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.

Hampshire RFU Helping Shape New South Central Regional Growth Partnership

Hampshire RFU has welcomed the appointment of Andy Dunkley as the first Chair of the RFU’s new South Central Regional Growth Partnership Board, as the new regional structure designed to support the growth of community rugby continues to develop.

The South Central Board is one of seven new Regional Growth Partnership Boards being established across England by the RFU. Their purpose is to bring together rugby and wider regional partners to identify opportunities to grow participation, attract additional investment and strengthen the support available to the community game.

Hampshire RFU has been actively involved in the South Central partnership from its early stages, with our Chair, Neil McRoberts, contributing to the recruitment of the new independent Chair and other key roles within the emerging regional team.

With the wider make-up of the Board still being developed, Hampshire RFU is also contributing to discussions about how the partnership should be structured and how the voice and experience of the community game can be effectively represented.

What are the Regional Growth Partnership Boards?

For many club volunteers, the Regional Growth Partnership Boards will be new.

Seven boards are being established across England as part of changes to how the RFU supports the growth of community rugby. Their focus is specifically on growth – bringing more people into rugby and creating the partnerships and investment that can support that ambition.

They are intended to bring together people from within rugby alongside expertise and organisations from outside the game, helping regions identify opportunities that might be difficult to unlock at individual club or county level.

This could include attracting new funding and investment, developing partnerships, identifying new playing opportunities and coordinating activity where working across a wider geography makes sense.

Importantly, Hampshire RFU sees the Regional Growth Partnership as being additive to the work already taking place through clubs, Constituent Bodies and the thousands of volunteers who deliver the game.

It should create new opportunities and additional capacity – not another layer of complexity for our clubs.

Hampshire helping shape the new partnership

Hampshire RFU has been involved in developing the South Central arrangements from the outset, rather than simply waiting for the new structure to be established.

In addition to assisting the RFU with the recruitment of key roles in the regional set-up, Hampshire RFU Chair Neil McRoberts has been asked by the RFU to join a small, informal group of five Constituent Body (CB) Chairs, set up to provide ongoing feedback and counsel as the change process gets under way.

That involvement continues to place Hampshire RFU at the forefront of understanding, and helping shape, how this new initiative is rolled out, including the key discussions around the wider composition of the Board.

Hampshire RFU believes this ongoing contribution will help ensure the partnership combines the right expertise, connections and understanding of the community game – and, ultimately, the best possible outcome for our members.

The Regional Growth Partnership will cover a large and diverse area, and its success will ultimately be judged by whether it can translate regional thinking into tangible opportunities for clubs and participants.

Neil McRoberts, Chair of Hampshire RFU, said:

“There is a real opportunity through the Regional Growth Partnership to bring additional expertise, investment and relationships into rugby, and Hampshire has been pleased to play an active part in its development.

The important principle for us is that this should be additive. We already have strong clubs, volunteers and a clear strategy to deliver and grow rugby locally. The opportunity is to build around that – unlocking partnerships, investment and opportunities that can help us collectively grow the game.”

Connecting regional opportunity with our Hampshire strategy

Our involvement is also about ensuring the opportunities created through the new regional structure can support the ambitions already established through our Hampshire RFU Strategy 2025–2028 – Building a Stronger Rugby Future Together.

Our strategy gives Hampshire rugby a clear direction: to unite and empower our rugby community, grow participation, increase investment and resources, and make the best possible use of the time and talent of our volunteers.

That means we are approaching the Regional Growth Partnership with a clear understanding of what we want to achieve locally.

We want to explore where working regionally can help us reach more people, develop new partnerships, secure additional investment or provide expertise and capacity that would otherwise not be available to our clubs.

Where those opportunities exist, we want Hampshire to be well positioned to maximise them.

Local priorities, regional opportunity

The creation of a new regional structure does not change Hampshire RFU’s priorities.

Our starting point remains the needs of our clubs, players and volunteers and the commitments set out within our Strategy 2025–2028.

