grassroots rugby

Our Rugby Club Podcast

BOTR 2026-02-18 The Boardroom Bottom of the Ruck, club rugby, grassroots rugby, keep rugby grassy, Our Rugby Club, Podcast, rugby, Rugby Podcast, The Boardroom

our Rugby club podcast

coming soon

We’d like to introduce you to a new podcast, called Our Rugby Club, coming soon to Clubland. Hosted by Gavin Chase from Advantage: The Ref Cam & The Ref Collective, Our Rugby Club aims to show off the collective heartbeat of grassroots rugby. The people who show up week after week to keep the game alive.

The podcast’s vision is refreshingly simple: bring together voices from across Clubland, from players and coaches to referees, volunteers, committee members, and familiar faces from rugby social media to talk about current events impacting grassroots rugby.

Our Rugby Club shines a light on the realities that every grassroots club knows all too well. The grassroots aren’t glamorous or lucrative. However, it is deeply meaningful, a second home built on connection, belonging, and shared effort.

At the same time, there’s no sugarcoating the challenges. Too often, clubs feel like they’re fighting these battles alone. Much like what we’re doing at Bottom of the Ruck, this channel aims to change that by creating a space where ideas, solutions, and experiences can be shared.

One club’s success story can become another club’s blueprint. This is a conversation worth joining. In fact… don’t be surprised if you see a familiar Bottom of the Ruck voice pop up there before long.

Give the video a watch and stay tuned for more!

Spikers RFC and the Power of Grassroots Rugby in Kenya

BOTR 2026-02-12 Tales from Clubland Africa Rugby, Bottom of the Ruck, club rugby, grassroots rugby, keep rugby grassy, Kenya Rugby, rugby, Tales from Clubland

spikers rfc

And the power of Grassroots rugby in Kenya

There are rugby clubs built on storied histories, endowments and infrastructure.

Then there are clubs built on belief.

Spikers Rugby Club in Ogembo, Kenya falls firmly into the second category.

A grassroots, community-based side, Spikers RFC is committed to providing meaningful, memorable experiences for its players. Their players range in age from 10-25 years old with around 25 players in the club.

Many of their players come from low socioeconomic backgrounds. The club offers local children a subsidized opportunity to play a sport that, for many, becomes far more than just a game.

Head Coach Wilfred Orina puts it simply:

“Spikers Rugby Club is a community-based team here in Kenya, using rugby to create discipline, opportunity, and hope for young players.”

The word hope carries weight.

Because while rugby might look the same on paper everywhere in the world, the reality of delivering it can be very different depending on where you stand.

We often highlight the struggles that are faced in the grassroots of the sport. However, the struggles that many of us face would be welcomed as blessings from other perspectives.

Built on Passion, Not Resources

Spikers RFC continues to compete in local leagues, entering both 15s and 7s competitions. They train. They prepare. They show up.

But they do so without the financial safety net that many clubs take for granted.

“Our club is built on passion rather than resources. What we may lack in funding, we make up for in commitment.”

This is a familiar story across Clubland and even more of a reason for clubs across the world to take notice. We are not so different from each other.

Volunteers stretching budgets. Coaches doubling as administrators. Players sharing kit. Communities rallying around borrowed fields and improvised facilities.

The difference is that the things most clubs take for granted are cherished by clubs like Spikers RFC. Grassy pitches, matching kits, a changing room, and quality training equipment among many other things are minimum expectations for most clubs.

Even transportation creates a barrier for the young men from Spikers RFC. Transport to away fixtures can determine whether the team gets to compete at all. League fees and operational costs weigh heavily. Training equipment is limited. Many players lack proper kits and protective gear.

Player welfare is an ongoing concern for the club. Access to basic first aid, hydration, and nutrition support is minimal.

Yet Strikers RFC persist and push forward despite challenges that would cause others to fold.

Because the mission matters. The community builds people up. Rugby matters.

More Than Matches

Spikers RFC aren’t simply raising funds to win more games. They are raising funds to create and sustain opportunities for current as well as future players.

Their current fundraising efforts aim to provide new playing kits, medical supplies, improved coaching resources, and the logistical support needed to participate in tournaments throughout the season. This includes travel, food, and accommodation expenses.

These are not the glamorous line items of grassroots rugby. The receipts that rarely make highlight reels.

However, without them there is no rugby.

“Supporting Spikers means helping young people build a better future through rugby.”

That’s not hyperbole. It’s reality.

For many of the players, rugby offers discipline, structure, belonging, and exposure to environments beyond their immediate circumstances. It builds resilience. It builds community. It builds confidence.

It builds futures.

The Universal Language of Rugby

Here at Bottom of the Ruck, we often talk about the invisible scaffolding that holds grassroots rugby together. The volunteers, coaches, maintenance staff, and people that perform many other tasks so that others may play.

Spikers RFC reminds us that this scaffolding exists everywhere from Cornwall to Hamilton to Kenya to Iowa.

The accents may change. The weather certainly does. The passion and heartbeat remains the same.

Young players turning up for the love of the game. Coaches investing time they don’t have. Clubs fight to survive not because it is easy, but because it is worth it.

Spikers RFC is asking for support to remain active and growing. To ensure that players can travel safely to matches, train with proper equipment, and have access to basic medical care. All they wish is to step onto the pitch properly prepared.

Because when grassroots rugby works, it does something powerful.

It gives young people a place to belong.

A Call to Clubland

As with every fundraising effort we highlight here at Bottom of the Ruck, the message to Clubland remains the same. Rugby’s greatest strength has never been money. It’s our community.

Across continents, across time zones, across different languages and leagues. We are connected by the same oval ball.

Spikers RFC may be based in Kenya, but their fight is not foreign to any of us. Transport costs. Kit expenses. Medical supplies. Operational fees. These are pressures clubs everywhere understand.

With thousands upon thousands of clubs around the world and millions of players we have strength in numbers. When one club is in need, it’s not their burden alone. It’s a call to the wider rugby family.

A small donation, repeated dozens or hundreds of times across this global community, can create real, tangible impact. No single club needs to carry the weight. Together we can move mountains.

Today it’s Spikers RFC asking for support so their young players can stay on the field and build a better future through rugby.

Tomorrow, it could be any of us.

How You Can Help

If you’re in a position to help, even in the smallest way, this is one of those moments. Let’s show them what the global rugby community looks like when it rallies together.

Spikers RFC are holding an ongoing Go Fund Me campaign to help raise much needed funds to support their club and players.

Anyone wishing to reach out to the club directly, here is how you can reach the club:

Contact Email

Facebook

Bottom of the Ruck is also putting a call out to rugby kit and equipment vendors who may be in a position to help. Spikers RFC is in need of playing kits, training gear, protective equipment, and basic medical supplies. If your company is willing to donate goods or partner in support of this effort, BOTR is open to providing promotional features, sponsored content, and advertising space across our platform in return. This is an opportunity not just to support a deserving grassroots club in Kenya, but to visibly stand behind the global rugby community in a meaningful way.

