Hampshire RFU and Hampshire Schools Rugby Unite to Shape the Future of the Game

A new chapter for schools rugby in Hampshire has begun.

Hampshire Rugby Football Union is delighted to announce that Hampshire Schools Rugby Football Union (HSRFU) has formally merged into Hampshire RFU, following unanimous support from HSRFU members and confirmation from England Schools Rugby.

The merger creates a single organisation to lead and support schools rugby across the county, strengthening links between schools, clubs and the wider game while creating a more sustainable future for rugby in Hampshire.

Hampshire is the first Constituent Body in England to complete this type of merger, with a number of other counties now exploring similar approaches. It is another example of Hampshire leading the way in finding practical solutions that strengthen the game for future generations.

For many years, Hampshire Schools RFU has been driven by the commitment of dedicated volunteers. Their work has ensured that schools competitions, festivals and representative opportunities have continued despite increasing pressures on schools, changing educational priorities and limited volunteer capacity. Hampshire RFU would like to express its sincere thanks to everyone involved with HSRFU, both past and present, for their commitment to young people and schools rugby across the county.

The merger is not simply about bringing two organisations together. It is about creating a stronger platform from which schools rugby can grow.

By working as one organisation, Hampshire RFU will be able to provide clearer strategic leadership, improve communication across schools and clubs, develop stronger player pathways and make better use of resources. Schools rugby will also benefit from greater alignment with Hampshire RFU’s Strategy 2025–2028, ensuring that young people remain at the heart of the county’s ambitions.

The move comes at an important time for education and community sport. As schools adapt to changes in PE and school sport funding, alongside the evolving RFU regional structure, Hampshire is well placed to work collaboratively with schools, teachers, School Games Organisers and clubs to create new opportunities for participation.

Investing in the Future

A key part of the merger is a new investment in schools rugby delivery.

Working in partnership with Queen Mary’s College, Basingstoke, Hampshire RFU will be supporting the appointment of a Schools Rugby Manager (North Hampshire). The role has been expanded to include a dedicated county-wide remit, funded by Hampshire RFU, to support schools rugby across the whole county.

Alongside local delivery in North Hampshire, the role will provide leadership for Hampshire-wide schools rugby by:

  • Coordinating schools festivals and competitions across the county.
  • Supporting the growth and retention of Hampshire Schools Rugby membership.
  • Developing stronger links between schools, clubs and Hampshire representative rugby.
  • Building partnerships with schools, School Games Organisers and education providers.
  • Promoting schools rugby through communications, case studies and sharing good practice.

The post will be hosted by Queen Mary’s College and is a 2.5-day per week position with flexible working arrangements. Recruitment will open shortly, with further details and the full job description to be published in the coming weeks.

Building on Strong Foundations

The merger also enables Hampshire RFU to build upon successful initiatives already delivered through Hampshire Schools RFU, including the popular KS3 Boys Cup, U18 Cup (boys and girls) and Sevens alongside KS2 Touch Rugby Festival and KS3 Girls Rugby Festival.

These programmes have demonstrated the appetite for schools rugby across the county and provide an excellent foundation from which to expand participation, create new playing opportunities and strengthen connections between schools and community clubs.

Looking ahead, Hampshire RFU will also:

  • Develop a dedicated schools rugby section on the Hampshire RFU website.
  • Review and coordinate county-wide schools competitions and festivals.

Looking Ahead

This merger represents an important milestone, but more importantly it marks the beginning of an exciting new journey.

Schools rugby has enormous potential within Hampshire. By bringing schools fully into the Hampshire RFU family, we can create stronger partnerships, support more teachers and volunteers, provide better opportunities for young players and ensure schools rugby has a sustainable future.

Together, we can inspire more young people to discover rugby, enjoy rugby and remain in the game for life.

We look forward to sharing further updates over the coming months, including details of the Schools Rugby Manager recruitment and our plans for the 2026–27 season.

Start of Season 2026 – Hampshire RFU Update

Hampshire RFU will align our Merit League and local Age Grade competitions with the RFU’s decision to delay the start of the competitive community rugby season until the week commencing Monday 21 September.

While Hampshire RFU has responsibility and a degree of autonomy over these competitions, we believe aligning with the national position is the right decision for rugby in Hampshire.

It is a decision centred on two things: player welfare and fairness.

The exceptionally hard ground conditions this summer have severely restricted the ability of many clubs to train normally. For the vast majority, opportunities to progressively prepare players for full-contact rugby have been significantly reduced or, in some cases, removed altogether.

