Tag Rugby: 6 men a side, 4 on pitch, 2 subs. 40 minute game. How often to sub?

Question

Playing a game of Tag Rugby tonight. We have 6 male players, of which 4 will always be on the pitch, with 2 subs.

The game lasts 40 minutes, 20 each half.

How long should each player get to play, and how could the subbing be done in a fair manner, regardless of player ability?

Thanks

Brian

Answer 1

If you are able to substitute freely, then you can divide the time evenly: $$\frac{4 \text{ players in play} \cdot 40 \text{ minutes} }{ 6 \text{ players}}=26\frac{2}{3} \text{ minutes}.$$

Here is one schedule that could work:

Organize your team into pairs $A$, $B$, and $C$. We'll "cycle" through them.

• $0-13.3$ minutes: $A$ and $B$
• $13.3-26.6$ minutes: $B$ and $C$
• $26.6-40$ minutes: $A$ and $C$