We have also added a Spikers RFC logo t-shirt to our Bottom of the Ruck shop. All profits from the sale of the shirts are being donated directly to the club. Buy a shirt, wear it with pride, and show your support.

Saving the Stand

BOTR 2026-02-10 Tales from Clubland Bottom of the Ruck, club rugby, grassroots rugby, keep rugby grassy, Penryn RFC, rugby

saving the stand

PENRYN rfc’s battle against time and mother nature

There are plenty of battles in grassroots rugby. Tough opponents. Tight budgets. Mud. Frigid weather. While the battles on the pitch create legendary tales, the toughest battles are the ones that take place quietly behind the scene. One of the most dangerous to a club is dealing with aging facilities. The slow, relentless wear of time and weather that threaten the structures that hold a club together.

At Penryn Rugby Football Club, that battle has become very real.

Founded in 1872, Penryn RFC proudly holds the title of Cornwall’s first rugby club. Known affectionately as “The Borough”, a nod to Penryn’s ancient town charter dating back to 1236, the club has been a cornerstone of its community for over 150 years. Today, that history isn’t just something found in old photographs or dusty trophy cabinets. It lives on through packed match days, a bustling youth section, and a volunteer base that refuses to let the club fade quietly.

But history alone doesn’t keep roofs standing.

Penryn’s current crowdfunding campaign, SOS – Save Our Stand, has a simple but urgent goal to protect and refurbish the club’s covered stand. In Cornwall, where sideways rain and coastal winds are more rule than exception, that stand is more than a luxury. It’s a lifeline.

On match days, Penryn RFC regularly welcomes between 500 and 1,000 supporters. For older fans and those with mobility challenges the covered stand is the only comfortable way to watch the game, soak up the atmosphere, and stay connected to the club they love.

Unfortunately, years of Cornish weather has taken a toll on the facility. Volunteers have already rolled up their sleeves and begun the work, but goodwill alone doesn’t buy steel purlins, scaffolding, rust sealant, or paint.

The club has set a £5,000 target. With just under a month to go, they’re sitting around the 20% mark. Progress has been made, but there is still plenty of room to cover. No pun intended.

Penryn RFC is a textbook example of what “One Club” really means. They type of club that provides rugby for players and supporters of all ages. The club fields teams across every age grade, including boys, girls, men’s, and women’s sides. More than 200 youth players pass through the gates each week, alongside over 100 senior players.

It doesn’t stop there.

The Borough is a genuine community hub. Local groups use the facilities regularly, youth match days can see 400 people cycling through the clubhouse, and the ground serves as a shared space well beyond rugby itself. Maintaining that space by making it accessible, safe, and welcoming is central to Penryn RFC’s long term vision.

That’s why this campaign goes beyond just saving a stand.

Once the stand is secured and safe for the future, The club plans to turn attention to other long overdue upgrades around their facility. The club hopes to refurbish their toilets, changing rooms, and the clubhouse to make it more welcoming. These aren’t cosmetic vanity projects. They’re vital to the future of the club.

Grassroots clubs everywhere face the same challenge. It’s not enough to simply keep the doors open. Facilities must evolve to support modern participation, inclusive, and safeguarding expectations. These tasks are increasingly challenging for clubs being run almost entirely by volunteers.

Penryn’s vision is to be a leading amateur club in Cornwall, built around “The Borough Way,” where everyone is welcome and supported. That includes making facilities accessible for people with physical and learning disabilities and ensuring the club remains a place families want to spend their weekends.

Like so many grassroots clubs, Penryn RFC is run and maintained by a small army of dedicated volunteers. They donate their time, energy, and skills not because it’s easy, but because the club matters.

This Crowdfunder is about backing those people as much as it is funding club improvements. Volunteers keep clubs held together with paper clips, smoke, and mirrors. Rarely are they given the support and funding needed, but somehow they still make things happen.

How Can You Help?

Penryn RFC has laid out four simple ways to get involved:

Donate to their Crowdfunding Campaign if you can
Share the campaign to widen its reach
Contribute rewards as a local business
Run your own fundraiser in support of the cause.

It’s a familiar story heard around Clubland. A historic club. Weathered buildings. Volunteers doing everything they can. What often makes the difference is whether the wider rugby family steps in to help carry the load.

Saving the stand at Penryn RFC isn’t just about steel and scaffolding. It’s about protecting access, preserving history, and ensuring that future generations can gather under cover, cheer their teams on, and feel part of something bigger.

That’s a cause worth backing.

As with other fundraising efforts highlighted on Bottom of the Ruck, the message is the same for those out in Clubland. The strength in rugby is its community. There is nothing like it. I know for a fact that there are a lot of generous and loving members of that community out there.

With thousands upon thousands of clubs across the world, we have strength in numbers. A club in need is a call to all of us in Clubland. Even the smallest donation, replicated hundreds of times, can make a massive difference. We have the ability to lift each other up without impacting any single, one club’s budget negatively.

I challenge Clubland to step up whenever the opportunity arises. This time Penryn RFC is in need of help, the next time it could be your own club. Pay it forward. Even if it comes in small increments.

Selkirk U14s Bound for United World Games

BOTR 2026-02-04 Tales from Clubland Bottom of the Ruck, club rugby, grassroots rugby, keep rugby grassy, rugby, Tales from Clubland, United World Games, Youth Rugby

Selkirk U14s Bound for United World games

A Borders dream headed for austria

There are lots of moments in grassroots rugby that create memories that last a lifetime. These memories are bigger than a single result, season, or any one individual. These moments remind us why community clubs exist, why volunteers give countless hours, and why young players pull on a jersey week after week with pride.

For Selkirk Rugby Football Club’s U14 squad, one of those moments has arrived.

The Selkirk U14s have been invited to represent the East of Scotland and the Scottish Borders at the United World Games in Austria. Taking place this coming June, the United World Games are an international multi-sport event that brings together youth teams from across the globe. The event covers eleven different sports with teams coming from 30 different nations.

It is an extraordinary opportunity for a group of young players, many of whom are still in the early stages of their rugby journey, to step onto an international stage wearing Selkirk colours.

For the players, the meaning is simple and profound.

“It’s a huge honour,” said Kieran Westlake, Selkirk U14 Head Coach and Tour Organiser. “It recognises the hard work, commitment, and discipline they’ve shown throughout the season and gives them a rare chance to test themselves against teams from different countries and cultures.”

Formed in 1907 Selkirk RFC sits at the heart of the Borders, a region steeped in rugby history and identity. Generations of players have pulled on the Selkirk jersey, and the town’s relationship with the game runs deep. This invitation is a chance to showcase this talented group of young athletes, but also show off the strength of grassroots rugby in the Borders. It also highlights the massively positive role clubs play in developing young people both on and off the pitch.

