Welcome to the
South Coast Festival
of Rugby 2025
DIGITAL GUIDE
The Festival Venue
Bognor Rugby Club
Hampshire Avenue, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO21 5JH
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
When It Comes To Offering A Big Welcome & Wonderful Hospitality, Bognor Rugby Club Are In The Premier League!
The rugby club plays host to the South Coast Festival of Rugby and we are so proud to have them as our hosts, we know the many teams attending the festival will enjoy the wonderful hospitality this very special club has to offer when the South Coast Festival of Rugby comes to town.
Bognor Rugby Club grounds consists of natural all grass pitches on one main open site. In addition to the main site, the festival will use an additional grass pitch which is located 80 yards outside of the main rugby club entrance.
This document is a live document, it will be updated month on month, please check over the coming months as we are investigating the potential of parking vehicles at a site within a short walk of the rugby club, however we cannot confirm this venue at this stage, but hope to do so soon.
Parking at the rugby festival
The rugby club is located within a very large housing estate, there is ample parking near to the rugby club in the streets (please do not park over residents driveways) surrounding the rugby club. There will be no parking at the rugby club grounds itself, other than for staff and volunteer parking.
If you have your own coach, you will have to arrange with your driver to park the coach away from the rugby club, there is a coach park just 1.3 miles (6 minutes’ drive) from the rugby club Coach & Lorry Park, Hotham Way Westbound, Bognor Regis PO21 1BA.
The Festival Itinerary
Friday - 25th April 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, the attractions of the holiday resort, have a nice meal and plan your rugby strategies for the weekend ahead.
Saturday - 26th April 2025
First match starts at 10am, last match finishes at 5pm
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 South Coast Cup on the Sunday and the 3rd & 4th placed teams of each group going on to the South Coast 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, who can all look forward to individual medals at the festival.
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 - 27th April 2025
First match starts at 10am, last match finishes at 5pm
Whether you take home the silverware or not, with a jubilant crowd and buzzing pitch-side atmosphere, the climax of the tournaments within the festival is 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.
Late afternoon the festival comes to a close and teams head back to their accommodation to enjoy their last night of fun on tour.
Monday - 28th April 2025
After an unforgettable and action-packed weekend of rugby and tour fun, depart your accommodation and head home with tales of the weekend at the South Coast Festival of Rugby.
The Festival Checklist
Rugby reminder....
VERY IMPORTANT, PLEASE NOTE:
To the left are key points we feel you should be notified of well in advance of the festival, please note during the month of April a further check list will be update on this form, please continue checking this document as it is a live document that will be updated in the lead up to the festival.
PLEASE NOTE:
For touring teams, only players who are part of the festival package and named on the schedule of registered players will be permitted to take part in the rugby festival.
Any team found to be playing a player who is not on the registration of scheduled players taking part 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 Festival Presentations
Who will be crowned South Coast Festival of Rugby 2025 Champions?
- Where there are 4 teams in a tournament at the festival there will be one cup competition – South Coast Cup.
- Where there are 8 teams in a tournament at the festival there will be two cup competitions – South Coast Cup & South Coast Challenge Cup.
- Where there are 10 teams in a tournament at the festival there will be three cup competitions – South Coast Cup, South Coast Challenge Cup & South Coast Trophy Cup.
Eagerly anticipated and ultra-competitive, promising an excellent standard of rugby for all. An unforgettable experience for players and spectators awaits memories that will last a lifetime will be created 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 South Coast 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 Food & Drink
Music, food and drink zones & produce stalls
Within the heart of the South Coast Festival of Rugby you will find Bognor Rugby Club, clubhouse, this is where the main hub for the food & beverages will be found, here you can purchase some great hot meals and snacks, along with a wide selection of drinks on offer.
The rugby club are ready to ensure each and every one of you attending the festival are fed well and the bars are stocked up.
The added bonus to the area where you can purchase your food & beverages is that the host club have a large patio area in front of the club house and the stage at the festival will be located no more than 100 yards facing the patio area, you can enjoy DJ sets, live performers, Caped Crusaders Characters, presentations, in addition to Free Face Painting on both days in the same zone whilst you enjoy your food, have a drink and take in some great rugby. Vegetarian meals will be available, ice cream stand and much more will also be within this zone.
