Hampshire Hosts Red Roses Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour

Hampshire RFU was proud to support the recent visit of the Community Rugby Trophy Tour – the Red Roses Rugby World Cup trophy, which visited a number of clubs and events across the county this last week.

The tour provided a special opportunity to engage players, clubs and schools, while highlighting the continued development of the women and girls’ game in Hampshire.

The trophy’s first stop was at Alton RFC, where it featured at the U11 County Festival. The event welcomed 240 girls and boys, offering young players the chance to take part in a brilliant day of rugby.

It then moved to Trojans FC, which hosted the U7, U8 and U9 County Festival, which saw more than 700 children taking part. The visit also coincided with the final women’s fixture of the season between Trojans Women and Bath Ladies, providing a strong example of the senior women’s game in action.

At Havant RFC, the focus was on schools rugby, with over 130 girls from local primary and secondary schools participating in a T1 festival. The event reflected the increasing levels of engagement in the girls’ game at school level, supported by the work of the Schools Rugby Manager.

The tour concluded at Ellingham & Ringwood RFC, where an open girls’ session was delivered, supporting both new and existing players to play and enjoy rugby together.

Across all venues, the visit of the trophy was warmly welcomed and provided a wonderful opportunity to promote the game and recognise the progress being made locally.

Hampshire RFU has seen continued growth in participation this season, with a 3% increase in the women’s game and an 18% increase in girls’ rugby. This equates to over 200 new women and girls playing the game across the county!

The trophy tour was a fitting way to acknowledge this progress and to reinforce the county’s ongoing commitment to developing rugby at all levels across Hampshire.

Hampshire U18 Leagues Complete for 25/26 Season

Hampshire U18 Leagues 25/26 – Season Complete

The Hampshire U18 leagues for the 25/26 season are now complete, marking the end of the first year under the new competition structure.

This format brought together 24 clubs from across the county, with the aim of creating balanced leagues, meaningful competition, and regular rugby for all sides. Across the divisions, that has delivered. Matches remained competitive throughout, with league positions and outcomes still in play right up to the final round.

There has been clear progression across squads, strong commitment from players and management teams, and a consistent effort from clubs to get fixtures played despite the usual challenges around availability and bad weather.

Final League Standings

  • Division 1 Winners: Winchester Academy 1st XV
  • Division 1 Runners-Up: Trojan Eagles
  • Division 2 Winners: Portsmouth Colts
  • Division 2 Runners-Up: Overton Colts
  • Division 3 Winners: Petersfield Colts
  • Division 3 Runners-Up: Vectis Colts
  • Division 4 Winners: Tottonians Colts
  • Division 4 Runners-Up: Winchester Academy 2nd XV

Congratulations to all league winners and runners-up, and to every club involved in making the season work.

Attention now turns to the knockout competitions. Teams will move into the Cup, Plate, Bowl, and Shield, with quarter-finals scheduled for Sunday 22 March 2026.

A strong league phase sets up what should be a competitive, well-contested knockout stage to close out the season, with all finals held at Winchester on the 26th of April.

Ian ‘H’ Wells
Hampshire Under 18 League Organiser 25/26 season

 

Hampshire Girls U16 PDG Shine in Dual Victory Away at Essex

Hampshire’s Girls U16 England PDG delivered an impressive performance on the road this weekend as the county’s teams travelled to face Essex in their third playing opportunity of the programme.

Both Hampshire sides secured victories, but the focus of the day extended beyond the results. Players were encouraged to put their recent training into practice, showing creativity, confidence and a willingness to try new skills in a match environment. The progress made by both squads reflected the hard work and commitment shown during recent coaching blocks.

In a memorable end to the day, Essex provided a special surprise for the players by bringing out the Women’s Rugby World Cup trophy, giving the girls a rare opportunity to take photos with one of the sport’s most iconic prizes.

The squad now moves into coaching block five this week as preparations continue for the final fixture of the programme against Gloucester in April.

Hampshire RFU would like to thank the volunteers and parents whose support makes these opportunities possible, along with programme sponsors Bridge Beauty and Sports Physio for their continued backing of the girls’ development group.

Most importantly, congratulations to the players for their enthusiasm, effort and commitment throughout the day.

Early Successes from the Hampshire RFU Revenue Generation Pilot

The second month of the revenue generation pilot, funded by the RFU, has already delivered tangible commercial improvements across participating Hampshire RFU pilot clubs. Through hands-on engagement, supplier consolidation, and enhancement of key offers (bar and hot beverage), early results are showing stronger gross margins, reduced input costs, and increased operational confidence among club volunteers.

Headline outcomes:

  • Average supplier savings of 7.5–23.4%, improving gross margins by approximately 10%.
  • New or upgraded hot beverage offers explored, with the potential to generate up to £150 per week in incremental sales.
  • Early bar enhancements delivering +£4.20 spend per head on average at weekend fixtures.

Club Engagement & Collaboration

During February, Shane, the Revenue Generation Consultant, worked closely with the selected pilot clubs of New Milton, Basingstoke, Farnborough, and Romsey. Each visit focused on understanding the individual club’s commercial model and identifying site-specific growth opportunities.

At New Milton, for example, adjustments to purchasing practices and range rationalisation are projected to deliver a 7–10% uplift in monthly bar margin.

Supplier Partnerships & Cost Reduction

A key goal of the pilot has been to strengthen collective club buying power.

Through negotiations with preferred and new suppliers, and by consolidating orders across participating clubs, the initiative has achieved:

  • Average purchasing cost reductions of 7.5–23.4%, equating to £4,400–£7,700 annual savings per club.
  • Introduction of alternative, high-quality products that maintain member satisfaction while improving margin.
  • Shared supply routes for key consumables, leveraging economies of scale.

These measures are already delivering cost savings that directly enhance club profitability.

Hot Beverage Solutions

To diversify income beyond bar hours, Shane identified and implemented hot beverage solutions suitable for low-capital environments. These initiatives have enabled:

  • New incremental income streams averaging £125 per week.
  • Zero capital investment required by clubs.
  • Enhanced family and community engagement during matchdays and training sessions.

Elevating the Bar Offering

Bar operations across the pilot clubs have been reviewed to strengthen member experience and increase spend per head.

Key actions include:

  • Introducing premium and higher-margin drinks, including local craft options.
  • Improving presentation and merchandising at serving points.
  • Implementing an alternative soft drink solution expected to reduce waste disposal by 25%.
  • Rolling out a revised pricing strategy to protect margins.

At Farnborough RFC, these changes are expected to increase average transaction values, with early member feedback highlighting improved perception of value and choice.

Early indicators show:

  • Improved profitability across participating clubs.
  • Enhanced volunteer confidence in commercial decision-making.
  • Creation of replicable frameworks for supplier collaboration and revenue generation.

Next Steps (March–April):

  • Introduce supplier savings and bar optimisation tools to all pilot clubs.
  • Monitor margin performance monthly using standardised templates.
  • Develop a shared dashboard to track total revenue impact across the pilot group.

Visit the Revenue Generation webpage or contact Shane Castle for more information.

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