“Wearing the Selkirk kit in Austria means representing our communities, families, coaches, and volunteers who support us week in, week out,” Westlake added. “It’s about pride, responsibility, and inspiring the next generation of players from the East of Scotland and the Borders to aim high and believe that opportunities like this are possible.”

An Invitation That Sparked a Dream

Unlike traditional qualification pathways, the journey to Austria began with a simple but powerful moment: an email.

The squad received an invitation from Richard De Jager of RAM Rugby, who also serves as Rugby Director for the United World Games. Based on that invitation, Selkirk’s U14 squad was confirmed and selected to represent the region at the tournament.

When the news broke, the reaction was immediate.

“When the boys found out, it was a real mix of excitement, pride, and disbelief,” said Westlake. “For many of them it will be their first opportunity to travel abroad and compete in an international tournament, which makes it even more special.”

Families shared that emotion. Parents and carers expressed pride in seeing the players rewarded for their commitment and enthusiasm.

“The response from families has been incredible,” Westlake said. “They’re delighted to see the boys rewarded for their hard work and are fully behind the squad as they prepare to represent both the club and the East of Scotland and Borders in Austria.”

More Than Just Matches

Ask the squad what they are most looking forward to, and you quickly realise this trip goes far beyond rugby.

On the pitch, the appeal is obvious. For the United World Games, the Selkirk U14s will be playing 4-6 games at the event. They’ll also enjoy learning from specialist coaches from South Africa and Europe. The trip also gives the side an opportunity to see and test themselves against players that come from different countries.

Off the pitch, the excitement might be even greater. The tour is the quintessential rugby experience. You’re on the road, experiencing new cultures, playing rugby, and doing it with your friends.

“Travelling abroad together, experiencing a new country and culture, and creating memories as a team is massive for them,” Westlake explained. “Some of the boys don’t even have passports yet, and for a number of them this will be their first time travelling outside of the Scottish Borders, which makes the experience even more special.”

Those experiences shape young people in lasting ways.

“We hope to bring back more than just rugby experience,” Westlake said. “The aim is to return with greater confidence, stronger bonds, and a renewed sense of pride in representing the club and the Borders. Those lessons will be passed on to younger players within the club, helping to strengthen Selkirk Rugby and inspire the next generation both on and off the pitch.”

The Financial Reality

As with most grassroots success stories, there is a practical challenge sitting underneath the excitement. Touring is not cheap. The total cost of the tour is £26,000, covering travel, accommodation, kit, and essential logistics. For a youth squad, that figure is significant.

Rather than allowing that number to become a barrier, the Selkirk community has gone to work.

“We’ve already made a strong start towards our £26,000 target through a wide range of community led fundraising activities,” said Westlake. “These have included local events, bag-packing days, online fundraising through GoFundMe, and generous donations from local businesses, organisations, and individuals.”

Beyond direct fundraising, they’ve also received something equally powerful: encouragement.

“We’ve been hugely encouraged by the support shown online, with a number of well known sportspeople and celebrities sending video messages of encouragement,” Westlake said. “We’ve been sharing those on our social media platforms and they’ve been a real boost for the players while also helping raise awareness of what we’re trying to achieve.”

Next up on the fundraising calendar are a race night, a farmers’ market stall, a car boot sale, and other community led events.

“We’ll continue to post and share the video messages of support as they come in,” Westlake added. “They really motivate the boys and help maintain momentum around the campaign.”

Still, a gap remains.

“And at this stage, the kind of support that would make the biggest difference is wider exposure and financial backing,” Westlake said. “We would love to secure national media coverage to help raise awareness, alongside continued support from businesses, sponsors, and community organisations. Every donation, no matter the size, helps move us closer to our goal and ensures that no player misses out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

A Boost from Rugby’s Biggest Names

The squad has received messages of support from a who’s who of Scottish Rugby greats including Greig Laidlaw, Gavin Hastings, Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman and other well known rugby and non-rugby personalities. The messages of support have left a lasting impression.

“For the boys, many of whom have grown up watching and admiring these figures, it’s been incredibly special,” said Westlake. “It’s a huge confidence boost and a moment they will never forget. Knowing that people who have represented Scottish rugby at the highest level are taking the time to encourage them makes the opportunity feel even more real and meaningful.”

The impact goes beyond morale.

“The messages have lifted spirits, strengthened belief, and reinforced the idea that hard work and commitment can open doors to amazing opportunities,” Westlake said. “They’ve brought the team even closer together and continue to motivate the boys in both their rugby and their fundraising.”

A Call to Clubland

To local supporters, businesses, and former Selkirk players who may be considering helping, the message from the squad is heartfelt and direct.

“By donating, you’re not just helping fund a rugby tour, you’re investing in young people, in the future of Selkirk Rugby Club, and in the wider Borders rugby community,” said Westlake. “This opportunity gives the players a chance to represent their town and region on an international stage, build confidence, resilience, and teamwork, and create memories that will stay with them for life.”

“For local businesses and former Selkirk players in particular, this is a chance to give something back to a club and community that has given so much to so many,” he added. “Your support helps remove financial barriers and ensures every player can take part, regardless of background. With your help, we can make this once-in-a-lifetime experience possible and inspire the next generation to continue the proud Selkirk rugby tradition.”

These types of opportunities don’t come often. As with other fundraising efforts highlighted on Bottom of the Ruck, the message is the same for those out in Clubland. The strength in rugby is its community. There is nothing like it. I know for a fact that there are a lot of generous and loving members of that community out there.

I challenge Clubland to step up whenever the opportunity arises. This time Selkirk RFC lights the beacon, the next time it could be your own club. Pay it forward. Even if it comes in small increments.

To donate to the Selkirk U14s tour, you can follow this link to go to their Go Fund Me which is already close to reaching its goal.

Walkerburn RFC Shutting Doors

BOTR 2026-01-31 Tales from Clubland Borders Rugby, Bottom of the Ruck, club rugby, grassroots rugby, keep rugby grassy, rugby, Scottish Rugby, Tales from Clubland, Walkerburn RFC

Walkerburn RFC shutting doors

the fragile reality of village rugby

There are some announcements in rugby that hit harder than a final score ever could. Not stories of relegation, key members lost before their time, or financial struggles.

The loss of a club, especially one steeped in history, sends ripples throughout clubland.

This morning, Walkerburn Rugby Football Club announced that it will cease operations following its final Walkerburn 7s tournament on May 30th, 2026. Located in the Scottish Borders, the club was founded in 1884. That is more than 140 years of history. A place that has carried generations of stories, muddy boots, shared laughter, and pride.

It is the kind of post no one ever wants to read or write about. Here at Bottom of the Ruck we try to maintain a positive view and promote feel good stories, but we also cannot put our head in the sand. At times we need to show the stark realities of grassroots rugby.

Sadly, this is a story that feels increasingly familiar. Walkerburn RFC are not alone as others have suffered the same fate and unfortunately they won’t be the last. The changing landscape of the world, recreational pursuits, and culture presents challenges that we all face in clubland.