The opportunity presented by the South Central Regional Growth Partnership is to add to that work.

By being involved during its development – from helping recruit its leadership through to shaping the emerging Board – Hampshire RFU can help ensure that the new partnership remains connected to the realities of community rugby while also bringing new thinking, relationships and resources into the game.

There is still work to do before the South Central structure is complete, and we will continue to keep our clubs updated as it develops.

But our ambition is clear: to play an active role in shaping the partnership and to make the most of every opportunity it creates, helping rugby in Hampshire deliver our vision for a stronger rugby future together.

Further reading:
RFU: Chairs appointed to seven new Regional Growth Partnership Boards

Hampshire RFU Strategy 2025–2028

 

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.

Better Together: Hampshire RFU Helps Shape the Future of Player Development

While the 2025/26 season may have drawn to a close on the pitch, planning for the future is already well underway.

Last weekend, Hampshire RFU’s U16 Player Development Group (PDG) coaching team was represented at the RFU Foundation Phase PDG Conference by Rhys O’Leary, who joined coaches and player developers from across England at the home of the Football Association at St George’s Park, Burton upon Trent.

The conference centred around a simple but powerful theme: “Better Together.” The message was clear – while every Constituent Body has its own identity and local challenges, the future of player development lies in working more collaboratively, sharing best practice and delivering a more consistent experience for young players across the country.

The day explored three fundamental questions that will continue to shape the evolution of PDG programme:

Why?
Revisiting the individual and collective purpose of Foundation Phase programmes and ensuring every decision is rooted in supporting long-term player development.

Who?
Developing a shared understanding of the players we are looking to identify, how we assess them, and being realistic about the number of players we can effectively support to maximise their development.

How?
Ensuring coaching, learning and playing opportunities are fully aligned with the wider player development strategy, recognising that meaningful development happens over time, not simply through playing opportunities, but through a connected programme of coaching and experiences.

The themes align closely with Hampshire RFU’s own commitment to providing high-quality development opportunities that put the needs of young players first. Following another successful season for the county’s representative and development programmes – both on and off the field, insights from the conference will help shape planning for the 2026/27 season and beyond.

As Hampshire continues to strengthen its PDG pathway, events such as this ensure our coaches remain connected to national thinking while bringing fresh ideas back into the county.

Hampshire RFU AGM and Awards 2026: Celebrating a Year of Progress and Achievement

While much of the country settled down to watch England take on Argentina, more than 70 club representatives, volunteers, players and award winners gathered at Romsey RFC for Hampshire RFU’s 2026 Annual General Meeting and Awards Evening.

The evening combined the formal business of the Union with a celebration of another outstanding year for rugby across Hampshire, recognising the achievements of our clubs, representative players, volunteers and coaches who continue to make rugby thrive across the county.

Members unanimously approved both the AGM and AFGM minutes before reflecting on a year that has seen Hampshire continue to deliver against its 2025-2028 Strategy – Building a Stronger Future Together.

Following two years of review, modernisation and laying stronger foundations, the evening highlighted encouraging progress across each of the counties three strategic missions, seeing more people playing rugby across Hampshire, investment into clubs increasing, and volunteers receiving greater support and recognition.

Hampshire RFU’s recently published it’s Annual Report, which reflects on the progress made during the first year of the strategy while openly acknowledging the challenges that remain around player retention, club sustainability and volunteer recruitment.

Read the Annual Report here

Reflecting on the evening, Hampshire RFU Chair Neil McRoberts said:

“After a two-year journey of review, modernisation and building strong foundations, Hampshire has made a strong start in the first year of our strategy. More players, more investment into clubs and greater support and recognition for volunteers are clear signs of progress. But this is just the beginning as we continue to take on the challenges of player retention, club sustainability, and recruiting and supporting the volunteers who make our game possible.”

Celebrating Hampshire Rugby

Following the AGM, attention turned to celebrating the people and clubs who have made the past season so memorable.

