To action
Thank you to all who helped with the rollout of Adult Player Registration (APR) last season. We appreciate the game-wide effort from our volunteers and players.
From Tuesday 1st July, players and registrars alike will be able to go into GMS and complete re-registration tasks.
PLEASE NOTE: It is possible that some of the new improvements may be visible before this date. We advise people do not perform any tasks until 1st July onwards, as it’s possible you may need to repeat some tasks
What's new?
We have made improvements in two key areas
Better signposting for players, to help them renew their registrations
Better search functionality for registrars, when searching for players
What will players need to do?
All adult players, with an active registration on or before 22nd June 2025, will need to renew their registration. This is a quick and easy process, which is shown here. Players will not need to re-input any details, unless these have changed.
Any players new to adult rugby, or with an inactive registration from previous seasons, should follow these steps to register with their club. Should players new to adult rugby not have a GMS account, they should follow these steps to create one.
Where to find support
To see the process of a player renewing registration click here.
Previous webinars that have taken place at the start of the month are available via our Community Rugby Digital YouTube channel and can be found on the Adult Player Registration Playlist or, you can book onto an upcoming webinar, using the information below.
| When | Description | Register |
|
23 June 7 pm |
A session to support players with the registration process, including what needs to happen if you are renewing your player registration or are a new player registering for the first time. Please note, this is a repeat of the webinar from 2nd June. | https://bit.ly/4iYsNAm |
|
7 pm |
A session to support administrators in clubs. Understand more about the improvements made based upon year 1 feedback. | https://bit.ly/457BpRX |
A huge thank you to everyone involved in the age grade game for helping us reach over 180,000 player registrations during the 2024/25 season!
Your continued support – whether as club volunteers, parents, or players – has made the registration process smoother and more familiar for all.
Looking ahead, Age Grade Registration for the 2025/26 season officially opens on 1 July, coinciding with the GMS Season Switch-over. With half of all registrations complete before the season even began, we know how valuable it is to get ahead of the admin during the summer, allowing more focus on what happens on the pitch come September.
As in previous years, we’ll be sending a reminder email to all parents and registered players in the first week of July. Renewing takes less than 30 seconds—it’s quick, easy, and keeps everything running smoothly.
Our recent Age Grade Registration webinar was well attended and packed with useful insights for both seasoned and new registrars. If you missed it, you can take a look at the recording here.
You’ll also find a range of helpful “How To” videos and support tools on Community Rugby Help to guide you through the process.
In recent weeks proposals have been put forward for consultation about the way in which rugby might be run in future.
A group put together to explore the RFU's governance published a document seeking feedback from across the rugby community on how the structures that govern English rugby can be modernised.
It put forward broad ideas and principles about where it felt effective change could be made and seeks your views on this so you can help shape the future.
To help inform your thinking, a series of webinars are being run throughout June with the consultation running till the end of the month.
Webinar Information
We have designated sessions for different groups and regions, in part to help manage numbers, but you can sign up for any one at a time that best suits you.
The sessions will be a webinar format, with an overview of the consultation content, some FAQs and a chance to ask questions and share points of view in the chat function.
The sessions will be run by the Chair of the Governance & Representation Review Group, Malcolm Wharton CBE, supported by other members of the review group who are keen to listen to your questions and thoughts.
The aim is that this can help provide further information where needed to inform responses via the consultation response form.
Upcoming webinar dates
UNIVERSITIES - Mon 16th June 12pm - 2pm
WEST MIDS - Mon 16th June 6pm - 8pm
ARMED FORCES AND REFEREES - Weds 18th June 12pm - 2pm
SOUTH EAST - Weds 18th June 6pm - 8pm
LONDON - Thurs 19th June 12pm - 2pm
SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES - Thurs 19th June 6pm - 8pm
WOMEN AND GIRLS - Fri 20th June 12pm - 2pm
Action if of interest
Girls' Activity Day Guide - Sign Up Now
With the world cup fast approaching, we’re excited to launch our Girls’ Activity Day initiative.
A Girls’ Activity Day is the chance for your club to use the power of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 to introduce girls aged 6–12 to rugby through fun and creative activities that celebrate the spirit of the game and help grow the next generation of rugby players and fans.
Download the Girls' Activity Day Guide which has all the information you’ll need to help you plan and promote your event.