A Club That Did Everything It Could

Walkerburn’s committee did not arrive at this decision lightly. They were close to shutting doors just a couple of years ago and rallied support to keep the club going.

In their announcement, they wrote:

“It is with real sadness and heavy hearts that we announce Walkerburn Rugby Football Club will cease operations following our final Walkerburn 7s tournament on May 30th 2026.”

They went on to explain the realities behind that decision:

“After months of exhaustive efforts to find a sustainable path forward, the reality we face is stark. A chronic shortage of available players has made it almost impossible to replenish squad numbers and field a team. Off the field, the financial burden of essential maintenance and upkeep has become insurmountable.”

They also made something else very clear:

“This announcement isn’t to assign blame; it is a confirmation of the situation.”

Walkerburn’s committee tried to reignite the flame. I remember it well as I followed the story closely. Their centenary 7s tournament was followed by a renewed push to grow and engage surrounding clubs.

As they shared:

“Two years ago, we held our centenary 7s tournament, which we believed at the time became the spark that re-lit the WRFC flame, and we saw real interest from other clubs around us to help keep us in the rugby community.”

There was hope, albeit short lived. The realities of their situation were overwhelming. Maintaining the club year round was not feasible without being able to put out a side consistently.

This is not a failure of effort by anyone at Walkerburn RFC. It is a collision with the sad reality of community sport.

The Brutal Truth of Small Town Rugby

Small towns and villages produce some of the most authentic rugby cultures on earth. They also operate with the thinnest margins that can be disrupted with the slightest shift. Youth move away to go to university and don’t return, jobs disappear and adults leave to find other opportunities. I grew up in this kind of town and that is evident when I return to visit. It is a shell of what it was decades ago.

Population decline creates a smaller player pool and limits the number of available volunteers. There are less commercial sponsorship opportunities which leads to infrastructure issues as facilities cannot be maintained.

The cracks are often not seen until it is too late. Then it is glaringly obvious. Playing numbers begin to dwindle, fixtures forfeited, and club activities wane which produces even more financial stress. It becomes a spiral that is difficult to escape.

When participation dips even slightly, the effects are immediate. Even 5-6 years later, many clubs are just now recovering from the impact of the global pandemic.

Walkerburn chose transparency in their announcement which should be applauded. They chose honesty and a final celebration rather than a silent disappearance.

That matters.

I’ve Been Watching This One Closely

I have followed Walkerburn’s situation for the past couple of years. Their announcement a couple of years ago hit me harder than I can explain or fully understand. I have no ties to Walkerburn RFC. None whatsoever. I’ve never stepped foot on their pitch or sank a pint at their club.

Although I would have loved to just as I cherish every opportunity to visit a new club.

After hearing of their plight, I spent the next few sleepless nights thinking about them. I couldn’t shake it from my mind. Perhaps the story hit close to home. At the time, my club was still struggling to recover from the ill effects of the pandemic. The future was uncertain and my resiliency was wearing thin.

I thought about all of the time, effort, and love that went into my own club. Then I thought about the magnitude of 140 years of that same effort and love. All of the people that pulled on the Walkerburn jersey. The people who cared deeply, volunteered countless hours and those who wanted, desperately, to find another answer.

Even though I had little to offer, I reached out to Walkerburn RFC. I offered to do anything that one could, from a long distance, to help their cause. Which, honestly, isn’t a whole lot. At this stage they were already in motion to rebuild and found renewed support from their community.

I continued to follow their story hoping for a happy ending that I knew, deep down, was statistically unlikely given their obstacles.

The Courage to Say Goodbye Properly

Walkerburn’s committee is rightly heartbroken having given their all trying to save the club.

They clearly stated:

“Speaking on behalf of the current committee, we are utterly heartbroken. Every single one of us has poured our hearts into saving this club. To be the committee that must close the doors feels like a failure, even though we know, rationally, that we have done everything humanly possible.”

They also refuse to let the club fade away quietly which is admirable. Aiming to give the club and the Walkerburn 7s a proper send off.

Their final tournament is not framed as an ending, but as a celebration:

“Our final Walkerburn 7s tournament in 2026 will be a celebration of everything WRFC has represented.”

A celebration. A thank you. A goodbye with intention.

There is dignity and love in that.

A Question We All Have to Sit With

If a club founded in 1884 can disappear… What does safety actually look like for any of us?

That question isn’t meant to cause fear. It’s meant to inspire awareness. Don’t take anything for granted. Complacency is a dangerous bed mate in clubland. Safety could be fleeting if the proper steps aren’t taken to guarantee sustainability.

It would be easy to frame this as a local tragedy, but it isn’t. This could happen anywhere across the rugby world. The loss of any club, whether they’re two years old or 140 years old is a tragedy for the grassroots.

Clubs in urban, well populated, areas struggle. Rural clubs struggle even more.

Distance. Population density. Economic pressure. Competition from other nearby clubs. Changing lifestyles are all part of the equation.

All of it challenges the model that rugby has relied on since clubs were born: volunteer run, community anchored clubs supported by passion. Pinpointing collapse isn’t always so obvious and in many cases it isn’t avoidable despite heroic efforts.

Passion still exists, but it cannot absorb unlimited stress.

Recruiting and Retention matters
Youth pathways matter
Facilities matter
Financial planning matters
Volunteer support matters

And in some cases all of these points are mute as even the best laid plans can go awry. It is a cruel reality.

Choose Rugby

At Bottom of the Ruck, we talk a lot about choosing rugby.

This is what that really means:

Showing up. Bringing a friend. Helping coach. Buying a beer (if you’re old enough). Sharing a post on social media. Donating when you can. Volunteering an hour.

Small actions. Repeated. Over time.

That is how clubs survive.

Not through miracles.

Through community.

To Walkerburn RFC

Walkerburn RFC closed their statement with words that deserve to be echoed far beyond the Borders:

“To rugby: thank you. To our club: Our legacy will endure long after the final whistle.”

Clubland thanks Walkerburn RFC for 140+ years of rugby. Thank you for the players that you produced, the matches you hosted, and the memories you created.

Your legacy does not vanish because your gates close.

It lives in every person who ever pulled on your jersey.

It lives in every opponent who you played against.

It lives in the stories that will continue to be told.

Rest well, Walkerburn RFC.

And to every small-town club reading this:

You matter more than you probably realize.

My offer stands to all clubs out there struggling. I’m not a magician or brilliant strategist, but I’ve been through most of the highs and lows that come from sitting in the trenches of grassroots rugby. I’m always happy to talk, lend guidance, serve as a sounding board or help in whatever way that I can. Because grassroots rugby matters.

You can contact me here.

Choose Rugby

BOTR 2026-01-22 The Ruck Bottom of the Ruck, club rugby, grassroots rugby, keep rugby grassy, rugby, The Ruck

Choose Rugby

One of the best decisions you’ll ever make (and keep making)

There are a lot of choices in life.

