A Weekend to Remember: Hampshire Girls’ Rugby Shines from Grassroots to England Pathway

An amazing weekend of rugby, smiles, and muddy fun showcased the incredible depth and spirit of girls’ rugby across Hampshire, from the newest and youngest players at the Love Rugby Festival to the talented U16s Girls on the England Pathway.

At Basingstoke RFC, over 40 U8–U11 girls from Hampshire, Berkshire, and Surrey came together for a morning full of energy, teamwork, and inspiration. Funded and administered by the RFU and delivered in partnership with Hampshire RFU, the festival marked a major milestone, with Hampshire RFU taking the lead as a delivery partner for the first time, strengthening the bridge between grassroots and pathway rugby.

The day kicked off with a lively mass warm-up before players rotated through skill-building zones designed to boost confidence and enjoyment of the game. Contact challenges, laughter, and plenty of muddy moments followed, all underpinned by the infectious enthusiasm of the Hampshire Girls U16 Player Development Group (PDG), who played a key role in planning and delivering the event.

Eight of the PDG players; Lilly, Sari, Alice, Bella, Scarlett, Bo-Louise, Evie, and Bonita, brought real energy and empathy, inspiring the next generation and proving the power of role models within the pathway. Their encouragement even sparked three young attendees to declare they now “wanted to join their local club!”

The next day, the coaches and girls of the Hampshire Girls U16 PDG, were back in action, this time for a playing opportunity against Kent Rugby, hosted at King Edward VI School’s Wellington Sports Ground. Over 100 girls applied their skills in a day of high-quality, competitive rugby. Hampshire impressed with their strong defensive structure and ruthless attacking play,  a reflection of the growing quality within the county’s development system.

Huge thanks go to Trojans FC, King Edward VI School, and volunteer referees Jason Kehoe and Lee Foster for their superb contribution to the day’s success.

Together, these events represent more than just festivals or matches, they are milestones in the continued growth of girls’ rugby in Hampshire. With a 12% increase in age-grade girls playing across the county, the momentum behind the game has never been stronger.

From the first smiles at the Love Rugby Festival to the fierce competition of the England Pathway, the future of girls’ rugby in Hampshire is looking brighter than ever.

CRY Heart Screening at King Edward’s School – Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd February 2026

Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) will be holding heart screening sessions at King Edward’s School on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd February 2026.

Rugby in Hampshire has sadly seen several families affected by undiagnosed heart conditions — including the tragic loss of Ben Smith, who passed away before his 17th birthday. These CRY testing days play a vital role in detecting underlying heart issues in young people and can lead to early intervention.

Each session typically results in around 10% of participants being referred for further investigation. The screenings are open to 14–35 year olds, covering both junior and adult rugby players.

The two testing days are funded by donations to the Ben Smith Fund, established in Ben’s memory. Thanks to this support, 200 young people will be screened over the weekend. CRY continues to rely heavily on donations, as each test—usually costing over £150 per person—is offered at a significantly reduced rate of £70.

CRY and the Ben Smith Fund are deeply grateful for every contribution, including a recent generous donation from Tour International Ltd. Donations help ensure that more young people can access heart screenings and potentially life-saving early diagnoses.

For more information about CRY, the Ben Smith Fund, or to book a screening, please visit:
https://www.c-r-y.org.uk/benjamin-michael-smith/

You can also find the official letter with full booking details here.

