older guides do not include it.
Does a penalty give you a fresh set of six?
A penalty gives you a tap restart and better field position. The touch count restarts from that tap.
What happens if a defender knocks the ball down deliberately?
Your team usually retains possession with the count restarting at zero. The exception is when the ball is propelled back towards the defending dead ball line.
Why do people call it six again?
The NRL rule arrived in 2020, the same year as touch’s 8th Edition. Some touch resources also use the phrase informally.