Welcome to the
Isle of Wight Festival
of Rugby 2025
DIGITAL GUIDE
The Festival Venue
Medina Sports Ground
1Leisure Medina, Medina Sports Fields, Fairlee Road, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2EW
This is a live document, keep checking the information pack over the coming months, once the final playing schedule has been completed the site map showing pitch numbers and locations will be updated this page
The Islands finest sports venue located in the centre of the capital of the Isle of Wight!
Medina sports complex is a beautiful venue, it sits on the riverbank and is located just a short walk into the islands Capital City of Newport. With rolling green pitches of a very high standard the venue comes alive when the Isle of Wight Festival of Rugby comes to the island!
This information pack will be updated with a playing schedule, a pitch plan and the location of the pitches on the festival site, so when you arrive at the festival you will know exactly what pitch you need to go to, where it is and what time your fixture is due to start. All we ask from each team is for one person to head to the festival control point which will be highlighted on the festival site plan and register that you have arrived on site.
Parking at the rugby festival
With Medina Sports Complex being on the edge of the Capital City there is very little car parking at the rugby festival site, there is also a football tournament which takes place on the same dates very close to the rugby festival location, as such, those wishing to come by car to the festival will need to park their vehicles at one of the pay & display car parks in the Capital City of Newport, these car parks can be found approximately 15 minutes walk from the rugby festival site.
PAY & DISPLAY CAR PARKS NEAR THE RUGBY FESTIVAL
• Sea Street, Newport, PO30 5BN, this car park is approximately a 15 minute walk to the rugby festival venue.
• RCP PARKING – Little London, Newport, PO30 5BW, this car park is approximately 15 minutes walk from the rugby festival.
The Festival Itinerary
Friday - 2nd May 2025
It’s arrivals day for teams, family members and supporters from across the UK, check into your accommodation and enjoy some free time for a pre-match moral boosting activity or get together, explore the local attractions, have a nice meal and plan your rugby strategies for the weekend ahead.
Saturday - 3rd May 2025
First match to start at 9am, last match to finish at 6pm
Day one for the competitive age groups will see the first group stage rounds of the festival for participating teams, with matches scheduled for either the morning or afternoon sessions, we plan to allocate a three hour window for teams to play within the day with breaks between matches within the three hour window, fixtures are scheduled in accordance to RFU age grade guidance on playing times and rules.
All teams will participate over the two days, all competitive age group teams are guaranteed to be playing for silverware on day 2 in one of a variety of tournaments within the festival based on day 1 group stage results. For example, if you are in an age group of 8 teams there will be 2 groups of 4 teams on the Saturday playing 3 matches, the top 2 teams of each group going on to the Isle of Wight Cup on the Sunday and the 3rd & 4th placed teams of each group going on to the Isle of Wight Challenge Cup on the Sunday. All teams can look forward to playing for silverware on the Sunday against teams of similar standing from Saturdays games.
All teams play in semi-finals on Sunday, winning teams playing in finals and losing semi-finalists playing 3rd & 4th place play off matches, resulting in 3 fixtures on the Saturday and 2 fixtures on the Sunday, 5 fixtures overall during the weekend.
At the competitive age groups awards are presented on stage to the winners and the finalists. Please note, where the number of teams is different to 8 teams variable other schedules are played, however no matter the number of teams at any one of the competitive age groups, teams always play for silverware on the Sunday regardless of day 1 results.
Non-competitive age groups, the essence of the festival is fun, no pressure and encouragement to enjoy their rugby, teams will be drawn randomly to play against each other, no scores will be recorded at the end of each match only cheers, applause and congratulations for a game well played will be bestowed on the deserving young players, with each player receiving medals.
Late afternoon the rugby festival comes to an end for the day and participating teams, family members and supporters head back to their various accommodation to enjoy an evening of fun and frolics on tour.
Sunday - 4th May 2025
First match to start at 9am, last match to finish at 6pm
Whether you take home the silverware or not, with a jubilant crowd and buzzing pitch-side atmosphere, the climax of the tournament is an event not to be missed as the day is filled with great rugby and presentations on stage throughout.
After each final has been played, we look to make the presentations on stage within 45 minutes of the fixture ending.
For the age groups playing competitive rugby the schedule is filled with some final group stages, quarter-finals, semi-finals, finals and play off matches along with the non-competitive age groups, the essence of day 2 at the festival is once again fun, no pressure and encouragement to enjoy their rugby, teams will once again be drawn randomly to play against each other, no scores will be recorded at the end of each match followed by even louder cheers, applause and congratulations for a game well played and once the rugby has finished for the day each and every one of the players in the non-competitive age groups will be called up on stage to receive their individual awards as their fans go wild and show their appreciation of the talent they have seen perform.
All presentations will be done to celebration music, teams will be called up on stage by the MC so ensure you bring your cameras with you for those once in a lifetime photo opportunity.
Teams head back to their accommodation to enjoy their last night of fun on tour.
Monday - 5th May 2025
After an unforgettable and action packed weekend of rugby, your team will depart the accommodation and head home to reminisce with tales of the weekend.
The Festival Checklist
Rugby reminder....
- Please bring two sets of different coloured playing shirts, a colour clash with match opponents may occur, to prevent this you may be required to change
- your teams primary rugby kit.
- All players must be affiliated to an RFU and registered club to play at the festival.
- Teams should bring their own rugby balls for warm up and pre training sessions.
- Rugby match balls will be provided by the Isle of Wight Festival of Rugby and used for all fixtures.
- Teams should be pitch side 10 minutes before their match fixture starts.
- No player serving an RFU ban will be permitted to play in the festival.
- No person serving an RFU ban will be permitted to be part of the festival or attend rugby festival matches.
VERY IMPORTANT, PLEASE NOTE:
Only players who are part of the festival package and named on the team sheets & rooming lists will be permitted to take part in the rugby festival.
Any team found to be playing a player who is not part of the festival package will automatically be disqualified from the festival and any points awarded in previous fixtures (competitive age groups) results will be reversed with a 3-point win awarded to the opponent.
The above does not apply to local teams, however local teams may only use players who have been listed on a team sheet pre festival.
The Festival Presentations
Who will be crowned Isle of Wight Festival of Rugby 2025 Champions?
- Where there are 4 teams in a tournament at the festival there will be one cup competition – Isle of Wight Cup.
- Where there are 8 teams in a tournament at the festival there will be two cup competitions – Isle of Wight Cup & Isle of Wight Challenge Cup.
- Where there are 10 teams in a tournament at the festival there will be three cup competitions – Isle of Wight Cup, Isle of Wight Challenge Cup & Isle of Wight Trophy Cup.
Eagerly anticipated and ultra-competitive, promising an excellent standard of rugby for all. An unforgettable experience for players and spectators as our MC invites players and coaches to the stage to collect their medals and trophies in front of a jubilant crowd to celebration music.
The presentations for all winners and runners up for each trophy in each competitive age group will be presented with medals. The overall winners will get to lift the highly prestigious Isle of Wight Festival of Rugby 2025 Cup. All players within the non-competitive age groups receive individual awards and are brought up on stage to celebrate their outstanding performances.
The Festival Village
Music, food and drink zones & produce stalls
Within the heart of the Isle of Wight Festival of Rugby you will find the Festival Village, this is where the stage will be located, DJ sets, live performers, Caped Crusaders Characters along with Free Face Painting on both days of the festival.
In the same zone there will also be the food court serving hot and cold meals including vegetarian meals, ice cream stand, candy floss, funfair stands, caricature artist where you can get your team personal portraits done, donut stand, tasty Luvbittong and much more.