The question is therefore not simply whether a pitch might be playable on a particular weekend. We also need to consider whether the players taking to that pitch have had an appropriate opportunity to prepare safely for competitive contact rugby.

There is also a question of fairness. Some clubs have had access to AWP’s, irrigated pitches or other facilities which have enabled greater levels of preparation; many others have not.

With our responsibility for player welfare, alongside our ambition to retain and grow participation, we believe a short delay is both sensible and proportionate. It provides players with additional preparation time and gives our competitions the best opportunity to begin safely and fairly.

Read the full RFU announcement: Start of the Competitive Community Rugby Season

What happens next?

Our competition organisers and league secretaries will now work through the necessary changes to schedules and communicate directly with clubs and teams where required.

In the meantime, this does not mean rugby has to stop. Training can continue where conditions allow and the appropriate risk assessments are undertaken. The RFU has also confirmed that friendly fixtures can take place where local conditions, player readiness and safety allow.

We encourage clubs to use the coming weeks positively: progressively preparing players for contact, considering non-contact formats and, where appropriate, working with neighbouring clubs to explore access to suitable facilities and opportunities to play.

As schedules are adjusted, we also ask clubs to continue the culture of collaboration and creativity that exists across Hampshire rugby. Communicating early, working constructively with opposition clubs and considering alternative dates, venues, fixture reversals and suitable Artificial Grass Pitches can all help us find solutions.

Building a more resilient game

The current situation also reinforces a wider challenge we recently highlighted in our article, Extreme Weather: Building Greater Resilience into Our Community Game.

In recent seasons we have experienced waterlogged pitches, frozen grounds and now prolonged dry weather and exceptionally hard playing surfaces.

Weather will always affect rugby. What is becoming increasingly important is how effectively we adapt to it. That means continuing to think creatively about competition structures, reserve weekends, facilities and greater flexibility around when and where rugby is played.

Read: Extreme Weather – Building Greater Resilience into Our Community Game

There will inevitably be challenges in the weeks ahead, but our collective aim remains simple:

to find safe and sensible ways to keep rugby being played.

By continuing to work together, we can protect our players, support our volunteers and give as many people as possible the opportunity to enjoy rugby across Hampshire.

Hampshire RFU Board

Terry Burwell
Hampshire RFU Council Member & Chair, Adult Competitions Management Sub Committee

Extreme Weather: Building Greater Resilience into Our Community Game

Six months ago, many rugby clubs were looking anxiously at waterlogged pitches.

Three years ago, frozen ground caused widespread disruption to fixtures.

And now, unusually dry conditions have left pitches exceptionally hard and raised a different set of concerns around player welfare.

None of these challenges are new. Weather has always affected community rugby. What is becoming increasingly important, however, is our ability to respond to greater variability in playing conditions and to think more strategically about how we keep rugby on.

For Hampshire RFU, with  over 11,500 registered players across the adult and age grade game, that matters.

Because every game lost has an impact.

More than a postponed fixture

The immediate consideration must always be player safety. If a pitch isn’t safe, rugby shouldn’t be played on it.

But when games are lost, the consequences extend beyond the fixture itself.

Players lose an opportunity to play. Coaches and volunteers lose the activity they have spent time preparing for. Competition programmes become more difficult to manage and, particularly in age grade rugby, another opportunity to keep players engaged in the game disappears.

There is also a direct financial consequence.

A home fixture brings players, supporters and visitors into a rugby club. They use the bar, buy food and contribute to the wider matchday economy. When that fixture disappears, much of that income can disappear with it.

One postponed Saturday or Sunday may have a relatively small impact. Several lost weekends across a season can be much more significant.

That is why rugby resilience and financial resilience are increasingly connected.

Hampshire RFU has already been working with clubs on revenue generation and encouraging them to think beyond traditional reliance on membership subscriptions and bar sales. Greater diversification of income helps clubs absorb disruption when circumstances outside their control mean rugby cannot take place.

But an equally important part of the answer is doing everything reasonably possible to prevent games being lost in the first place.

Finding ways to play

There will always be occasions when postponement is unavoidable. The challenge is ensuring it is the last sensible option rather than automatically the first.

Competition guidance and regulations provide mechanisms for managing disruption, including reserve weekends within the calendar. Those are important safeguards and provide somewhere for fixtures to go when they genuinely cannot be played.

But before reaching that point, there are often practical alternatives worth exploring.