Hosted by Hampshire RFU President Gary Self, the Hampshire RFU Awards recognised success from every corner of the game, from league champions and representative honours through to volunteers, coaches and clubs making an outstanding contribution to rugby in Hampshire.

This year’s awards marked two important milestones.

For the first time, the Age Grade Coach of the Year and Peter Ebbs Senior Coach of the Year awards were presented as part of the Hampshire RFU Awards, bringing every major county honour together under one roof.

The evening also saw the introduction of two new representative rugby awards.

The Hannan and Moore U17 Trophy was introduced in honour of the first coaches to lead Hampshire’s U17 Boys representative programme. Recognising players at a pivotal point in their rugby journey as they transition towards Colts rugby, the award celebrates commitment, leadership and character that define Hampshire representative rugby.

The Ed Neville U18 Girls Award, named after Past President Ed Neville, recognises his longstanding commitment to and passionate support of women’s and girls’ rugby in Hampshire. The award celebrates exceptional talent, commitment and performance throughout the U18 Girls representative programme while recognising the attitude and dedication that inspire those around them.

Award Winners

Adult Male League & Cup Winners

Competition Winner
Counties 1 Hampshire Champions (NEWS Challenge Trophy) Bognor RFC
Counties 2 Hampshire Champions (ECHO Cup) Farnham II
Counties 3 Hampshire Champions (PINNOCK Cup) Ventnor RFC
Counties 4 Hampshire Champions Fawley RFC
Counties 5 Hampshire Champions Sandown & Shanklin II
Counties 6 South Champions Fareham Heathens II
Counties 6 North Champions Farnborough RFC
Veterans Cup Winners Tottonians RFC
Veterans Plate Winners Portsmouth RFC
Counties 1 & 2 Cup Winners Basingstoke RFC
Counties 3 & 4 Cup Winners Farnborough RFC
Counties 3 & 4 Reserve Cup Winners Tottonians RFC

Representative Rugby Awards

Award Winner Club
Brian Short Memorial Trophy Evie Smith Portsmouth RFC
Robbie Keast U16 Girls Award Imogen Lane Trojans FC
Hannan and Moore U17 Trophy (Inaugural Winner) Thomas Read Havant RFC
Robbie Keast U18 Boys Award George Musselwhite Havant RFC
Ed Neville U18 Girls Award (Inaugural Winner) Jessica Chivers Trojans FC
John Sneezum U20 Captain’s Tankard Cameron Davey Havant RFC
FMT Bunney Trophy – Senior Men’s Bill Beaumont Player of the Year Karter Whittock Petersfield RFC
Senior Women’s Gill Burns Player of the Year Sophie Slimm Millbrook RFC

 

Senior Men’s Bill Beaumont County Champions

A special presentation recognised the outstanding achievements of Hampshire’s Senior Men’s representative squad, crowned Bill Beaumont Division 3 County Champions following victory at Allianz Stadium.

The success reflected a new era for representative rugby in Hampshire, with more clubs contributing players than ever before. Representatives from the following clubs were recognised on the evening:

Alton, Andover, Ellingham & Ringwood, Gosport & Fareham, Havant, Petersfield, Portsmouth, Sandown & Shanklin, Tottonians, Trojans, Ventnor and Winchester.

Thank You to Our Leavers

Hampshire RFU also recognised a number of volunteers whose commitment and dedication have helped shape rugby across the county.

Volunteer Contribution
David Dunn Manager of Representative Rugby
Josh Brown Representative Rugby Age Grade Manager
Chris Budden Adult Competitions
Alison Denmead U18 Girls Manager
Luke Wilson U18 Girls Coach
Hannah Roberts U18 Girls Coach
Renny Smith U18 Girls Coach
Paul Hillian U20 Head Coach
Andy Duncombe U20 Coach
Jack Phillips U20 Coach
Jon U20 Coach
Lynne Piddington U15/U16 Competition Organiser
Ian Wells U18 Competition Organiser

Thank you all for the time, passion and expertise you have given to rugby in Hampshire.

