CLUBS have until this Friday (August 26) to register their events for the RFU’s Pitch Up for Rugby campaign.

Any club that does register will be entered into a prize draw to win one of five £2,000 Umbro kit vouchers. (Redeemable via englandrugbyclubhub.com).

Pitch Up for Rugby 2022 will take place over the weekend of September 17/18.

Kingsbridge and Teignmouth are among the Devon clubs to have already registered.

Kingsbridge are hosting mixed men’s and women’s touch rugby games with a social event prior to watching their colts game. They are looking to recruit and retain players across the adult section of the club.

Teignmouth are running an ‘Intro to Rugby’ event prior to a senior men’s game and during age grade training.

Other ideas clubs around the country are planning include a pre-match social event including a hog roast and band to invite and welcome potential new members and players and skills sessions and a pitch up touch rugby tournament.

The 2022 Pitch Up for Rugby follows the successful 2021 campaign when close to 600 events were hosted by clubs nationwide.

With the returning programme, the RFU hope it will help attract even more players, coaches, match officials and volunteers to your club for the upcoming season. Feedback from last season suggested:

• 95% clubs wanted to take part again next year

• 82% of clubs said their event was a success

• 75% clubs over 25 players taking part (56% with over 50)

You can register an event by visiting Confirm your Pitch Up event

To support the promotion of your event there are resources and activation guides that can be found on the England Rugby resources page.

The RFU’s national adult recruitment and retention campaign, ‘Play Together, Stay Together,’  focuses on two key groups of players – age grade players transitioning to adult rugby and older adult players returning to the game.

In June, the RFU ran a webinar about Pitch up and specifically how to help the younger audience – WEBINAR: Pitch Up for Rugby – YouTube

The National Lottery will again be supporting Pitch Up For Rugby weekends, helping to raise awareness of events and encouraging more players back to clubs.

If you have any queries please contact either your club developer or visit the club support centre.