15/08/2026
*STATEMENT ON START OF THE COMPETITIVE COMMUNITY RUGBY
After careful consideration and extensive consultation with clubs across England, we have decided to delay the start of the competitive community game season until the week commencing Monday 21 September. We appreciate this will be disappointing news to clubs, players and volunteers who have been getting ready for and looking forward to the new season but there are a range of factors we’ve considered carefully before making this decision.
Executive summary - what this means for rugby
• National League Rugby (NLR) can make a decision subject to RFU oversight on RFU Men’s League matches at National League 1 & 2 to take place before 21 September.
• No competitive matches in RFU Men’s leagues at Regional 1 and below or RFU Women’s Leagues below PWR level will take place before 21 September.
• Merit leagues are governed by Constituent Bodies (CB). Fixtures due to take place before 21 September are subject to any CB decision, considering any RFU guidance at the time.
• Age grade matches in RFU competitions due to take place before 21 September have been postponed with details below of alternative dates.
• Friendly matches, where possible due to local conditions, player readiness and safety, may go ahead in order to help prepare players for the competitive season.
• Training can continue but it is important pitch safety is assessed before every session and RFU guidance is followed on modifying contact activity on hard grounds.
• All rugby activity, including that taking place outside of RFU league matches is subject to continual review and the RFU expects to issue further guidance to clubs, CBs, schools, colleges and universities in the coming weeks or when new information is available.
Why we're making this call now
As outlined in our recent guidance on managing pitches and training in drought conditions, prolonged dry weather has left many grounds across the country hard and unsuitable for safe full-contact activity. With no meaningful or lengthy spells of rain currently forecast, these ground conditions are not expected to improve significantly in the short term.
With this in mind, we have taken the decision to delay and to give everyone certainty now. We understand a delayed start has real practical implications - travel bookings, catering and food orders, volunteer planning and more - and we know volunteers always value as much time as possible to plan around a confirmed date rather than a moving target.
This decision has been made on three grounds:
• Player welfare - hard, dry pitches increase the risk of injury, particularly in the opening weeks of the season when players are returning to full contact. We recognise that many clubs have had to limit contact training in pre-season training due to the pitch conditions. We want players to return to competition safely and adequately prepared.
• Competition integrity - starting the season on pitches that aren't fit for purpose risks uneven conditions and disruption across fixtures as well as offering advantages for those clubs able to prepare players during pre-season using Artificial Grass Pitches (AGP) - undermining fair competition from the outset.
• Planning - a clear, decisive two-week delay gives clubs, schools, colleges and universities the certainty needed to plan training, fixtures, travel and logistics with confidence.
What this means for adult competitions
• All fixtures in men’s leagues at Regional 1 level and below due to take place before 21 September should not go ahead as planned; these matches will instead be rearranged by Regional Organising Committees (ROC). It is expected that the November break remains in place.
• All fixtures in women’s leagues below PWR currently scheduled to take place before 21 September should not go ahead as planned; these matches will instead be rearranged by RFU Competitions.
• Local merit leagues and merit tables are governed and administered by Constituent Bodies under the overarching authority and general regulations of the RFU. CBs, competition organisers and clubs playing in these leagues will be provided with the suggested guidance from the RFU in regard to the start to the season.
• Training can continue in the meantime, but it is important pitch safety is assessed before every session and continue to follow our guidance on modifying contact activity on hard grounds - including greater use of ACTIVATE, avoiding repeated practices that take players to ground, and considering Rugby 365 AGP hire where available.
What this means for age grade competitions
• RFU Continental Tyres Schools Cups – U18s will now start from the round two date of 28 September, and U15s from 5 October, with an additional round added in January/February. Schools and Academies will work together to address player load.
• AoC Sport College Leagues – will start from 28 September, with extra rounds added in spare weeks or January.
• RFU ACE Boys League – will start from the week commencing 21 September, using reserve dates and working with teams to reschedule.
• RFU ACE Girls League – will start from its round two date of the week commencing 21 September, with an additional round to be identified in January.
• Local leagues, cups and competitions are governed and administered by Constituent Bodies under the overarching authority and general regulations of the RFU. CBs, competition organisers and teams playing in these leagues will be provided with this suggested guidance from the RFU in regard to the start to the season.
• Training can continue in the meantime, but it is important pitch safety is assessed before every session and continue to follow our guidance on modifying contact activity on hard grounds - including greater use of ACTIVATE, avoiding repeated practices that take players to ground, and considering Rugby 365 AGP hire where available.
The following competitions are unaffected due to planned start dates/availability of AGPs and will maintain their existing calendar positions:
• RFU Clubs U18 Boys & Girls Cups and U16 Girls Cup
• RFU/PREM Academy League
• BUCS Super Rugby Men's League
• BUCS Super Rugby Women's League
• BUCS Leagues
This doesn't mean staying away from rugby clubs
A delayed start to contact fixtures doesn't mean a delayed start for your club as a whole. We'd encourage adult and age grade players, coaches and volunteers alike to keep getting down to the club over the coming weeks. T1 Rugby and non-contact formats remain a great way to get members to your clubhouse and keep them active - subject to the usual pitch risk assessment - while also giving squads valuable time to properly prepare for the return to contact when the season begins.
Looking ahead: the Rugby Competition Landscape Review
This decision also feeds into a wider conversation the game needs to have. The RFU's ongoing review of the Rugby Competition Landscape is examining, among other things, how a changing climate may affect the structure and length of the domestic season going forward. As dry spells and unpredictable weather become more frequent, we recognise the traditional season shape may need to evolve to protect player welfare, pitch quality and competition integrity in future years. We'll share more on the findings and recommendations of this review in due course, with opportunities for clubs to feed in as it progresses.
We understand the decision to delay the start of the season will be disappointing but hope it helps minimise disruption and impact on volunteers. We haven’t taken the decision lightly. Thank you for your patience and understanding, and for continuing to prioritise player safety and pitch care during this period.
