RWC 2019

With less than 50 days to go everyone is counting down the days until the start of the Rugby World Cup on Friday 20 September, and England’s first match against Tonga on Sunday 22 September.

The Rising Sons campaign has been launched, aiming to tell the stories of the players’ journeys to the Rugby World Cup, and inspire the nation to roar the team on the success in Japan. Rising Sons celebrates all that is great about rugby and the strong bond between the community and international game, while also reflecting the unique and beautiful host country, Japan.

England Rugby have produced a number of resources to help clubs prepare for the Rugby World Cup, specifically for the England v Tonga game (Rise and Shine), and for England matches throughout the whole tournament. A short how to guide for planning, promoting and running a Rugby World Cup event is available here, and click here to access downloadable, editable marketing assets to help your engagement with local communities, as well as a guide on how best to use them. Clubs can also use this simple checklist to ensure they are as prepared as possible to welcome new members and players. A social media guide will be provided in the September edition of the Community Game Update.

Ideas for how to re-engage lapsed players using the Rugby World Cup as a springboard are also available here. Our field teams are, of course, on hand and will be more than happy to support you. In addition to club facilities, there are 26 Artificial Grass Pitches (AGPs) with excellent facilities available across England where players of all ages can participate in any of the various formats of rugby. For a nominal fee of £1 clubs or groups of players can book a slot for a full pitch, at any time of day, on any AGP between Monday 12 August and Saturday 9 November 2019. Simply email rugby365@rfu.com to obtain a code. This offer is subject to T&Cs and availability.

The England squad’s Rugby World Cup preparations are going well as they continue to train hard in various location ahead of the forthcoming Quilter Internationals taking place in London, Cardiff and Newcastle, followed by that trip to Japan. You can discover more on our social media channels here.

Come on England!