 

Match Report – Hampshire U18 Girls 10 – 20 Kent U18 Girls

CB Representative Programme – Game 2 18th Jan 2026
Dartfordians’ RFC, Bexley, Kent
Hampshire U18 Girls were narrowly beaten 20–10 by a strong Kent side in the second fixture of the CB Representative Programme, played at Dartfordians’ RFC in Bexley.
Kent made the stronger start and capitalised on early momentum, crossing for three tries in the first half to establish a commanding lead. Hampshire battled hard defensively but found themselves trailing at the break after sustained pressure from the Kent forwards and sharp attacking play out wide.
The second half saw a determined response from Hampshire, who showed resilience and improved cohesion. Their efforts were rewarded with two well-worked tries (1st was Bella (20) and 2nd was Jess (6)), bringing them back into contention and shifting the match’s tempo. Hampshire’s energy and commitment increased as they looked to close the gap.
However, Kent sealed the contest with a late try, ensuring they maintained control through to the final whistle and secured the victory.
We had a seamless partnership between our co-captains, Emma (10) and Beattie (8). The duo led with a perfect ‘fire and ice’ approach; Emma provided the tactical composure at fly-half. Meanwhile, Beattie led the charge from the pack, setting a physical standard with her relentless tenacity.
The match also marked a special moment for Hampshire as Cyan made her county debut on the wing, an impressive milestone in a competitive representative fixture. Following the game, the Hampshire squad sponsors, Alatar Ltd, were thanked for presenting Cyan with her County pin, recognising her achievement.
Kent named their opposition players of the match, with Jess (6) named Forward of the Match and Willow (13) awarded Back of the Match for their influential contributions.
Despite the result, Hampshire showed character and promise, particularly in the second half, and will take positives forward as the CB Representative Programme continues.

 

Alatar Ltd Announced as Sponsor of Hampshire U18 Girls Representative Rugby Team

Hampshire RFU is delighted to welcome Alatar Ltd as the new sponsor of the Hampshire U18 Girls representative squad for the 2025 season.

Based in Hampshire, Alatar Ltd is an independent consultancy specialising in executive leadership, strategy development, innovation, and project delivery. Founded by Commodore Steve Prest following his retirement from the Royal Navy in 2024, the company’s mission — “helping brilliant people to do amazing things” — resonates strongly with the ethos of Hampshire’s thriving girls’ rugby community.

During his 25-year naval career, Steve served as a Weapon Engineer Officer, leading major capability programmes and translating cutting-edge technology into practical frontline capability. Since its launch, Alatar has worked with a diverse range of clients to solve complex challenges and deliver strategic success across the Defence Sector and beyond.

Speaking about the new partnership, Steve said: “I’m delighted that Alatar Ltd has the opportunity to support Hampshire girls’ rugby in this way. The mission of the company is to help brilliant people do amazing things — and these players, and the volunteers who support them, are exactly that kind of people doing exactly those kind of things.”

Hampshire RFU Executive Director Tim Dancer added: “We’re thrilled to have Alatar’s support for our U18 girls’ squad. Partnerships like this make a real difference in enabling us to reach our mission of enhancing playing experiences for all. Alatar’s sponsorship helps provide the environment and opportunities for talented young players to develop and represent Hampshire with pride.”

This exciting partnership reflects a shared commitment to teamwork, excellence, and enabling potential — values at the heart of both Alatar Ltd and Hampshire RFU.

School Rugby Manager Update – Christmas 2025

As I conclude my first term as School Rugby Manager, I have been greatly encouraged by the depth of commitment and shared purpose demonstrated by volunteers across the region. It has been motivating to engage with so many teachers and coaches working collaboratively to support the long term development of rugby within our primary and secondary schools.

The KS3 girls festival at Trojans RFC on 14 November was a tremendous success with over 200 girls from 12 schools participating. It was a fantastic opportunity for girls across all levels of rugby experience to come together to learn and play in some hugely entertaining games. Many thanks to all the Trojans coaches including lead organiser Stefan Hargrave for providing such a fun day of rugby despite the rain and muddy conditions.

In November, we also saw the launch of an innovative pilot KS3 Thursday afterschool club at Portsmouth RFC led by Ian Thatcher and Ian Skinner. Training has already been delivered for boys and girls with a wide range of rugby experience from both Miltoncross and Mayfield Schools. We look forward to more schools, including Springfield, joining the afterschool club in January. The aspiration is to grow the pilot into a regular series of rugby matches between secondary schools in the Portsmouth area. Furthermore, we hope that this club and school partnership provides inspiration and opportunities for more boys and girls to join Portsmouth RFC.