How to get involved
Clubs can register now to host a Girls' Activity Day during the tournament and receive a FREE Activity Pack to help bring the day to life. The first 400 clubs to register will receive an activity pack which includes:
- Crafting activity sets (rose origami, bracelet kits, art & design competition sheets)
- Bibs
- Goodie bag items and prizes (temporary tattoos, badges, discount vouchers, water bottles, colouring sets, customisable balls, and more!)
Deadline: Midnight on 20 July 2025
If you haven’t done so already, you can still book onto the Celebration of Rugby and World Cup and Beyond webinars which will help you with planning events and recruiting players around the tournament.
Celebration of Rugby: Recruiting New Players through the Rugby World Cup & Beyond - 11 June
Register
The Rugby World Cup & Beyond at your Club - 7 July
Register
RugbyFest is Coming!
From next month clubs will be able to sign up to run a RugbyFest event during the weekend of 3-6 October to celebrate the end of the World Cup and be in the with the chance of winning an appearance from the Red Roses along with a whole host of partner prizes, media coverage and activities to supercharge their RugbyFest.
The sign up form and more information will be out in next month’s Community Game Update so make sure you don’t miss it!
We’re thrilled to support the Red Roses Yarn Art campaign, led by England star Abby Dow. This nationwide initiative invites clubs and communities to create rugby-themed crochet and knitted decorations to celebrate the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.
The campaign will culminate in a spectacular Yarn Art installation nationwide through the Summer of Women’s Rugby.
How to get involved
- Organise events to create yarn art at your club, encouraging creative members to contribute to the nationwide effort
- Promote the initiative on social media and around your club
- Order Yarn Kits through the Wool Warehouse who have produced kits with a Red Rose, bunting, granny squares and rugby balls as well as a 10% discount across all other items on their website using the code REDROSE10
Join the installation day in your nearest city and be part of the celebration of rugby
Important: Yarn art should not be placed in any public or private spaces without the express permission of the relevant local council/authority and land or property owner. Please ensure that your local council/authority, and relevant land or property owner have given their express permission to decorate any public or private spaces with your yarn art before doing so.
British Gas and Energy for Tomorrow, in partnership with Team GB and ParalympicsGB are aiming to help community sports clubs reach net zero.
They are offering matched +Extra funding, advice and crowdfunding support to help you raised the funds you need to make lasting, energy-saving improvements.
Clubs are currently invited to apply for the latest round of support, which includes:
- Matched funding via Crowdfunder (up to £40,000)
- Expert energy-saving advice
- Crowdfunding coaching and campaign planning
Applications are open from today until the 1st July. An information session is being held on the 18th June and participants can sign up here.
Eligibility criteria
- Clubs must be multi-sport and community-focused
- They must be a registered organisation (e.g. charity, CIC, limited company, or affiliated with a sporting body)
- They should have (or be open to developing) a project focused on energy efficiency, such as:
- Upgrading lighting or heating systems
- Installing insulation or solar panels
- Reducing carbon emissions or improving sustainability
- No prior crowdfunding experience is required — full support provided
Upcoming Webinars
Celebration of Rugby: Recruiting New Players through the Rugby World Cup & Beyond
11 June, 7-8 pm
The Rugby World Cup & Beyond at your Club
7 July, 7-8 pm
Padel Tennis at Rugby Clubs
25 June, 6:30-7:30 pm
GMS Support Trainers
Our small network of GMS support trainers are available to provide training, support and guidance to clubs and Constituent Bodies on key topics within the Game Management System (GMS).
They have in-depth knowledge of the GMS platform which is our primary platform to support the administration of rugby union.
To express interest in receiving a support session click here.
The Club Management Health Check
The Club Management Health Check is an online self-assessment tool designed to help rugby clubs review their Business Operations and Club Management areas, and can be found under Club Health Check.
Completing the tool will be a collaborative effort from across the club using the knowledge from club volunteers and staff (where appropriate) who are responsible for the relevant area, which are:
Club Management
- Policies & Procedures
- People
- Structure, Standards & Conduct
- Communications
Business Operations
- Strategy & Vision
- People & Premises
- Communications & Marketing
- Finance & Commercial
After completing the Health Check, clubs receive a customised action plan, with links to a large range of helpful resources, which can be saved and downloaded to share with relevant club committee members.
Howden Risk Assessment Tool
As part of a club's Regulation 9 responsibilities, they must complete an annual first aid risk assessment. It should be reviewed/updated each season between the beginning of July and the end of September.
To support clubs and rugby activity organisers with this responsibility, the RFU have worked with Howden, the RFU insurance broker, to produce a risk assessment tool for clubs to use.