Hampshire RFU Awards

Award Winner Club
Special Recognition Jessica Sims, Ophelia Cleugh, Sophie Hargrave Trojans FC
Volunteer of the Year Matt Davis Hampshire Representative Rugby
Age Grade Coach of the Year Stefan Hargrave Trojans FC
Peter Ebbs Senior Coach of the Year Rudi Kochanowski Trojans RFC & Hampshire Senior Men
Fundraiser of the Year Sandown & Shanklin RFC Sandown & Shanklin RFC
Club of the Year Romsey RFC Romsey RFC
Hampshire RFU President’s Award Jed Stone United Services Portsmouth RFC

The evening was a fitting celebration of everything that makes rugby in Hampshire special. From clubs achieving success on the field to volunteers giving thousands of hours behind the scenes, every award reflected the strength of our rugby community and our shared commitment to Building a Stronger Future Together.

Congratulations to every winner, nominee and volunteer recognised throughout the evening, and thank you to every club, player, coach, referee and volunteer who continues to make rugby thrive across Hampshire.

Photo gallery from the Hampshire RFU AGM and Awards Evening below.

Hampshire RFU Conference 2026 Brings the Rugby Community Together

More than 120 volunteers from across Hampshire gathered at Totton College for the Hampshire RFU Conference 2026, bringing together coaches, Club Coaching Coordinators, Safeguarding Officers, Rugby Safety Leads and Youth Chairs for a day of learning, collaboration and sharing best practice.

This year’s conference introduced a new format, bringing together several key volunteer roles under one roof. The approach created greater opportunities for collaboration, encouraging delegates to share experiences, discuss common challenges and explore new ideas to support rugby across the county.

The day began with an engaging keynote from Nigel Redman, who shared his thoughts on succession planning and the importance of developing the next generation of volunteers and leaders within the game.

Following the keynote, delegates moved into role-specific sessions. The coaching programme, delivered by LMP and supported by Hampshire RFU’s U16 Girls Player Development Group, generated excellent discussion and practical ideas, with coaches sharing experiences.

Safeguarding Officers and Rugby Safety Leads spent the morning sharing updates, discussing current priorities and exchanging best practice to help clubs continue providing safe, enjoyable environments for everyone involved in the game.

One of the most thought-provoking sessions of the day focused on Neurodiversity, prompting valuable conversations about how Hampshire RFU can better support clubs by signposting resources, developing coaches’ understanding and creating more inclusive environments where every player has the opportunity to thrive.

Following lunch, the coaching group reconvened for a practical pre-season session led by Theo Rhodes, Hampshire RFU Senior Women’s and Trojans RFC Lead Coach. Focusing on retention, connection and preparation, the session offered coaches fresh ideas to take back to their clubs ahead of the new season. The practical demonstrations were supported by U16 and U17 boys from clubs across Hampshire, whose enthusiasm and commitment helped bring the session to life.

At the same time, Youth Chairs explored the RFU Inclusion Framework, with Hampshire RFU proud to be one of the Constituent Bodies piloting the initiative. The Club Coaching Coordinators also had a sneak peak at the new templates produced by Hampshire RFU to help them better recruit and develop their volunteers – CCC, Lead Coach, Team Manager and Coach role descriptors alongside a coaching skills matrix.

Throughout the day, delegates embraced the opportunity to network, exchange ideas and learn from colleagues working in different areas of the game. The collaborative format generated positive feedback, with attendees valuing the opportunity to share best practice, challenge thinking and leave with practical ideas to take back to their clubs.

Hampshire RFU would like to thank Totton College for hosting this year’s conference, all of the presenters and facilitators for sharing their expertise, and every volunteer who gave up their time to invest in the future of rugby across the county.

The success of the 2026 Conference demonstrated the strength of Hampshire’s volunteer network and reinforced the collective commitment to developing a safe, inclusive and thriving game for players, coaches and volunteers across Hampshire.

