NEW MEMBERS FAQS

There are two easy ways in, and your first sessions are free either way.

Touch: come along to First Touch, our free beginners' bootcamp on Saturdays from 31 October. Join our WhatsApp group, then just turn up.

Union: come to our regular Saturday training. Join our WhatsApp group, then message our Membership Officer and we'll plan your free trial together.

Touch is a fast, non-contact version of rugby. Instead of tackling, you touch the ball carrier with your hand, and after six touches the ball changes hands. It's simple to learn and a lot of fun.

No. There are no tackles, scrums or rucks. A light touch replaces the tackle, so you get all the running, passing and teamwork of rugby without the bumps.

Not at all. Our Touch team is mixed and open to every gender. Women, trans, non-binary, intersex and agender players are welcome.

First Touch is our free beginners' bootcamp for Touch. Each session builds on the last, taking you from the basics to playing your first proper games:

Week 1: Saturday 31 October
Week 2: Saturday 7 November
Week 3: Saturday 14 November
Week 4: Saturday 21 November

Doors open at 11:00am and every session starts at 11:20am at Mitcham and Carshalton RFC.

Join our WhatsApp group to get all the training updates, then just show up at Mitcham and Carshalton RFC. There's nothing else to book, and if you miss a session you can drop into any of the others, as we revisit the core skills throughout.

Come along to our regular Saturday training. Our Union and Touch teams train separately, so we'll make sure you're with the right group.

Join our WhatsApp group, then message our Membership Officer or reply to your welcome email, and we'll work out a free trial plan together.

First Touch is a great place to start either way. It's a friendly, no-contact introduction to rugby in general, and plenty of our members play both. You can always chat it through with our Membership Officer.

Fill in our New Members Sign Up form and you're all set. You'll get a welcome email with everything you need to get started.

Just trainers and a water bottle, plus comfy sports clothes. If you stick with it, we'll recommend buying moulded-stud rugby boots. They work for both formats and are the only boots allowed at Touch tournaments. For Union you can also use metal-stud boots. If you're trying Union, you'll also need a mouthguard before you take part in any contact. Our coaches will tell you when. Sportswear shops such as Sports Direct and Decathlon usually stock them at affordable prices.

Absolutely, most of us did! You'll join a group of other first-timers, just like you. Our Membership Officer will be your main point of contact throughout your trial period, and our WhatsApp group is where you'll get updates and get to know the other new players.

Yes, lots! We run social events all year for new and existing members. Our WhatsApp group is also where new players get to know each other, and past new members say it's where lasting friendships started.

We train every Saturday morning at Mitcham and Carshalton Rugby Club (Poulter Park, Peterborough Road, Carshalton, SM5 1EE). There are toilets, showers and changing rooms available in our clubhouse. Once your free trial is over you can also join us on Wednesdays for our mid-week training in Clapham.

The clubhouse is easily accessible by tram (nearest stop: Mitcham) or tube (nearest station: Morden, Northern Line) followed by a 10 minute cycle, a 25 to 30 minute walk, or a short bus journey (no. 80 to Shaftesbury Road or no. 118 to Bishopsford Road, from Morden Station).

Training starts with a warm up, usually followed by skill-specific drills and a game to practise what you've learned. It usually lasts between 90 and 120 minutes.

Not at all. Many of us had never played rugby of any kind before joining the Stags, whether Union or Touch. We teach everything from scratch, so nobody expects you to know the rules on day one.

No. Rugby has a place for every kind of player. In Union, different positions suit different builds and strengths, and in Touch, good passing, communication and reading the game count as much as speed. People of all ages, shapes and fitness levels play with us, and your fitness builds naturally as you go. It's never too late to start.

All four First Touch sessions and your Union trial are free. After that, we ask you to become a member. We offer flexible plans so everyone can afford to join, and there's no pressure to commit until you're sure the club is right for you.

We offer three membership options for the 2026/27 season, each with monthly instalment plans available:

Full Membership (£110): training, matches, tours, clubhouse access, non-fee socials and partner opportunities

Training and Recreational Membership (£82.50): training, clubhouse access and non-fee socials (no matches or tours)

Supporter Membership (£33): clubhouse access plus three sessions a year, perfect if you want to be part of the club without playing regularly

All memberships unlock access to our private social channels, the Pitchero website and app for news, fixtures and team selection, our socials across the year (quiz nights, karaoke, comedy nights, gaming evenings and more), and the ability to purchase club merchandise.

Full and Training memberships cover training and club access. Beyond that, budget for your own boots (and a mouthguard for Union), occasional match day or tournament fees, and optional costs if you travel to away tournaments and tours. We will always be upfront about any additional costs before you commit.