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.

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.

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.

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!”

 

School Rugby Manager Update – October half term 2025

In my first half term as School Rugby Manager, I’ve been greatly encouraged by the passion and commitment shown by volunteers across our region. It’s been inspiring to meet so many people working together with a shared goal — to grow grassroots rugby within our state primary and secondary schools.

This half term has seen some fantastic initiatives take shape. Nine girls from Havant Academy had the incredible opportunity to play rugby on the pitch at Twickenham Stadium as part of the Continental Experience Day. Planning is already underway to build on this success by launching an after-school girls’ rugby club at the academy.

Across the region, 140 girls from 12 schools took part in touch rugby events hosted by Havant RFC, while two exciting new school-club partnerships have been established:

Miltoncross Academy with Portsmouth RFC

Bridgemary School with Gosport & Fareham RFC

In addition, ten local teachers have completed the RFU Secondary School Rugby Coaching Day at Cowplain School, helping to upskill and empower staff to deliver quality rugby sessions within their schools.

As we move towards Christmas, momentum continues to build. I’ll be working with PE leads from several local primary schools to deliver T1 taster sessions and distribute England Rugby equipment packs, helping more children access rugby for the first time. I’ll also be supporting Portsmouth RFC as they launch their first-ever T1 Megafest event for primary-aged pupils — an exciting new opportunity to celebrate the sport at grassroots level.

Following the tremendous success of last year’s KS3 Girls’ Development Festival — which saw over 300 girls from 15 schools take part — we’re delighted to invite schools to register for the 2025 Festival at Trojans RFC on Friday 14th November.

Looking further ahead, I’m excited to be collaborating with the Hampshire RFU executive team on plans for a county-wide T1 rugby tournament, scheduled for July 2026 — a key milestone in our long-term vision to grow participation and engagement in rugby across Hampshire.

Luke Worthington – School Rugby Manager (Havant, Gosport and Portsmouth)

 

World Cup winning Red Roses visit Hampshire rugby club

World Cup winning Red Roses players will be continuing their celebrations at Trojans Rugby Club in Hampshire as part of a national festival of the women’s game.

Following England clinching the World Cup with a convincing victory over Canada, the Eastleigh based club has been selected to host a visit by Abby Dow and Lucy Packer.

The event is part of the RugbyFest initiative, a nationwide celebration of rugby designed to inspire the next generation of players by building on the national team’s success.

With over 140 girls across four age groups and a further two senior women’s teams, Trojans is proud to be one of the largest and most inclusive female rugby sections in the region.

Girls from the club will be joining the England players for some craft activities, a mass warm up before taking part in a festival at the Stoneham Lane ground on Saturday, 4 October.

Chair Stefan Hargrave said:

“The Red Roses haven’t just inspired young players—they’ve inspired a nation and we can’t wait to host Abby and Lucy at our RugyFest this weekend.

“Many of our girls were among the crowds cheering them on through their World Cup winning campaign, so to have these players come to the club they play for will be beyond exciting for them.

“It will be a day to remember for our club and an inspiring experience for the next generation of Red Roses!”.

School Rugby Manager Update – September 2025

Early successes and building new relationships.

It has been just three weeks since I began my role as School Rugby Manager, but already it has been a rewarding and energetic start.
I have helped to launch new T1 and contact rugby programmes at both Bridgemary School in Gosport and Miltoncross School in Portsmouth, giving more young people the chance to experience the game. I have also started engaging with the youth leadership teams at local clubs, including Gosport and Fareham, and with the leadership at CM Sports, who are working to expand girls’ rugby opportunities across primary schools in the region.

Collaboration has also begun with local School Games Organisers to explore ways of identifying ‘champion’ primary schools in each area and to ensure school staff can access the latest rugby coaching CPD opportunities. On 17th September, I attended the national SRM induction day at Sixways Stadium, where I took part in T1 orientation training with England Rugby.