Hampshire RFU Publishes 2025/26 Annual Report: Reflecting on a Year of Progress, Partnership and Growth

Hampshire RFU is pleased to publish its 2025/26 Annual Report, marking the completion of the first year of delivery against the organisation’s ambitious 2025-2028 Strategy.

The report is more than a review of the past season. It represents an important milestone in Hampshire RFU’s transformation over the last two years, following a comprehensive governance review, the appointment of a new Board, significant investment in digital transformation and the launch of a new strategy in December 2025.

Rather than simply reporting activity, this year’s Annual Report measures Hampshire RFU’s progress against the three strategic missions that will guide the organisation through to 2028:

  • Mission One – Enhance the Rugby Experience
  • Mission Two – Increase Investment and Resources
  • Mission Three – Support Our People and Volunteers

Throughout the report, readers will find evidence of how these priorities have shaped decision-making and investment across the county, alongside stories from clubs, volunteers and partners who have helped make that progress possible.

The report celebrates another year of growth across rugby in Hampshire, highlighting increased participation, greater investment into clubs and facilities, strengthened partnerships, improved support for volunteers and continued progress in growing the girls’ and women’s game. It also showcases initiatives including the Revenue Generation Pilot, Volunteer Recognition Programme, Ready2Ref, club investment and representative rugby, demonstrating how Hampshire RFU is working with clubs to build a stronger and more sustainable future for the game.

Importantly, the report also reflects openly on the challenges that remain. A dedicated Challenges and Learning section recognises the evolving needs of clubs, the importance of player and volunteer retention, and the need to continue developing flexible opportunities that reflect the changing nature of community rugby. Looking ahead, the report outlines Hampshire RFU’s priorities for the 2026/27 season, ensuring the organisation remains focused on delivering meaningful support where it can have the greatest impact.

Publishing the report is also an opportunity to recognise the people behind the progress.

Everything highlighted within its pages has been made possible through the dedication of volunteers, clubs, schools, referees, coaches, players, partners and supporters who give their time, expertise and energy to rugby in Hampshire every week. Whether delivering rugby on the pitch, supporting clubs behind the scenes or helping shape the future of the game, their contribution continues to be the foundation of everything Hampshire RFU achieves.

Hampshire RFU would like to thank everyone who has contributed not only to this Annual Report, but to a season characterised by collaboration, growth, investment and a commitment to supporting rugby across the county.

As Hampshire RFU enters the second year of its strategy, the ambition remains clear: to create outstanding rugby experiences, strengthen clubs, invest in sustainable growth and ensure that rugby in Hampshire continues to be a place where players, volunteers and communities can thrive.

Read the Hampshire RFU 2025/26 Annual Report and discover how, together, we are shaping the future of rugby across Hampshire.

Basingstoke RFC ‘Volunteers and Members – Make & Amend’s’

Looking to reduce operational costs we have as a club looked to energise our voluntary member and non member workforce. ‘Make & Mend Days’ are at the weekend in the off season, normally a Saturday. The Committee work to distil a list of jobs that need to be completed and put out the call to the club across all age groups Men, Women, Girls, Boys and Mini’s. We have picked out three dates so far this summer the first was Sat. 20th June followed by the 27th June and the 11th July.

We meet at the club circa 10.30am and push through to around 4.00pm. Normally followed with some form of well earned refreshments ( age applicable – obviously 🙂 )

The jobs include washing down and painting changing room walls, showers and toilets; Repairing garden furniture and club seats, strimming the grass borders around the club footprint, washing curtains in the clubhouse, window cleaning, placing safety signage in the car park, cleaning rugby training kit such as tackle pads, post protectors and tackle shields.

Last Saturday 20th June we estimate that our volunteers delivered over 100 hrs of free labour resource. We have already received 21 volunteers names for the next event (27th June) which include Mini’s Mum’s & Dad’s, youth across all age groups and Senior squad members from the Ladies and Men.