Additionally, I have had the pleasure of providing several in school rugby taster sessions to over 200 primary children from Years 3 to 6. This has included Front Lawn Primary Academy in Havant who have since launched a weekly lunchtime touch rugby club ahead of hosting a regional multi academy trust tournament in March. Also I visited Gatcombe Park Primary in Portsmouth who are regularly supporting their girls to join festivals at Havant RFC and Portsmouth RFC.

Looking ahead to next term, I will be visiting more primary schools to provide children with fun rugby experiences and support staff with building rugby into their curricular and extracurricular programmes. I welcome interested schools to contact me at luke.worthington@tkat.org to discuss and arrange a visit.

Upcoming events:

  • Brune Park School will be hosting the Gosport primary girls festival on 13 February. Please contact Gemma Beames for more details at gbeames@kgabrunepark.uk
  • Portsmouth RFC are hosting a Years 5 & 6 girls festival on 13 February. Please contact Nicky Quinney for more details at nquinney@priorysouthsea.org
  • Portsmouth RFC are hosting a Years 5 & 6 T1 tournament on 29th March in collaboration with Hampshire RFU. Please contact Nicky Quinney for more details at nquinney@priorysouthsea.org

I wish all our club volunteers and school staff a restful Christmas holiday ahead of all the exciting opportunities to take local school rugby on to a new level in 2026.

 

Hampshire RFU launches Strategy 2025–2028: Building a Stronger Future for Rugby in Hampshire

Hampshire RFU is proud to announce the launch of our new Strategy 2025–2028, marking an important milestone in our ongoing commitment to strengthen rugby across the county – from grassroots participation to representative performance.

This strategy sets a clear direction for the next three years, built on a foundation of simplicity, integrity, and accountability. It outlines how we will work collaboratively with our clubs, schools, colleges, and volunteers to grow the game, support our people, and build sustainable rugby communities.

Our Journey to Here

The new strategy is the result of a comprehensive and inclusive process that began in November 2024 with a full review and restructure of Hampshire RFU and the recruitment of a refreshed Board.

  • Nov 2024 – Jul 2025: Review & restructure of Hampshire RFU and Board recruitment
  • Jul – Sep 2025: Development of our new Vision, Mission, and Values
  • Sep – Dec 2025: Alignment with the RFU’s 2030 Strategy, feedback from clubs through the Club Needs Survey, and wider stakeholder engagement
  • Sep – Dec 2025: Board Directors shaped detailed plans under three missions, each supported by clear budgets and outcomes
  • Nov 2025: Soft launch and feedback at the Clubs Meeting
  • Dec 2025: Final sign-off and launch

All of this has been achieved while continuing to deliver the day-to-day work of Hampshire RFU — a testament to the dedication of our staff, volunteers, and Board.

Guiding Principles

Our strategy has been designed with the same three principles that guided our restructure:

  • Simplicity – Clear, concise, and easy to understand for clubs and volunteers
  • Integrity – Doing the right things for the right reasons, with transparency
  • Accountability – Setting clear baselines, measurable targets, and transparent reporting through our annual review process

Looking Ahead

This is more than a document, it’s a shared roadmap. The Hampshire RFU Strategy 2025–2028 sets out how we will deliver on our missions to Grow the Game, Increase Investment and Support Our People.

You can explore the full strategy and supporting materials here: Hampshire RFU Strategy 2025–2028

We’re excited to take this next step together with our clubs, partners, and volunteers as we continue to strengthen rugby across Hampshire.

Hampshire RFU Welcomes Shane Castle as New Revenue Generation Consultant

Hampshire RFU is pleased to announce the appointment of Shane Castle as its new Revenue Generation Consultant, as part of the county’s ambitious 18‑month pilot project to support grassroots clubs in becoming more financially resilient.