Looking further ahead, I am excited to be working with the Hampshire RFU executive team on the concept for a new county-wide T1 rugby tournament, scheduled to take place in Summer Term 2026.

Over the coming weeks, I am looking forward to continuing to support schools and clubs by delivering T1 orientation training for staff and coaches. Building on the momentum of the Red Roses, I am also preparing to support an exciting programme of girls’ rugby festivals in October, hosted at Havant RFC and Trojans RFC.

Find out more about my work on our School Rugby page.

Luke Worthington
School Rugby Manager for Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant

 

Hampshire RFU Celebrates Selection of the 2025 England Rugby U16 Girls PDG Squad

Hampshire RFU is proud to announce the 43 players selected for the 2025 England Rugby U16 Girls Player Development Group (PDG). Nominations were openly offered to all clubs to share with parents, and we were delighted to see nearly every girls’ section across the county engage with us. This reflects the continuing growth of the game and the strength of club support behind it.

The PDG programme offers a full season of development aligned to the RFU Girls’ Curriculum and delivered by Hampshire’s coaching team. The purpose of the programme is to develop players holistically; technically, physically, and mentally,  while opportunities remain open through mid-season reviews and assessments to ensure standards remain high.

Club Representation

Players in this year’s squad come from across Hampshire’s rugby community, including:

  • Basingstoke RFC
  • Eastleigh RFC
  • Ellingham & Ringwood RFC
  • Farnham RFC
  • Fawley RFC
  • Havant RFC
  • Petersfield RFC
  • Portsmouth RFC
  • Trojans FC
  • Alton RFC (dual registered)
  • Winchester RFC

This county-wide spread demonstrates the growing strength of the girls’ game, inspired in no small part by the ongoing success of the Red Roses.

Stefan Hargrave, Hampshire RFU Girls’ Lead, said:

“The level of commitment and athleticism this year has been outstanding. What excites us most is the potential for growth as the season progresses. With the balance of returners and new players, plus mid-season reviews, the squad will continue to be challenged, and opportunities will remain for others to step in and impress.”

Hampshire RFU looks forward to supporting the U16 Girls PDG squad through a season of development and progress, confident that the pathway will continue to raise standards and create future Red Roses.

Hampshire’s Young Leaders Inspired by Red Roses as part of Rugby World Cup 2025

The Women’s RWC inspiring the next generation.

Three of Hampshire’s young rugby leaders were given a unique opportunity this week when they attended a Red Roses training session in Brighton as part of preparations for the Rugby World Cup 2025.

Jasmine Knight, Ruby Rees-Stoner and Rosie Wragg – all young coaches and referees who are already giving back to the game – spent the day watching England’s stars up close, seeing first-hand the standards and values that underpin the world’s number one women’s rugby team. They were accompanied by the new Hampshire Girls PDG Lead Stefan Hargrave (mainly as the photographer!).

Girls Inspiring Girls

The experience was designed not only to showcase the Red Roses’ preparations but also to inspire Hampshire’s next generation of coaches and match officials as they begin assisting with the Girls Player Development Group (PDG) and county representative programmes for women and girls.

Stefan Hargrave, Girls PDG Lead for Hampshire RFU, said;
“These young women are already leaders in their own right. Watching the Red Roses has energised them for the season ahead, and they’ll now take that inspiration back into Hampshire’s PDG and county environments. It’s a brilliant example of how the Women’s Rugby World Cup is impacting the game beyond the host venues.”

Carrying the Torch Forward

For Jasmine, Ruby, and Rosie, the chance to stand just metres away from their England heroes was about more than just rugby. It was a reminder of what’s possible when hard work meets opportunity – and a spark to carry into their own leadership journeys.

With the Rugby World Cup 2025 being the biggest celebration of women’s rugby ever held in England and proving to be hugely popular, Hampshire’s commitment to developing coaches, referees, and role models for girls has never been stronger.

Find out more or get involved:

  • Hampshire RFU Girls Pathway and Representative Rugby here
  • Young Match Officials here
  • Coaching in Hampshire here

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