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

Build a Rugby Fives community newsletter

Rugby Fives is a fast, two-a-side game with contact but no tackling, making it well suited to community clubs and mixed-age social play. A newsletter gives players, parents, coaches and volunteers one reliable source for fixtures, results and playing ideas. Done well, it builds the connections that keep a local game moving between competitions.

Starting a Rugby Fives newsletter for your community should feel manageable rather than like launching a national publication. Choose a clear readership, a realistic publishing rhythm and a small set of subjects your contributors can cover repeatedly. Local knowledge becomes a practical advantage in a volunteer-run sport where administration often happens after training.

The Rugby Fives Association is the UK national governing body for Rugby Fives and a registered charity. Through championships, tournaments, coaching, school programs, community outreach, rankings, results and historical records, it supports the sport across the country. Its commitment to inclusive participation and long-term development offers useful models for community publishing, while Australian clubs remain responsible for the voices, venues and priorities they feature.

Define the newsletter’s local purpose

Name the people you serve before choosing a design or platform. “Rugby Fives players, families and volunteers in inner Melbourne” is more useful than “everyone who likes sport”. Include former players and first-time newcomers when they genuinely fit the newsletter’s scope.

Turn that scope into a simple promise: timely fixtures, honest match reports, useful coaching and a welcome for new participants. Put the promise on the signup page and repeat it in each edition. Readers are more likely to subscribe when they can see the benefit before opening their inbox.

Set boundaries around promotion, sponsorship and personal opinion. Label sponsored items, separate fixture announcements from features, and use a corrections note when something is wrong. Clear standards protect trust when volunteers cover several roles and readers depend on the details for travel and training.

Choose a format and publishing rhythm

Make email the home of the newsletter, with an online archive that readers can search and share. A free mailing platform is enough for a local launch; use a template that works on phones, because many club members will check match details during a work break or on the way to training.

Support it with channels already used by the community, rather than asking people to learn a new habit. Facebook groups suit fixture reminders, Instagram suits photographs and short skills clips, and community newspapers can reach readers without regular inbox access. A WhatsApp channel can handle urgent changes, provided groups remain voluntary and messages stay purposeful.

Set a rhythm the small team can sustain. A monthly edition works for a year-round community; a weekly edition during the main season suits an active club. Keep the same core sections each time, even when the news is quiet, so readers know where to find results or the next game.

Recruit readers through club networks

Recruit through trusted club networks, starting with captains, coaches and committee members. Melbourne’s club culture around venues such as Albert Park gives volunteers clear groups to reach; ask each contact to share the signup link rather than forwarding the newsletter itself. Personal invitations tend to work better than a general advertisement.

School links can extend the audience, especially through rugby and physical education networks in western Sydney, including Blacktown-area schools. Ask teachers and parents to share an age-appropriate signup page, and obtain the required guardian consent before collecting details involving children. A school partnership should never become a condition of a child’s participation.

Community newspapers, local council newsletters and community radio offer routes into the Australian market beyond club pages. In Adelaide, a short fixture bulletin can sit alongside other local sport coverage, while volunteer-run clubs often supply the match details and photographs. Pitch a recurring column so the outlet knows what to expect each week.

Create a repeatable editorial mix

Give each issue a repeatable editorial mix so contributors know what to prepare. Fixtures and results provide the backbone, while player profiles, club updates and a short coaching segment add variety. Reserve space for community announcements that help people find a game, join a session or offer their skills.

Skills explainers should offer something a reader can use. The Rugby Fives Association’s drop-shot guide shows how to pair a clear explanation with a practical sequence. Ask a local coach to demonstrate the same idea at an Australian club, then publish the drill, any equipment needed and one warning about safe technique.

Build reports around people and verifiable details: scorers, standout moments, the venue and the official result. Use photographs with permission, credit contributors and separate a match report from a club’s promotional announcement. Historical comparisons can add interest, but check older records carefully rather than guessing at a past season.

Make coverage feel local and welcoming

Adapt coverage to Australian conditions rather than copying a generic club bulletin. Brisbane’s summer heat can force short evening sessions or indoor games, so explain any venue or start-time changes clearly. Canberra’s frosty winter mornings call for earlier indoor training options, warm-up advice and notices about cancelled outdoor courts.

Make inclusion visible in ordinary editorial decisions. Feature women and girls, mixed-ability squads, older players and people new to the sport, and ask local providers to explain adapted training or modified Fives where those options exist. A regular beginner tip or welcoming club note can be more useful than a single annual awareness campaign.

Keep the tone friendly and Australian without loading every paragraph with slang. Phrases such as “give it a go”, “have a crack” and “good on you” suit club voices, while plain instructions should remain plain. Offer “no worries, grab a copy” as a light invitation, then state the signup details clearly.

Build a simple publishing workflow

Keep the workflow simple: one editor, one fixture checker, a shared calendar and a reusable template. List each piece with a deadline, owner and approval status, then hold a short production session before sending. A reliable routine is more valuable than a polished but unpredictable edition.

Protect subscriber data from the beginning. Use a reputable mailing service, collect only necessary details and provide a clear unsubscribe route. Obtain consent for photographs, especially when children are pictured, and establish a retention or deletion policy for volunteers who leave the project.

Track replies, click-throughs, new subscribers, match attendance and offers of volunteer help, not just opens. Use those signals to decide whether more fixture detail, coaching or club features are earning attention. Record changes after each edition so future contributors can build on what worked.

Format	Main strength	Best rhythm	Practical distribution route
Email newsletter	Detailed reporting, links and searchable archives	Weekly in season or monthly	Club mailing lists, council features and school links
Social group digest	Fast updates and direct conversation	Around match days	Facebook groups and club social pages
WhatsApp channel	Immediate reminders and two-way contact	As needed	Voluntary subscriber groups with clear rules
Printed club sheet	Access for families and non-digital readers	Monthly or quarterly	Clubrooms, libraries and local newspapers

Launch the newsletter and invite participation

Create your first landing page with the audience, publishing rhythm, a sample post and one clear subscription button. Announce the first edition through club captains, school contacts and community outlets, and ask partners to use the same short description so the message stays consistent.

Make the invitation actionable: subscribe for fixtures, results and practical playing ideas; forward the link to a training group; and offer a monthly contribution to the newsletter. Publish on schedule, credit contributors and respond to replies, so the community sees a dependable invitation to take part.

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

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