Some are big and obvious such as where you live, what you do for work, and your friends. Some are smaller choices that don’t seem like much at the time, but end up quietly shaping who you become.

And then there’s rugby.

Because let’s be honest… most of us didn’t “choose” rugby the first time unless you grew up in the sport around a parent that played. Many people stumble into it. We got dragged out by a friend. Showed up because we were looking for something different. It looked curiously fun and challenging. We needed a reason to get in shape. We wanted a community.

But once rugby gets its hooks in you, it becomes a choice that you keep making over and over again.

You choose it on cold Tuesday nights when the wind is cutting through the pitch and your bed is calling your name.
You choose it when you’re sore, bruised, tired, and your body is begging for rest.
You choose it when the season gets chaotic.
You choose it when the club needs help.
You choose it when the new person shows up looking nervous and you remember what it felt like to be the new player.

You choose rugby when the novelty wears off and what is left is commitment. That’s what makes it different. Rugby isn’t just a sport you play. It’s something you decide to be part of. A lifestyle. A community.

Choose community.

Grassroots rugby isn’t driven by professional contracts, marketing budgets or a promise of fame. It’s built by beautiful, amazing, and dedicated people. Volunteers that line pitches, paint rusty goal posts, drag tackle bags out of trailers, and unlock gates. A board of exhausted but determined club leaders trying to keep things moving.

Players who show up early just to help set up cones. Veterans who stay late to coach rookies through the basics.

This is why rugby clubs are different from gyms, leagues, or casual rec teams. Rugby doesn’t just give you teammates, it gives you a tribe. When the season is over, you’re still a member of the club and sport. These are people who will show up for you, who will get on the road with you, who will celebrate you, and who will call you out when you need it.

A rugby club is one of the last places left where youth and adults can show up with nothing in common except a willingness to work and leave with lifelong friends. These types of spaces are dying and it is important that we preserve them.

Choose belonging.

A lot of people are walking around right now without a real sense of belonging. Life has become one transaction after another. We’ve got “followers” and “likes,” but we’re sadly lacking real human connection. Our busy schedules prevent us from forming deep roots. There is a world full of noise and not enough actual community spaces that nurture people and connections.

Grassroots rugby offers something rare: a place to belong.

Rugby welcomes people who don’t fit into other sports. Kids who were overlooked or cut by other sports. The late bloomers who thought they “missed their chance” to be an athlete. People who don’t fit one body type or personality. Someone that is looking to find themselves.

There is a place for you in rugby. I promise.

When you step into a rugby club, you realize that you don’t have to pretend anymore. You can just be you, flaws and all. All that is asked of you is to maintain the core values and ethos of the sport.

Integrity. Passion. Solidarity. Discipline. Respect.

Choose fitness.

Rugby will get you into shape whether you want it to or not. If you put in the effort, it is going to happen. Maybe not in the way that you expect though. Not in the “mirror muscles” or “beach abs” kind of way.

Rugby fitness is functional and confident. It is earned through sweat and effort. The difference between quitting and getting back up.

I came into rugby later than most, but I was in excellent shape. Or so I thought. I learned real quick that there is a difference between being “fit” and being “rugby fit.”

The real difference is learning to love discomfort because you know it’s building something inside you. I didn’t just find my stamina building, rugby tapped into something inside of me that simply wouldn’t let me quit. I could really go down that rabbit hole with this statement as that feeling it tapped is the same one that still won’t let me quit, even after multiple decades, hundreds of games played, and a growing list of injuries.

From a fitness perspective, what I love the most about rugby is that there’s no hiding or shortcuts.

Some of the most rewarding things that I have experienced in rugby involve people that would have been shunned from other sports. Rugby gave them a home despite their physical barriers. These people kept choosing rugby and the physical results came in time through perseverance and resiliency.

Choose getting back up.

This is where rugby becomes more than a sport. Rugby teaches you the hardest lessons in the simplest way. You’re going to get knocked down and you’re going to have to get back up anyway. Just like in life. One of rugby’s greatest strengths is how lessons on the pitch translate to real life.

You can’t fake your way through that. The world can be a tough place and it isn’t always fair. Rugby builds resiliency by challenging you at every turn. Just as you learn to push through your fatigue at the 70th minute, you learn to push through difficult moments in your life. You keep moving forward.

Rugby also gives you a support system to face those challenges. The saying “with you” is more than just words. It is a credo and your teammates are there to support you on and off of the pitch.

I won’t go as far as to say rugby “saved” me, but it came to me at a point in my life where I was looking for answers. It gave me an outlet to deal with aggression, stress, depression, and made me a better version of myself. I found my voice and developed leadership skills that translated well into my professional life.

Choose muddy games.

There’s something beautiful about the chaos of grassroots rugby. One week it’s a perfectly sunny day and you’re playing on an immaculate pitch. The next week you’re grinding it out in a swamp with touchlines that look like they were drawn by someone still on the piss from the night before.

But you still play, tackle, and laugh about it afterwards. Maybe you end up with a story that you’ll tell for years and years. That is the beauty of rugby. Grassroots rugby is full of moments that don’t make highlight reels, but they make legendary stories.

Embrace the beauty of imperfection. That is one of the most endearing parts of clubland. Each rugby club is unique in their own ways and should be appreciated for it.

Choose the third half.

If you’ve played rugby, you’re nodding right now like, “Yes. Exactly.”

The third half is where rugby becomes rugby. It’s where opponents become friends and any on the pitch grudges end. That special place where players convene to break bread, trade stories like currency, and build bonds that go beyond club colors. That’s the magic of rugby.

In a time when sports culture often feels toxic, rugby has managed to hold onto something sacred. Sadly, I’ve seen this slip in some areas over the last decade. I see more animosity carried off of the pitch, fewer opposition players sticking around, less mingling at socials, doing the bare minimum when it comes to hospitality.

This is the danger zone. We cannot let this change and must protect this culture. If we aren’t able to protect it, rugby becomes purely transactional and we will lose the soul of the sport.

We need to compete hard on the pitch, put the egos away, and respect each other even harder.

Choose something bigger than yourself.

Rugby clubs don’t survive because they are well funded machines. They survive because people choose to carry the torch. People that play, coach, volunteer, donate, and grow the game. Please remember that every rugby club that you’ve ever been involved with exists because hard working people have poured love into it.

They showed up when it certainly would have been easier to do something else.

So, yeah.

Choose community.
Choose fitness.
Choose the banter.
Choose the muddy games.
Choose giving back.
Choose the lifelong friends.
Choose the stories.

Choose rugby.

And then keep choosing it.