We purposely mix the volunteer work teams to build friendships and team spirit across the different age and gender groups (with the relevant safe guarding in place).

Our Goal is to try and save £3-5k in annual refurbishment costs, energise and exercise our volunteers, make it fulfilling…., but most of all FUN.

The club pays for sources the cleaning materials, paint, bushes and rollers etc. the volunteers just make sure that they are dressed for the occasion and come with a large measure of ‘Elbow Grease’.

Many of our volunteers who are professional tradesman also arrive with their own tools and fix some quite complex refurbishment challenges that have a significant cost saving.

 

Hampshire Rugby Volunteers Recognised at Special Celebration Event

More than 90 volunteers and invited guests from across Hampshire came together at Winchester RFC to celebrate the outstanding individuals who make rugby happen across the county at the RFU’s annual Volunteer Recognition Event.

Volunteers are the heartbeat of rugby, dedicating countless hours to everything from coaching and refereeing to maintaining pitches, running clubhouses, organising events and creating welcoming environments for players, members and supporters alike. Their passion and commitment are what keep the game thriving at grassroots level.

Each year, the RFU encourages clubs to nominate individuals and groups for its Volunteer of the Year Awards, supported by Switch Car Rental. The awards recognise volunteers across three categories:

  • Unsung Hero – for those who go above and beyond, often unnoticed, to make rugby happen and improve the experience for everyone involved.
  • Game for All – celebrating volunteers who have developed inspiring initiatives to make rugby more accessible and attract new audiences.
  • Keeping Players in the Game – recognising those who have played a crucial role in supporting player retention and helping people stay involved in rugby at key transition points.

This year, more than 100 Hampshire volunteers were nominated by their clubs for the awards. To recognise their incredible contribution, Hampshire RFU invited nominees and guests to a special evening of celebration and thanks at Winchester RFC.

The event began with a welcome drink, providing an opportunity for volunteers from across the county to connect, share stories and celebrate their achievements together. Throughout the evening, nominees were recognised for the countless hours they dedicate to supporting their clubs and local rugby communities.

Guests also took part in a Hampshire RFU raffle, with prizes including a pair of Men’s Six Nations tickets, a Hampshire RFU stash voucher, and, as ever, a selection of refreshments that proved extremely popular with attendees.

Among this year’s nominees, a shortlist of 5 were put forward to the RFU for national recognition:

  • Gemma House – Locksheath Pumas RFC
  • Harry Andrews – Aldershot & Fleet RFC
  • Leonie Randles – Romsey RFC
  • Nigel Spencer – Hampshire Rugby Referees
  • Stefan Hargrave – Trojans FC

The RFU selected Gemma House and Harry Andrews as a national finalists, and will now attend the RFU Volunteer of the Year Awards at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, in September.

Hannah Avoth, Director of People at Hampshire RFU, said:
“Hampshire RFU is delighted to celebrate and recognise the amazing contribution of our volunteers across Hampshire. These awards are a really simple and visible way for clubs to thank their volunteers, and we hope to see even more nominations in future years.

“Each of the nominees should be hugely proud of being recognised by their club. Volunteers are the lifeblood of our sport, and it was fantastic to welcome so many dedicated people to this year’s celebration event. We wanted to recognise not only their nominations, but also the passion, time and energy they bring to the game week in, week out.”

Martin Wilson, CEO of Switch Car Rental, added:
“Switch is proud to support the Volunteer Recognition Programme. Without the dedication of volunteers at every level of the grassroots game, the sport we know and love wouldn’t be able to survive. Well done to all those nominated for this year’s Volunteer Awards.”

The Volunteer of the Year Awards continue to shine a spotlight on the individuals who often work behind the scenes but whose efforts are essential to the success and growth of rugby. Hampshire RFU would like to thank every club that submitted nominations and congratulate all those recognised during the evening.

We look forward to celebrating even more of Hampshire’s rugby volunteers in the years ahead.

 

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