Overhead flat-lay photograph of a worn leather Rugby Fives glove resting on a dark wooden court floor, with a hand-stitched ball nearby; deep browns, burgundy shadows, and warm cream highlights evoke a vintage sporting atmosphere.

Rugby Fives Association

The governing body for Rugby Fives — promoting play, coaching and competition across the UK

Building A Thriving Rugby Fives Community Locally

Rugby Fives is a fast, skilful wall game that can bring together people of different ages, backgrounds, and sporting abilities. A local community does not need a large facility or an established league to get started. It needs a clear invitation, regular court time, and a small group willing to create momentum.

The strongest clubs grow from simple activity: a taster session, a school connection, a friendly match, or a conversation with someone who has played before. With the right approach, these first steps can develop into weekly games, junior coaching, club competitions, and a reliable network of volunteers.

Find The People Who Can Start It

Begin by identifying the people already connected to potential players. Local schools, independent sports clubs, leisure centres, universities, youth organisations, and community groups may all provide useful contacts. Former players and teachers can be especially valuable because they often understand both the traditions of Rugby Fives and the practical needs of beginners.

A small founding group is enough. Aim to include someone who can organise sessions, someone comfortable welcoming new participants, and someone who can help with promotion. The Rugby Fives Association can also provide a wider connection to clubs, competitions, coaching opportunities, and the national network.

Do not wait for a perfect committee or a fully developed programme. A committed group of three or four people can arrange the first session, gather feedback, and build a sustainable structure over time.

Make The First Session Welcoming

A new player should know exactly what will happen before arriving. Share the venue, start and finish times, clothing guidance, equipment arrangements, and the expected standard of play. Reassure participants that previous experience is not required and that the session will include instruction as well as games.

The first event should prioritise enjoyment and confidence rather than intense competition. A short explanation of the court, basic striking technique, serving, and scoring can be followed by simple drills. Pairing a newcomer with an experienced player helps them learn naturally while creating an immediate social connection.

Keep the session varied. Rotate partners, include cooperative rallies, and allow time for informal conversation. People are more likely to return when they feel that they have made progress and met others, rather than simply completed a demanding workout.

Build A Regular Local Programme

One-off events create awareness, but a recurring session creates a community. Choose a dependable day and time, even if the first attendance is modest. A fortnightly booking can work initially, although weekly activity usually makes it easier for players to develop skills and form habits.

A useful programme can combine open play, coaching, and friendly competition. For example, the first part of a session might focus on movement and racket control, followed by doubles games and a short social period. As numbers increase, the group can introduce ladders, round-robin formats, or local fixtures.

Community Stage	Main Focus	Practical Activity	Sign Of Progress
First Contact	Awareness	Taster event or demonstration	New names and enquiries
Early Sessions	Confidence	Basic coaching and friendly games	Players return regularly
Growing Group	Belonging	Weekly play and social activities	Members bring friends
Developing Club	Competition	Ladders, leagues, and fixtures	Regular match results
Established Network	Sustainability	Volunteers, schools, and partnerships	More courts and sessions

Record attendance and collect contact details responsibly so that people hear about future sessions. A simple email list or messaging group can help with reminders, cancellations, and fixture updates, while a public calendar makes the programme easier to discover.

Connect With Schools And Community Groups

Schools can introduce Rugby Fives to children who may not have found a suitable sport through traditional team games. The sport develops hand-eye coordination, balance, movement, anticipation, and decision-making in a compact space. It can support physical education lessons, enrichment days, lunchtime activities, and after-school clubs.

Approach teachers with a practical offer rather than a general request for support. Explain how many pupils can participate, what equipment is needed, how long a session takes, and what safeguarding arrangements apply. A short demonstration for staff can make the activity easier to understand and help identify an enthusiastic school contact.

Community partnerships can widen participation beyond education. Youth clubs, disability organisations, cultural associations, and local sports partnerships may welcome an activity that supports mixed-age play and adaptable coaching. Consider transport, cost, accessibility, and confidence when planning sessions so that the programme reflects the whole local area.

Encourage Inclusion And Belonging

A thriving Rugby Fives group should make space for different levels of experience, physical abilities, ages, and motivations. Some people will want competitive fixtures, while others may be looking for exercise, friendship, or a new skill. Offering parallel activities or flexible formats can help these interests exist together.

Use language that welcomes beginners and avoid making ability the main measure of membership. Explain etiquette clearly, rotate partners, and ensure that experienced players support rather than overwhelm new participants. Coaches and organisers should also respond promptly to concerns and establish expectations around respect, safety, and fair play.