This initiative, one of only 2 pilots in Constituent Bodies in England, is funded by the RFU and fully aligns to Hampshire RFU’s mission of increasing investment in Hampshire clubs. It is designed to help community clubs unlock new income streams, reduce costs, and build long-term sustainability.

Strategic & Practical Support

In his role, Shane will work hands-on with a cluster of 4 clubs across Hampshire, helping them to identify and capitalise on under‑utilised assets such as clubhouse bars, function rooms, car parks, and pitches. He will also advise on operational efficiencies, enabling clubs to reduce costs and reinvest savings into their core rugby activities.

Shane brings a wealth of proven experience and passion to the role, with over 20 years of hospitality, revenue generation and business development, including being National Account Manager with Diageo. His voluntary roles within rugby include managing, coaching and being an active member of the committee at Gosport & Fareham RFC, where he has also supported their sponsorship and commercial growth. His appointment reflects Hampshire RFU’s commitment to bringing fresh, expert-led investment and ideas into the grassroots game.

Neil McRoberts, Chair of Hampshire RFU, said:

“We are thrilled to welcome Shane Castle into this key role. His expertise will be instrumental in helping our clubs maximise their potential, not just on the pitch, but as thriving community hubs. This pilot is a demonstration of our long-term commitment to our mission of increasing investment into the game we love.”

How It Works

Over the duration of the 18-month programme, Shane will:

  • Collaborate with club leadership teams to run financial diagnostic reviews.
  • Develop tailored commercial strategies for each club, based on its unique assets and opportunities.
  • Facilitate shared services and best-practice sessions across the cluster of clubs, promoting knowledge exchange and economies of scale.
  • Support clubs in implementing new revenue-generating initiatives, such as venue hire, hospitality, and non-matchday events.

These efforts are aligned with Hampshire RFU’s broader facilities and funding work, which includes helping clubs to secure grant funding, optimise their physical infrastructure, and modernise operations.

Looking Ahead

The next step will be for Shane to establish a criteria to help select clubs to be part of this pilot, ensuring that we can deliver on the ambitious target of helping clubs to increase their revenues.

By the end of this pilot, Hampshire RFU aims to provide a proven, replicable model for sustainable growth that can be scaled. The learnings from Shane’s work will inform future support structures and potentially shape how community rugby clubs across the county approach commercial development.

For more information, go the Revenue Generation website page here or contact Shane at revenue-generation@hampshirerfu.com

Hampshire RFU AFGM & Clubs Meeting – summary and updates

Last week, Hampshire RFU welcomed club representatives to the Annual Financial General Meeting (AFGM) and Clubs Meeting at Romsey RFC. It was a great turn out, with 38 club volunteers representing 19 Hampshire clubs, engaging in the current and future plans of Hampshire RFU. The presentation shared at the event can be found below, along with summary notes and useful links.

AFGM:

  • Clubs unanimously approved the accounts presented by Stefan Hargrave, Director of Finance.

RFU Club Developer Update (Alex Roe, RFU):

  • Significant investment is being made into Hampshire rugby, responding to club needs identified in last year’s Club Development Survey.
  • This year, 76% of clubs reported being in a better position than last year.
  • The top three areas of focus for clubs this year: Player Recruitment, Revenue Generation, and Player Retention.
  • These priorities will guide the Club Developer work programme for 2025/26 and align to the mission of Hampshire RFU.

Hampshire RFU Vision, Mission & Values (Neil McRoberts, Chair of Hampshire RFU):

  • The new Vision, Mission, and Values were shared, alongside progress updates against the new mission statements of:
    • Enhancing the rugby offer across all ages and formats
    • Increasing investment and resources for our community
    • Optimising the time, talent, and impact of our volunteers
  • All of our efforts and focus as Hampshire RFU will be directed towards these mission statements, aligning brilliantly with the club needs, ensuring our core services and planned projects will make a real impact.
  • A full strategic plan is being finalised, enabling progress to be shared at the spring Clubs Meeting and July 2026 AGM.