Why We Play the Game

BOTR 2026-01-16 Tales from Clubland Bottom of the Ruck, Briton Ferry RFC, club rugby, grassroots rugby, keep rugby grassy, rugby, Rupert McCall, Tales from Clubland, Wales Rugby

why we play the game

a poem by Rupert Mccall

Adapted and Recited by Briton Ferry RFC

It was a busy week for me, so I didn’t get much time to sit down and write. So, I thought that I’d try something a little different and post a video.

Below is an adaptation of the Rupert McCall poem “Why We Play the Game” recited by Briton Ferry RFC. The poem is a beautifully powerful love letter to grassroots rugby. This video came out in 2014 and hits me in the feels every time that I watch it. Every. Single. Time.

The grassroots are filled with real people that tell real stories and carry the culture of rugby to new generations. That is Clubland. Rugby is built on the grassroots, a solid foundation built by people purely for the love of the sport. While professional teams (not clubs) struggle to maintain footing with budgets that aren’t sustainable, we stand strong in the grassroots. We have our struggles and challenges that has shaped a collective resilience. We are strengthened by our trials and tribulations.

The poem adaptation was released as part of Briton Ferry’s 125th Anniversary. A community rugby club located in South Wales, Briton Ferry RFC offers rugby for all ages in a friendly, family-focused environment.

If you haven’t seen this before, enjoy! If you’ve seen it before, watch it again and remember Why We Play the Game.

Why “We’ve Always Done it this Way” is a Poor Strategy

BOTR 2026-01-09 The Boardroom Club Operations, club rugby, grassroots rugby, keep rugby grassy, rugby, The Boardroom, Volunteers

Why “We’ve Always Done it this way” is a Poor strategy

Bottom of the Ruck Club Ops 101 Series

Bottom of the Ruck Club Ops 101 Series

Editor’s Note — Behind the Scenes of Clubland
This article marks the second article in a new Bottom of the Ruck series taking an honest look at the off the field realities of running a grassroots rugby club. The series aims to pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to run a rugby club. The unglamorous, essential, behind-the-scenes work that keeps clubland alive. From managing volunteers and governance to finances, facilities, and culture, this series is about the work that happens when nobody’s watching. All of the emails, the planning, the problem‑solving, and the people holding it all together. The goal isn’t to criticize or overwhelm, but to share lessons learned, spark better conversations, and help clubs build systems that are sustainable for the long haul.

Why “We’ve Always Done It This Way” Is a Poor Strategy

Grassroots rugby is built on tradition that rivals any sport in the world. Clubhouses carry stories on their walls. Old jerseys hang like sacred relics. Pictures of teams from through the years. Matchday routines get passed down like lineout calls and backline moves, codified through repetition and reinforced through trust. Post match traditions that stand the test of time.

Tradition is one of rugby’s greatest strengths.

But tradition has a darker side. It can be weaponized to keep us stuck. When tradition hardens into defiant resistance, it quietly becomes one of the biggest threats a club can face. Imagine the feel of the crushing weight of tradition.

“We’ve always done it this way” often sounds comforting. Familiar. Safe.

But in club operations, in your professional career, and even in your personal life, it can also mean something else.

We’ve stopped questioning whether this still works.

And that’s a dangerous place to be for you or for your club.

The Real Cost of “Always”

Most clubs don’t fail because of bad people or lack of passion. Far from it. They fail because the world shifts and the club doesn’t.

Sometimes the obstacles are unavoidable. A shrinking population in a catchment area. Economic downturn. Field access issues. Increased costs to travel. Natural disasters. Variables that are uncontrollable.

But often, the biggest challenges are internal: systems that outlived their usefulness years ago.

Common symptoms:

Volunteer burnout caused by outdated role expectations
Financial strain from inefficient fundraising models
Admin bottlenecks because “only one person knows how”
Stagnation of membership
Missed growth opportunities (youth, women’s, non-contact variations, community partnerships)

And here’s the thing, the phrase itself isn’t malicious. It’s usually spoken by someone who cares deeply. Someone who built something with sweat equity when there were no road maps, no templates, no Club Ops 101 articles floating around the internet (Note: there still aren’t many of them).

But caring alone doesn’t make a system infallible or sustainable.

I’ve seen clubs run the same fundraiser every year. I’ve been involved in some of them myself. The one that used to be a gold mine. The one that was once a fundraising cornerstone. The one everyone remembers fondly.

But now? It is barely worth the effort after expenses while swallowing up large amounts of volunteer time. The club keeps it alive on nostalgia alone (because we always have) and nobody wants to be the person to say, “This doesn’t work anymore.”

Recruiting is another excellent example. Every club deals with this dilemma. No one is immune. The way that we brought in players 10, 15, 20 years ago is not effective today. People don’t magically stumble into your club because you posted a flyer at the gym.

We’re competing for a dwindling amount of free time in people’s lives and the competition is tougher than ever. Marketing and recruiting have changed dramatically and clubs that don’t adapt get left behind, wondering where all the players went.

Nostalgia is a tool to use, but not a business model.

Tradition Should Guide, Not Handcuff

There’s a difference between honoring the past and being shackled to it.

Your club’s heritage matters. Your stories matter. Your jersey presentations. Your club songs. The way your elders speak about tours from the old days like they were classic tales of adventure. That’s rugby culture and it needs to be protected.

But most operational processes don’t need to be historic artifacts.

Tradition is culture. Operations are logistics. Don’t confuse the two.

When clubs refuse to adapt their systems, they unintentionally protect inefficiency instead of culture. They cling to broken processes as if updating them is some kind of betrayal.

It’s not.

The Volunteer Trap

One of the most dangerous outcomes of “we’ve always done it this way” is volunteer dependency.

Same people.
Same jobs.
Same stress.
Year after year.

It’s the same invisible workload nobody applauds until it’s gone. Eventually, those volunteers don’t step away. They burn out in a ball of flames and never come back. When they leave, the club realizes too late that the system only worked because of heroics, not structure.

A club shouldn’t need heroics to function.

Here’s the harsh reality: if your club can’t survive a volunteer stepping away, you don’t have a volunteer problem. You have a system problem.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the Myth of the Super Volunteer, so I won’t go too far down that road here. But the warning still stands: be wary of relying on the same people year after year. Sustainability comes from spreading the workload, documenting knowledge, and building a succession plan for the next generation of leaders.

Evolution Is Not Disrespect

Change often gets framed as criticism of past leadership.

It doesn’t have to be.

Most clubs exist today because people figured things out without resources, templates, or road maps. They fought for field space. Painted lines themselves. Took care of fundraising. Held things together with duct tape and stubbornness. They built culture with nothing but grit, love of the game, and the kind of resilience you only find in Clubland.

But honoring that sacrifice doesn’t mean forcing future generations to struggle the same way.

Just because past leaders struggled doesn’t mean that there’s some grand lesson in making future leaders struggle for the sake of “learning on their own” or some odd right of passage.

We’re better than that.

If you truly want to leave your club in a better place than you found it, part of that is setting up future leaders for success, not gatekeeping knowledge and calling it tradition.