Practical details matter. Check whether the venue has accessible entrances and facilities, provide affordable participation options where possible, and schedule activities at times that suit families, students, and working adults. Inclusive recruitment is more effective when it is reflected in the structure of the programme, not just in its publicity.

Turn Volunteers Into A Strong Team

Local sport depends on people who contribute in different ways. A volunteer may welcome players at the door, manage fixtures, update social media, maintain equipment, contact schools, or organise refreshments. Clear, manageable roles prevent responsibility from falling on one person and make it easier for others to get involved.

Create a simple task list and invite members to choose an area that suits their interests. Give new volunteers a defined job for a limited period, such as managing one event or contacting three schools. Recognition also matters: thank people publicly, offer opportunities to learn, and show how their work helps the group grow.

Appoint a session coordinator to manage bookings and weekly communication.
Keep a shared list of equipment, contacts, fixtures, and upcoming events.
Train more than one person to lead warm-ups and beginner instruction.
Set a small annual calendar of open days, school visits, and competitions.
Review attendance and feedback every few months before changing the programme.

A community becomes more resilient when knowledge is shared. Written checklists, basic coaching resources, and consistent sign-in procedures help the group continue when a key organiser is unavailable.

Create A Visible Local Identity

People are more likely to join an activity that feels established and easy to find. Choose a clear local name, use consistent information across social media and community noticeboards, and publish dates well in advance. Photographs of courts, group sessions, and friendly matches can show the energy of the sport more effectively than a long description.

Local stories can attract attention. Share a player’s first successful rally, a school session, a volunteer achievement, or a new fixture with a neighbouring club. Contact local newspapers, radio stations, and council newsletters when the group reaches a milestone. Publicity should focus on participation and community value rather than presenting the sport as exclusive or difficult to access.

As the group develops, maintain links with nearby clubs and regional organisers. Friendly exchanges can provide fresh opponents, coaching ideas, and routes into tournaments. A local programme gains strength when it belongs to a wider Rugby Fives network while retaining its own welcoming character.

Turn Interest Into Action

Start with one venue, one date, and one clearly advertised session. Invite schools, clubs, former players, families, and curious beginners, then make the experience friendly enough that people want to return. From that first gathering, establish a regular rhythm, share responsibility, and celebrate steady progress.

Your next step could be contacting a local court, arranging a beginner evening, or gathering a small organising group. Every established Rugby Fives community begins when someone creates an opportunity for people to play together—make that opportunity happen in your area.

A close-up photograph of a player's hand striking a small leather ball against a cream-coloured court wall, motion blur conveying speed; warm natural light from above.

What is Fives?

A handball sport with deep roots

Rugby Fives is a fast, skilful handball game played in an enclosed court with walls. It takes its name from Rugby School, where the modern game developed. The RFA provides resources and an introductory video for newcomers eager to understand the rules and spirit of the sport.

Discover the game

A wide-angle photograph of a row of Rugby Fives courts at a traditional British school, with ivy-covered brick walls and cream court surfaces under soft overcast daylight.

Where to Play

Courts across the country

Rugby Fives is played at schools, universities and clubs throughout the UK. Whether you are a seasoned competitor or picking up a glove for the first time, the RFA can help connect you with local venues and fellow players.

Find a court

A panoramic photograph of a tournament in progress across multiple courts, with players in white kit moving against cream walls; warm ambient light and a sense of quiet concentration.

An overhead flat-lay photograph of a handwritten tournament draw sheet on cream paper, with a fountain pen, a leather-bound record book, and a pair of well-worn gloves arranged neatly.

Rankings

Tracking the best in the game

The RFA maintains official player rankings, including a dedicated Women's rankings list and end-of-season standings. A comprehensive record book of tournament winners stretches back to 1925, preserving nearly a century of competitive history.

View rankings

A photograph of a fixture board on a cream-painted wall, with neatly handwritten match cards pinned in rows; soft shadows and warm indirect light.

Fixtures & Tournaments

The competitive calendar

The RFA calendar includes championships, open tournaments, and school and university matches. Major events have included the National Open Singles, the South West Open, the London Open, the Scottish Open, and the Owers Trophy — alongside representative fixtures against schools and clubs.

See fixtures

A photograph of a shelf of leather-bound archive volumes and photograph albums in maroon and tan, with a brass lamp casting warm light across the spines.