Between two active clubs, a minis programme that starts at age three, women’s teams pushing for national promotion, and walking rugby players well into their seventies, rugby in Guildford has quietly built something that looks less like a pastime and more like a genuine community institution.
A Tale of Two Clubs
Guildford’s rugby scene centres on two distinct clubs, often confused because of their shared history and similar names. Guildford RFC, based at Broadwater in nearby Farncombe, traces its roots to 1922 and was reformed in its current shape in 2003 following a merger between Guildford & Godalming RFC and Old Guildfordians RFC.
The mens First XV competes in Regional 2 South Central, the sixth tier of English rugby, and claims to have close to 1,000 social and playing members. Guildfordians RFC, meanwhile, plays on Stoke Park in the heart of town, founded in 1931 as the Old Boys club of the Royal Grammar School before broadening its membership.
The men’s first XV competes in Counties 5 Surrey, the eleventh tier of English rugby, with the club’s community reach and inclusive programme its primary focus. The two clubs cover the town comprehensively between them, with different grounds, different atmospheres, and complementary reach into the community.
Building from the Bottom
With the upcoming inaugural Nations Championship 2026 kicking off in July, its easy to forget that its at the junior sections where the long-term health of rugby culture is really being shaped. Guildford RFC runs a minis and youth programme for around 500 girls and boys, ranging from Micros (under-5s) right through to under-18s, with more than 70 qualified coaches working to RFU-approved training frameworks every Sunday.
Guildfordians takes a similar approach, running minis festivals twice a year that draw visiting teams from across the South East, occasionally including clubs from as far as Guernsey. Both club’s aim is to develop a love of the game and keep young people in rugby into adulthood, whether at Guildford or elsewhere.
Girls and Women: A Sport Transformed
The Guildford Gazelles, the club’s women’s side founded over 20 years ago, are currently sitting second in Women’s Championship South West 2, just one promotion away from the second tier of English women’s rugby. Their success has fed directly into the wider growth of women’s rugby at the club: girls rugby was reintroduced in 2018, fielding a second team for the first time, and even earning sponsorship deals.
England World Cup winner and Harlequins vice-captain Lucy Packer is linked to the girls’ section, giving young players in Guildford a direct connection to the top of the women’s game. Guildfordians also launched their own women’s team in the 2023-24 season, extending the options available to women and girls across the town.
Opening the Game Up
Both clubs have worked hard to make rugby accessible beyond the traditional Saturday afternoon contact game. Guildfordians run the largest touch rugby section in Surrey, operating on a pitch-up-and-play basis with no team required and no previous experience expected, open to anyone from age 14 upward.
Their walking rugby programme, launched in 2018 by veteran coach Roger Underwood, now draws players from their mid-20s to mid-70s, runs sessions twice weekly year-round, and has organised an annual tour every year since 2022. At Guildford RFC, Wednesday evening touch sessions at Broadwater are open to sixth formers, veterans, parents, and ex-players, keeping people connected to the sport long after their contact rugby days are behind them.
Into the Schools
Guildford RFC runs a state school tournament every Tuesday afternoon during the autumn and spring terms, directly supporting local schools in growing their own rugby programmes. Guildfordians have hosted primary school touch events at Stoke Park, with nine schools participating in a recent session. At county level, Surrey Rugby works alongside Surrey Schools Rugby to reach more than 500 primary and 200 secondary schools across the county, a pipeline that both Guildford clubs feed into and benefit from.
More Than a Scoreline
What emerges from all of this is a picture of a sport that has taken its community responsibilities seriously. Rugby in Guildford is present at Stoke Park on Sunday mornings, at Broadwater on Tuesday evenings, in school sports halls during term time, and on tour in walking rugby kit in May. The clubs are abuzz with activity from players of every age, background, and ability level, and that, more than any league position, is what a healthy rugby culture looks like.