Progress is a thank you.

Applying Change

If tradition is the soul of the club, then operational systems are scaffolding. Your systems should be reviewed like any part of the game, because rugby and the world around us continues to evolve.

When it comes to reviewing processes, events, fundraisers, activities, etc. take a long look at the implementation cycle. You may already be familiar with it through your professional career. This is the process for systematically implementing practices, reviewing them, and making adjustments as needed.

It is a continuous loop that seeks to improve without judgement. That’s our goal right? To make our clubs better? If not, what are we doing?

When you’re evaluating any process, whether it’s brand new or has been around for decades, your first question should be simple: Does this help the club achieve its mission today?

If the answer is yes, keep on rolling, but continue looking for ways to improve it.

If the answer is maybe or no, then you’ve got work to do.

Use the Implementation Cycle

This isn’t complicated. It’s a loop. When you reach the last step, start over at the beginning.

Implement
Trial
Review
Adjust
Repeat

The point isn’t perfection. The point is not being stuck.

Review, refine, and embrace change when it is indicated. Organizations that embrace this cycle of implement, trial, review, and adjust create strategies that are resilient, responsive, and capable of evolving in changing environments, rather than sticking rigidly to outdated procedures or practices.

Better Questions Build Better Clubs

Here are some great questions to explore when looking at change:

Does this still serve the club today?
Is this sustainable if someone steps away?
Would a brand new volunteer understand this?
Does this help or hinder growth?
Are we protecting tradition or protecting inefficiency?

Clubs that ask better questions build better systems. Don’t make it personal. Foster an environment of curiosity without judgement.

Keep the Soul, Update the Playbook

Grassroots rugby doesn’t need to abandon tradition. It needs to protect it by evolving around it.

The clubs that will thrive in the next decade won’t be the ones clinging hardest to the past. They’ll be the ones who pay respect to where they came from while having the courage to keep moving forward.

Because the most dangerous sentence in club operations isn’t:

“We need to change everything.”

It’s:

“We’ve always done it this way.”

Grassroots Community Club Rugby and the Last True Community Sport in America

BOTR 2026-01-06 The Ruck Bottom of the Ruck, club rugby, grassroots rugby, keep rugby grassy, rugby, Tales from Clubland

Grassroots Community Club Rugby

and the Last True Community Sport in America

At Bottom of the Ruck, the goal has never been to simply amplify one perspective on grassroots rugby, even when it is our own. The real strength of Clubland has always come from the shared experiences, debates, frustrations, and perspectives experienced by volunteers, players, administrators, and supporters everywhere.

While our accents, competitions, and geography may differ, rugby clubs across the globe wrestle with many of the same challenges. We all struggle for sustainability, identity, inclusion, and how to grow without sacrificing the core values of rugby. Creating space for those voices to be heard matters here at Bottom of the Ruck.

This guest piece is part of that commitment, not just to tell the story of grassroots rugby, but to let the wider community help write it. If you’re interested in sharing your experience, perspective or insights reach out to us to discuss further.

Author, Steve Mace, Founder and President of Exiles Rugby Club in Alpharetta, Georgia

In an American sports landscape dominated by pay-to-play systems, elite pipelines, and disposable teams, one model has quietly endured. Grassroots community club rugby.

It may not be the most visible sport in the country, nor the most commercial, but it remains one of the last intact examples of a true community-based sport in the United States. And that alone makes it worth paying attention to.

A grassroots community club is defined by a few simple principles. Membership is open. Participation is not limited by age, background, or pedigree. Clubs persist year after year regardless of win-loss records. Governance is local and volunteer-driven. The club exists not just as a competitive entity, but as a social institution made up of players, families, supporters, and alumni.

Grassroots community club rugby in America still largely operates this way.

A men’s or women’s rugby club can still be player-run or volunteer-run. It can be multi-generational. It can be rooted in a town or neighborhood rather than a school, facility, or corporate brand. It can value competition without becoming transactional. Players come and go, but the club remains.

That combination is now exceptionally rare in American sport.

Many other sports once shared these characteristics. Adult soccer had strong community and ethnic clubs. Baseball and softball functioned as civic institutions. Basketball thrived in neighborhood leagues with lasting identity. Over time, most of these structures gave way to centralized leagues, facility-driven programs, and pay-for-access participation. Identity became seasonal. Teams became replaceable. The club, as a social organism, largely disappeared.

Rugby survived this transformation not because it was better managed, but because it was never fully commercialized. It arrived in the United States as a club sport rather than a scholastic one. Adult amateurism was normalized. Late-start players were welcomed. The social side of the game was inseparable from participation. There was no dominant professional model to distort grassroots identity.

In short, rugby missed the gold rush that hollowed out community sport elsewhere. That absence of commercial success turned out to be its greatest protection.

But that protection is eroding.

Across American sport, including rugby, familiar pressures are emerging. Youth participation is increasingly framed as a development product. Competitive success is treated as the primary measure of legitimacy. Administrative structures grow more centralized, while local control weakens. Clubs are subtly encouraged to operate as seasonal service providers rather than permanent civic institutions.

When that happens, the club stops being a club. It becomes a brand, a program, or a team that exists only as long as it produces results or revenue.

The irony is easy to miss. The very elements of grassroots community club rugby that are most often criticized as obstacles to growth are the elements that give it meaning. Rugby remains one of the few American sports where adults routinely play for life. Where winning matters, but not at the expense of belonging. Where the club exists before and after any single season, coach, or cohort of players.

Grassroots community club rugby is not perfect. It is uneven, underfunded, and often frustrating. But it still represents something increasingly rare in American culture: a voluntary, local, self-governed sporting community that values continuity over convenience.

If that model is lost, it is unlikely to return.

The question facing rugby, and perhaps American sport more broadly, is not how quickly it can resemble everything else. The question is whether we recognize the value of what has already survived.

In trying to modernize sport, we should be careful not to dismantle the last remaining examples of grassroots community club life in America.

About the Author

Steve Mace has been involved in club rugby for nearly four decades, beginning as a teenager in Canada at London St. George’s RFC, a club founded in 1958 where he first learned the culture and community of the game. His involvement has since spanned four countries as a player, coach, and administrator. He is the founder and president of Exiles Rugby Club in Alpharetta, Georgia, a grassroots community club with men’s, women’s, and juniors programs built on the traditional minis-to-seniors model. Steve previously served as president of the Georgia Rugby Union and currently serves as Director of the Georgia Barbarians programs, an invitational representative rugby concept focused on recognition and opportunity rather than permanent competition structures. He is a long-time advocate for community-driven club rugby and sustainable grassroots development in the United States.

Club: Exiles Rugby Club
Website: https://exilesrugby.org
Email: join@exilesrugby.org
Social: @ExilesRFC (Instagram, Facebook)

Top 5 Wishes for Grassroots Rugby in 2026

BOTR 2026-01-01 The Ruck club rugby, grassroots rugby, keep rugby grassy, rugby, The Ruck, Volunteers

Top 5 Wishes

for grassroots rugby in 2026

A Bottom of the Ruck reflection on what I hope to see in 2026 around grassroots rugby.