  • Could the fixture be reversed and played at the opposition ground?
  • Could a neighbouring club provide a suitable pitch?
  • Is a neutral venue available?
  • Could an all-weather pitch be accessed?
  • Could greater flexibility around kick-off times allow more than one fixture to use a playable surface across a weekend?
  • Could Friday-night rugby under lights provide another opportunity?

Not every solution will work for every club or every fixture. Nor should finding an alternative ever override an appropriate decision about player welfare.

The principle, however, is simple: communicate early, work collaboratively and explore the sensible options available to keep the game on.

Hampshire is fortunate to have a strong network of clubs and volunteers, and greater collaboration between them could become an increasingly important part of how we manage future disruption.

We need more resilient places to play

There is also a longer-term question.

If we experience periods where pitches are too wet, too hard or frozen within the same playing season, our facilities need to become more capable of responding to those extremes.

For some clubs that may mean better drainage or improved pitch maintenance.

For others it could mean floodlights, creating greater flexibility around when rugby can be played.

Across the game, access to all-weather pitches will also become increasingly valuable, particularly where facilities can support several clubs, schools and community programmes within a geographical area.

These are significant investments and they will not happen everywhere or overnight.

But that makes planning for them more important, not less.

Becoming investment-ready

One of the messages Hampshire RFU will continue to promote is the importance of clubs being investment-ready.

Funding opportunities inevitably emerge – through the RFU, local authorities, partners and other organisations – but clubs are in a much stronger position to take advantage when they already understand what their facilities need.

That means having a facilities plan.

It means understanding the condition and capacity of pitches.

It means considering what improvements would make the biggest difference to the amount of rugby that can be played.

And, importantly, it means developing sufficient financial resilience to contribute towards investment when opportunities arise.

The ambition does not need to be an all-weather pitch at every rugby club. A relatively modest investment in drainage, irrigation, maintenance equipment or floodlighting might provide a much greater return for an individual club.

The starting point is understanding the problem we are trying to solve: how do we create more opportunities for rugby to be played?

Protecting the game – and the club behind it

This is where facilities, competitions and revenue generation increasingly come together.

A more resilient pitch means more games can be played.

More games mean more opportunities for players to participate and remain connected to rugby.

They also mean more people coming through the clubhouse and greater opportunity for clubs to generate the income that ultimately supports their rugby programmes.

At the same time, clubs with broader and more sustainable sources of revenue are better able to withstand the occasions when fixtures inevitably are lost – and are more capable of investing in the facilities that reduce future disruption.

It becomes a virtuous circle: better facilities support more rugby; more rugby supports stronger clubs; and stronger clubs are better placed to invest in their future.

Planning for what we can control

Community rugby will never remove weather from the equation.

Six months ago, the concern was waterlogged pitches.

Three years ago, it was frozen ground.

At other times, like now, it will be drought and hard surfaces.

We cannot control which of those challenges arrives next.

What we can control is how prepared we are for it.

That means sensible competition structures with contingency built in. It means reserve weekends when they are needed. It means clubs communicating and collaborating rather than operating in isolation. It means thinking differently about when and where games can be played.

And, increasingly, it means investing in the resilience of both our facilities and our clubs.

The objective is ultimately a very simple one:

safe pitches, more games played, fewer fixtures lost and stronger rugby clubs.

Hampshire RFU Schools Touch Festival Brings Together 12 schools and 140 Young Players in Pilot Event

Hampshire RFU, on behalf of Hampshire Schools RFU, proudly hosted its inaugural Year 5/6 Schools Touch Rugby Festival, bringing together 140 children from across the county for a fantastic celebration of rugby, teamwork and participation.

Following local School Games competitions, 12 schools from across Hampshire were invited to take part in the pilot festival, creating an exciting opportunity for young players to represent their schools and enjoy a day of competitive touch rugby.

The event was organised by Hampshire RFU’s Executive Director and expertly scheduled by School Rugby Manager (Havant, Gosport and Portsmouth), Luke Worthington, who used Tournify to ensure a smooth running order.

A team of 16 student leaders from Barton Peveril College played a pivotal role throughout the day. Having received training in college pre event, the leaders delivered warm-up activities, officiated matches and helped create a positive and enjoyable environment for every player involved. Their enthusiasm made them excellent role models throughout the day, demonstrating the TREDS values in the way they led, supported participants and represented the game.

Hampshire RFU would like to thank County Women’s Team Manager and Trojans Safeguarding Lead, Vicki Berry, alongside Trojans Youth Chair and Hampshire RFU Young Rugby Ambassador Champion, Dan Power, for their support in delivering the event. A huge thank you to Trojans FC for hosting the event – especially marking out the pitches.