Announcements & Updates:

  • Updated Hampshire RFU logo – cleaner and updated to reflect the change in monarch but retains the history of Hampshire.
  • WhatsApp and social media improvements – new Hampshire RFU communities established on What’s App and Facebook.
  • Investment in a Revenue Generation Consultant role – advert is live
  • New kit partnership – read more here
  • Volunteer appointments:
    • Tommy Gentleman as Facilities Lead
      • Reporting to George Winch, Club Investment Director, Tommy will work alongside Terry Foreman, who is retiring at the end of the season, ensuring a smooth handover. Tommy will support clubs to map facility assets, prioritise needs, and become “Investment Ready.
    • Matt Davis as Representative Rugby Lead
      • Responsible for the management and delivery of the county representative rugby programme and reporting to the Directors of Adult and Youth Rugby, Matt brings not only a wealth of knowledge but a proven record of leadership and development at county level.

Regulation 15 Review:

  • A full review is underway, and club feedback is encouraged, particularly regarding Age Grade rugby.
  • Provide your input here: Smartsheet Form.

Introducing Our New Hampshire RFU Girls’ Programme Sponsors!

Hampshire RFU are delighted to introduce two fantastic organisations who are supporting the U16 Girls Player Development Programme this season — Sports Physio and Bridge Beauty. Their generosity has helped us provide high-quality kit bundles for our players, and we’re excited to have them on board as part of the Hampshire rugby family.

 

Sports Physio

Led by Rob, an ex-county player and long-standing coach within the girls’ and boys’ game, Sports Physio brings 20 years of elite experience, including work with Premiership football referees, Olympic athletes, and professional sailors. With clinics in Swanwick and Eastleigh, Rob is passionate about helping young athletes develop safely and confidently.
Find out more: www.sports-physio.co.uk

 

Bridge Beauty

Based in the heart of Chandler’s Ford for 17 years, Bridge Beauty is known for high-quality treatments and a welcoming community feel. Owner Hannah was inspired by the opportunities within the girls’ programme and wanted to play her part in helping the next generation thrive.
Find out more: Bridge Beauty
Instagram: @bridgebeauty_
Facebook: Bridge Beauty

 

Please join us in welcoming both sponsors and thanking them for supporting the pathway for girls’ rugby in Hampshire. Give them a follow, pay them a visit, and help us celebrate the partners who are investing in rugby in Hampshire.

KS3 Girls Shine Through the Storm at Schools Festival

Driving rain and thick mud weren’t enough to dampen the spirit of more than 250 girls who took to the pitches on Friday 14th November at Trojans FC for the KS3 Girls Rugby Festival, part of the Hampshire Schools RFU (HSRFU) programme and proudly supported by Hampshire RFU.

Sixteen schools from across the county braved the conditions to take part in the Year 7, 8, and 9 festival, transforming a sodden Friday into a celebration of energy, determination, and muddy smiles. While attendance was slightly down on last year, unsurprising given the weather, those who made it contributed to a vibrant, spirited day of rugby development.

The festival was supported by the new Schools Rugby Manager (SRM), who made an immediate and positive impression on staff, volunteers, and participants alike.

Despite the challenging weather, a dedicated group of volunteers delivered the entire festival with remarkable resilience. Among them were two young female volunteers who had completed their Ready2Ref course just a week earlier, and then spent the whole day refereeing in the rain. Their commitment and enthusiasm were singled out as standout contributions.

Though the festival was a clear success, the day also highlighted an ongoing need: events of this scale and importance require sustained support, not only from the RFU, but increasingly from the schools themselves to ensure long-term sustainability and growth.

Hampshire RFU once again played a key role, providing vital support in planning and delivering the festival, helping ensure that every participant left with confidence, experience, and, inevitably, half the Trojans mud on their kit.

Stefan Hargrave, HSRFU Schools Girls Lead joked, “I pity the minibus carpets and washing machines, but what a day!”

 

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