As we reflect on the past year and start looking ahead to 2026, there are plenty of reasons to be bullish about grassroots rugby. The passion, determination, and community spirit are on display each and every week throughout Clubland. These are the intangibles that remind me why the grassroots are the heart of our sport. It is the beating, pumping organ that breathes life into rugby around the world.

With that in mind, I spent some time over the past week reflecting on the past year. What follows are my wishes for grassroots rugby in 2026. This isn’t an attempt to predict trends or offer silver-bullet solutions. Why? Because unlike the many pundits offering “fixes” for the professional game, I don’t believe the grassroots are broken. Just underappreciated for the massive contribution that we make to rugby.

Do we need maintenance and growth in certain areas? Absolutely. But I also believe we’re on the verge of a quiet revolution within the community game. The winds of change are blowing, and it’s time for us to hoist our sails.

There are days when grassroots rugby feels unstoppable and days when it feels like it’s being held together by zip ties and goodwill. This list comes from standing in both places.

1. Improve Control of the Grassroots Rugby Narrative

For too long, rugby has been discussed almost exclusively through a top-down lens. The loudest voices in the room talk about “fixing rugby,” but the solutions nearly always focus on the elite end of the game, professional leagues, national teams, broadcast deals, and high-performance pathways. Meanwhile, the foundation that actually holds the sport up is treated as an afterthought.

That approach couldn’t be more disconnected from reality.

Grassroots rugby is rugby. Of the more than 10 million people participating globally, roughly 99.8% (maybe more) are involved at the grassroots level. These are club players, youth programs, volunteers, coaches, referees, and families. Yet the narrative is often framed as if the sport only matters from the top down, rather than from the ground up.

The disconnect between National unions and their membership is real. Worse in some countries than others, but a divide exists among them all. The club game should be working hand in hand with their unions to grow the game, not be treated as a source of income or even worse purely as consumers of professional products.

If grassroots rugby doesn’t tell its own story, someone else will do it for us and they’ll get it wrong. We have the numbers. We have the passion. And increasingly, we have the platforms. It’s time for grassroots rugby to stop being spoken about and start speaking for itself.

2. An Increase in Digital Storytelling to Tell Grassroots Stories

One of the most encouraging shifts in recent years has been the rise of digital storytelling in Clubland. For the first time, grassroots rugby doesn’t need permission, media credentials, or professional production budgets to tell its stories.

A phone. An internet connection. A willingness to press “record.”

That’s all it takes.

Clubs now have a golden opportunity to document who they are, not just the polished moments, but the real ones. The goofy moments. The empty pitch at sunrise. The volunteer unlocking the shed. New youth players learning the ropes. The chaos, the laughs, and yes, the occasional disaster.

The key isn’t perfection. It’s authenticity. Make it heartfelt, make it real.

Algorithms have shifted favor toward video and short-form content because that’s how people consume media now. Whether we like it or not, storytelling has evolved, and grassroots rugby has to evolve with it. As someone who loves writing (and still believes in its power), I’ll be the first to admit that the written word isn’t always the best way to reach people anymore. If you want to get your club in front of more eyes, short videos are the ticket.

The good news? Every club already has the tools to adapt.

Pick up your phone. Take a few clips. Share the story as it’s happening. Let people see themselves in your club. Don’t overthink it. The more genuine you are in your storytelling, the more accessible you make your club to outsiders.

3. Focus on Belonging Before Winning

Let’s be clear, winning is fun. Trophies matter. Getting promoted to a higher level is important. Beating a rival feels great. No one is asking clubs to stop competing or caring about results.

But winning should never come at the expense of belonging.

At the grassroots level, rugby is about far more than what happens during 80 minutes on a pitch. It’s about whether people feel welcome, valued, and connected. It’s about whether they come back next week, even after a tough loss.

I’ve seen clubs win consistently while quietly rotting from the inside. Cultures become toxic. Expectations are narrow. Burnout accelerates. And within a year or two, those “successful” teams fall apart under their own weight.

People don’t stay for trophies. They stay for the community.

The best clubs understand that success is a byproduct of culture, not the other way around. When players feel like they belong, when the club experience extends beyond the scoreboard then wins tend to follow naturally. And when they don’t, the club still thrives because the overall rugby experience is really what matters.

4. More Appreciation for Coaches, Refs, Volunteers, and Admins

Grassroots rugby does not run on talent alone. It runs on people willing to give their time to support the players on the pitch.

Behind every training session, match day, and event is an invisible army of coaches, referees, administrators, and volunteers keeping the wheels from falling off. Without them, the grassroots game doesn’t just struggle, it stops entirely.

Yet recognition for these roles is often minimal, inconsistent, or entirely absent. If you’re not careful, the people that do the most work may end up walking away leaving tasks undone and gaps in vital knowledge. Don’t let this happen to your club.

Referee abuse, in particular, remains one of the most damaging issues facing the sport. We talk about referee shortages, but rarely address the culture driving people away. A referee is not an adversary. They are a vital participant in the rugby experience, doing a difficult job under constant scrutiny. Give them space and provide them grace.

If we want rugby to grow, we must do better by all of the people who make it possible. Recognition doesn’t have to be elaborate. Sometimes it’s as simple as saying thank you, publicly or privately and do it often.

5. Further Reminders About Why We Fell in Love with Rugby

Rugby has a way of pulling us in and then life has a way of distracting us.

Over time, the responsibilities pile up. Expectations grow. The joy that once came effortlessly can get buried under family, work, schedules, logistics, and obligations. That’s why reflection matters.

Every now and then, we need to pause and remember why we said yes in the first place.

The feeling of fulfillment that the game gives us.
The people we meet.
The friendships formed.
The stories that still get told years later.

Those moments are the fuel that keeps the grassroots engine running.

As the new year begins, take time to reflect on your rugby journey. Revisit old photos. Share old stories. Laugh about the chaos. Reach out to old teammates. That’s not nostalgia, it’s maintenance. It keeps the fire burning.

Grassroots rugby doesn’t need to be fixed. It needs to be trusted, supported, and heard. The future of the game isn’t sitting in a boardroom or waiting on a broadcast deal. It’s already alive in clubhouses, on pitches, and in communities around the world. If we control our narrative, tell our stories, prioritize belonging, take care of our people, and remember why we fell in love with rugby in the first place, the game will be just fine.

Clubland has always carried rugby on its back. It’s time that we took ownership of it. We all have a duty to leave the game and our clubs in a better place than when we found them. Enjoy your rugby, but take that responsibility seriously.

I wish each and everyone in Clubland a magnificent New Year and may all of your rugby dreams and wishes be brought to life.

Cheers to an amazing 2026 and Keep Rugby Grassy.

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