The participating schools were:

  • Cherbourg Primary School
  • Fair Oak Junior School
  • Liss School
  • Ludlow Junior School
  • Matchwood Primary School
  • Padnell Junior School
  • Queen’s Inclosure Primary School
  • Ropley Church of England Primary School
  • Spring Hill Primary School
  • The Crescent Primary School
  • Townhill Junior School

Throughout the day, teams competed in round-robin pool stages before progressing to final placement matches against teams from the corresponding pool positions, ensuring every school enjoyed meaningful and competitive rugby. Every child left with a smile and a medal!

The festival demonstrated the growing appetite for touch rugby within Hampshire schools and highlighted the positive impact that strong partnerships between schools, volunteers, colleges and rugby clubs can have on providing memorable sporting experiences for young people. A show of hands demonstrated that less than a third of the 130 children played in a community rugby club and as a result Hampshire RFU is sending the schools a list of clubs local to their catchment areas to help encourage transition to club rugby.

Hampshire RFU would like to thank all players, teachers, volunteers, officials and supporters who contributed to the success of this pilot event. We look forward to building on its success and welcoming even more schools to future festivals.

Festival Winners: Queens Inclosure Primary, Waterlooville

Growing Rugby in Primary Schools Across Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant

As schools continue to prioritise physical literacy, wellbeing, and character development, rugby offers a powerful vehicle to support all three. Across Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant, there is a significant opportunity for senior leadership teams to embed rugby as a meaningful and sustainable part of school life. This is not about producing elite athletes; it is about developing confident, resilient, and respectful young people.

Below are four key themes to support growth in schools.

1. Interschool Festivals and Competitions

Regular festivals and competitions provide purpose and excitement for pupils while strengthening school identity. A well structured calendar of inclusive, development focused events ensures that rugby is accessible to all, not just the most able.

These festivals emphasise participation, teamwork, and enjoyment, aligning with broader school priorities around inclusion and engagement. They also create natural milestones for pupils and teachers, building momentum and sustained interest throughout the year. Already this academic year, over 400 boys and girls representing 40 local schools have participated in rugby events primarily hosted at Havant, Portsmouth and Trojans rugby clubs.

2. Training Staff to Deliver Rugby in Schools

One of the most common barriers to rugby delivery in primary schools is staff confidence. Investing in staff development is therefore critical.

Primary level training opportunities at no cost are available in your school, delivered by your local school rugby manager luke.worthington@tkat.org. England Rugby also provides a no cost primary school coaching qualification, with courses regularly run in our area. Typically, these CPD sessions are one to three hours and equip staff with the skills and confidence to deliver safe, engaging sessions. Importantly, this creates long term sustainability, with rugby becoming embedded within the PE curriculum rather than dependent on external provision. For example, following a 60 minute session delivered by Luke Worthington, Front Lawn Primary Academy has established a lunchtime rugby club run by their external PE providers for Years 5 and 6.

3. Rugby values as a vehicle to enhance behaviours

For rugby to thrive, it must align with whole school priorities. The core values of rugby are summarised as TREDS (Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, Sportsmanship) and map directly onto the personal development and behaviour frameworks that schools are already striving to deliver.

By positioning rugby as a tool for character education, SLTs (senior leadership teams) can confidently support its inclusion. It becomes more than a sport; it becomes a vehicle for developing leadership, resilience, and positive behaviour across the school.

4. Collaboration with SGOs and Local Rugby Clubs

Sustainable provision is built on strong partnerships. School Games Organisers and local rugby clubs play a vital role in supporting schools with expertise, resources, and pathways.

Collaboration can unlock access to qualified coaches and delivery support, clear transition routes from school to community sport, shared facilities and joint events, and increased opportunities for pupils beyond the school environment. This joined up approach ensures continuity and strengthens the local sporting ecosystem.

Suggested Next Steps for Schools:

  • Review your current PE and sport offer to identify where rugby can complement existing provision.
  • Engage with your local SGO to explore upcoming festivals, competitions, and training opportunities.
  • Identify school staff champions who can lead rugby within schools and support their development.
  • Connect with local rugby clubs to establish partnerships and enrichment opportunities.
  • Pilot a school rugby festival trip to build initial momentum and gather pupil voice.

Rugby has the potential to make a lasting impact on pupils, not just physically but socially and emotionally. With the right structures and partnerships in place, schools across Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant can create inclusive, values driven rugby experiences that benefit every child.

 

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!”

 

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