The Howden Risk Assessment Tool(opens in a new tab) is now integrated into the RFU Game Management System (GMS). To access, please go to the GMS login page (opens in a new tab) and login using your individual GMS details.
Please note: Individuals need GMS Level 3 or above to access the risk assessment tool via their club’s organisational profile.
The following video provides a step-by-step guide on how to access the risk assessment tool via GMS.
GMS-Howden Risk Assessment Tool Explainer(opens in a new tab)
Further off field club support
The RFU provides various 'off field club support' services - many of which are free.
•
Guidance on legal or tax matters for clubs is provided by England Rugby’s Official Legal partner, Irwin Mitchell, via the Legal & Tax Helpline: 0333 010033. Plus, there are a wide range of online legal documents available free of charge, on the Irwin Mitchell Legal Documents Portal(opens in a new tab).
•
For entertainment licensing, including premises licenses, club premises certificates and gambling, we operate the free specialist Alcohol (& Gambling) licensing Helpline 0115 934 9177 in partnership with Poppleston Allen Licensing Solicitors. For VAT support contact Russell Moore, a former partner at a leading sports advisory accountants. The first 30 minutes of advice is free to clubs with any additional services provided at greatly reduced rates. Either call Russell on 07710 329317 or email russellmoore@sportsvat.co.uk(opens in a new tab).
•
Did you know the RFU automatically provides member clubs with insurance for various third-party claims? The cover includes: Public Liability Insurance, Professional Indemnity Insurance, Employers Liability, Directors and Officers Liability – find out more at the Howden website(opens in a new tab) (official insurance broker for RFU Clubs).
•
Has your club used the online self-assessment health check tool(opens in a new tab) yet? This is designed to help clubs better understand their relative strengths and development for their ‘off field’ areas. Once completed, the tool provides a bespoke action plan.
For awareness
The Summer Activity Framework is now well underway, as we continue with the age grade off-season. This defines the only formats and amount of training and playing/fixtures that can take place at each age group month by month. The June & July activities are as attached in the table.
A reminder also that, when planning your World Cup activities, the number of fixtures/festivals in August has been increased to four and touring teams from other Unions are welcome throughout August this year, as well as during the playing season. Please note that the usual approvals still apply.
Please see the Summer Activity page for the full information with links to the specific formats for friendly fixtures/festivals and loads of support to share with coaches, teachers, parents and players.
A reminder that Regulation 15 updates for 2025/26 are now available to view, and this document provides a summary of the things that have been updated.
There is also available with other helpful information on the About Age Grade Rugby page.
It is important that everyone is aware so please do spread this across your networks in advance of the new season.
Full regulations can be found on the Regulations pages.
Following a review of the Emergency First Aid in Rugby Union (EFARU) course, from 1 July 2025, England Rugby will no longer deliver face-to-face EFARU courses. Moving forward, the minimum qualification required for emergency first aiders involved in rugby will remain a Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) or an equivalent nationally recognised qualification. This is due to changes outside of RFU control that have impacted tutor numbers.
As many clubs are already doing, we encourage them to source first aid training from the wide range of local and national training providers. This approach offers clubs greater flexibility in arranging training and helps to reduce volunteer burden.
To continue supporting clubs and their first aiders, England Rugby will offer a range of free online first aid training resources. These materials are designed to assist qualified first aiders, coaches, and team managers - making it easier to access and reducing costs.
Additionally, we will provide materials including rugby-specific guidance that clubs can use when they engage with First Aid Training providers. When selecting a training provider, clubs should ensure the qualification is a Level 3 EFAW or equivalent and covers key first aid skills including basic life support (as set out in the Regulated Qualifications Framework).
More information and guidance and free online training resources will be available on the Player Welfare page from 1 July.
Join us for our upcoming RFU Safeguarding Conference on 12 July 2025.
The event is held virtually for CB safeguarding managers and club safeguarding officers, but is also open to committee members, coaches, referees, volunteers, and parents involved in our sport.
The conference will feature key updates from the RFU Safeguarding Team, along with a range of external speakers offering CPD-style sessions to support and strengthen safeguarding knowledge and practice.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and stay up to date – full details with joining instructions and the agenda will be promoted from the RFU via our communication channels and directly via your Constituent Body.
In case you missed them, check out some more of the top community rugby stories over the last month from the England Rugby website below and don't forget to submit yours!
For more stories like this, sign up to our monthly newsletter Touchline.
Related content
Can't find what you need?
Visit Community Rugby Help for more information or to raise a ticket
