YOUR FIRST TRAINING
Trying Touch or Union with us? Here's exactly what to expect at your first session, and how to get ready.
AN INCLUSIVE RUGBY CLUB IN SOUTH LONDON
Established in 2019, the Stags play Rugby Union and Touch out of Mitcham and Carshalton RFC. Our aim is to represent the inclusivity of rugby and demonstrate the value of every player and supporter of the sport, regardless of sexuality, gender identity or ability.
THREE QUICK STEPS
Sign up. Fill in our New Members Sign Up form and we'll send you a welcome email. Already done it? You're all set.
Join our WhatsApp group. It's where we share training times and any last-minute changes, for example if bad weather cancels a session.
Pick your path. For Touch, just turn up to a First Touch session. For Union, message our Membership Officer first so we can plan your free trial. If you're not sure yet, First Touch is a friendly, non-contact introduction to rugby in general, so it's a great place to start either way.
FIRST TOUCH BOOTCAMP
First Touch is our free beginners' bootcamp: each session builds on the last, taking you from the basics to playing your first proper games alongside other first-timers, just like you.
Saturday 31 October
Saturday 7 November
Saturday 14 November
Saturday 21 November
Doors open at 11:00am and every session starts at 11:20am at Mitcham and Carshalton RFC.
If you can't make every date, that's no problem, you can drop into any session you like. We revisit the core skills throughout, so you'll soon catch up.
Join the WhatsApp group→A FREE TRIAL AT SATURDAY TRAINING
Union is full-contact rugby, and you'll join our regular Saturday training. Contact is introduced gradually, and you're never put into contact before you're ready. Our Union and Touch teams train separately, so we'll make sure you're with the right group.
Before your first session, message our Membership Officer or reply to your welcome email, and we'll work out a free trial plan together.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Where: We train each Saturday at Mitcham and Carshalton Rugby Club, Poulter Park, Peterborough Road, Carshalton, SM5 1EE. Exact start times are shared in the WhatsApp group.
Getting there: tram to Mitcham, or the Northern Line to Morden, then a 10 minute cycle, a 25 to 30 minute walk, or the no. 80 or 118 bus.
The session: a warm up, then skill drills and a game to practise what you've learned. It usually lasts 90 to 120 minutes. Nobody expects you to know the rules, we teach everything from scratch.
You won't be on your own: most of us came along alone the first time. Our Membership Officer is your main point of contact throughout your trial.
Afterwards: the clubhouse stays open, so stick around to meet other new members and our experienced players.
First sessions: trainers, comfy sports clothes and a water bottle (rugby is fast and we run a lot!).
Boots: if you stick with it, moulded-stud rugby boots help, but there's no rush. They're the only boots allowed at Touch tournaments. For Union you can use metal-stud boots.
Mouthguard (Union only): you'll need one before you take part in any contact. Our coaches will tell you when.
Nothing else: toilets, showers and changing rooms are available in the clubhouse.
All four First Touch sessions and your Union trial are free. After that, we ask you to become a member, and we offer flexible plans so everyone can afford to join.
"Stags is not just a club, it’s a community and family. Over the last two years Stags has given me a place to belong in London and I want to give back to the community as much as it’s given me and allow new and current members the same feeling and love I have received. Leading the club into the future is exciting and a privilege."
"The Stags to me is a community. We provide a safe space to be yourself and enjoy the sport of rugby. I’m excited to be Club Sec for another year as we continue to grow, demonstrating to everybody how special being a Stag can be."
"I joined the Stags in January and quickly rediscovered a sport I enjoy, and, just as importantly, the sense of community that comes with it. It’s a privilege to give something back to a club that has already given me so much in such a short time. I look forward to ensuring we exercise sound stewardship of our resources and keep investing in our members’ experience."
"Going into my fourth season with the Stags and third as captain, I’ve seen the club develop into a much more competitive and rounded community. My aim has always been to instill my own love and passion for the game into members new to the sport and those returning from time away. Equally, I want to encourage those who might be apprehensive to join to get stuck in with training, games and the club at large. I truly believe in the spirit of the Stags as a force for good in our community and look forward to taking the club to new heights as we continue to grow and compete both locally and internationally."
"Being a Stag means leaving busy weeks at home and coming together to get active with people who quickly go from stranger to friend, regardless of background in the sport. I’m so honoured to be touch captain again – it’s such a great bunch of players, and I love the friendly & supportive culture we have as a team. This year I hope to build on last year’s huge improvements, and continue to grow the team’s size, playbook, and scorecard."
"I joined the Stags in January 2025 and have found the club so supportive, welcoming and friendly that I want to give back. I’ll work to ensure fixtures, match days and tournaments run smoothly, and I’m passionate about taking the Union team to the next level by building strong relationships across the IGR. Above all, I want to help the Stags be the best team we can be, on and off the pitch."
"I’m the Stags’ first ever Touch Team Manager! I’m so excited to help our wonderful touch team grow: taking us on tour, empowering our players to become coaches and referees, and building new connections across the IGR. I’ve been a Stag for eighteen months, and as a trans man I have never felt so at home in sports as I have with the Stags."
"When I joined I had never had any gay friends. While I never felt unloved by my friends, I couldn’t be 100% myself. I’ve found my people, and I want to make sure they all have as much fun at this club as I do. Nights out clubbing, board games, movie nights: I want to give back and share the love I’ve felt since becoming a Stag."
"So many of us carry scars from school sport, from changing rooms, from being picked last. The Stags exist to rewrite that: here you are welcome from day one, whatever your ability, whatever your body. My job is to spread that message deep and wide across London’s queer community, until everyone who needs this club knows exactly where to find us."