There’s something different about rugby than other sports clubs and activities for children. For many, the rugby club becomes the heart of weekend plans and a core friendship group for kids and parents alike. Whether you’re new to Singapore or rugby, here’s how to choose the best junior rugby club for your family.
How junior rugby is set up in Singapore
Junior rugby in Singapore refers to players aged 18 and under; for adults, there are different clubs that play premiership rugby in two divisions and a veterans league. This article focuses on junior rugby options in Singapore.
Junior rugby is offered in some international and local schools in Singapore, but not all of them. Junior rugby clubs make the sport accessible to children whose schools do not offer rugby or to those who love the sport and want to play more often than the school calendar allows.
Girls rugby is offered in just a handful of schools but is mostly accessible through clubs.
In Singapore, with the equatorial weather, we can and do play rugby year-round.
Junior Rugby Clubs Singapore
Children’s rugby clubs in Singapore are governed by the Junior Rugby Clubs Singapore organisation (JRCS), which works in tandem with the National Sports Association, Singapore Rugby Union (SRU).
The junior rugby clubs currently registered with JRCS are (in alphabetical order):
- Centaurs Rugby Club (part of Centaurs Sports)
- Dragons Rugby Club
- Saints Rugby Club
- Singapore Cricket Club Rugby Academy
- Singapore Irish
- Tanglin Rugby Club
- Titans Rugby Club
- Oldham Rugby Club
Ages & Age Grouping
Junior rugby in Singapore is available from ages 3 to 18. Age groups are done on a calendar year (January – December) and work on a “year-born” format: so all children born in 2014 play together in a junior rugby club and play against other teams made up of children also born in 2014.
Age groups are called “Under ___”, abbreviated to “U___”, with the ___ being the age the child turns in that year. For example, those born in 2014 will be Under 10s or U10s in 2024 because all the children in that age group are 9 years old, turning 10 in 2024.
Progression and Safety
Following World Rugby safety laws, the JRCS laws approach the complexity and contact aspects of rugby progressively. To be a member of JRCS and to play rugby in Singapore is to follow the guidance and rules that the junior rugby community has agreed upon. Safety is the number one priority.
From ages 3 to 7, children in Singapore play non-contact rugby – it is modified significantly from the professional rugby you see on TV to be appropriate for the childrens’ developmental stages. From age 8 (“Under 8” age group), junior rugby introduces tackling.
Another example of this is the progressive nature of junior rugby in Singapore is to look at the rules governing scrums at various ages. Scrums are non-existent at U5-U8, uncontested at U9-11, and become contested scrums from U12-U17.
Boys and Girls Rugby, and Mixed Rugby
Within JRCS, boys and girls play rugby together in “mixed” rugby up to age U12. From then onwards, girls and boys play separately.
Girls can play girls-specific rugby from younger in the rugby clubs that offer it (like Centaurs). As girls rugby as a sport is still on the rise in Singapore, playing opportunities are maximised at the younger ages when you play both mixed and girls rugby.
Junior Rugby Clubs Singapore
How do you choose the right junior rugby club for you and your child? The first step would be to see what you want to gain from your experience there and weigh up your non-negotiables with the nice-to-haves.
Some clubs have central locations, others are worth travelling for (or have shuttle buses in place to help ferry players and parents to training). In reality, Singapore is fairly small, and everywhere is within 20 minutes’ driving distance. Most people in Singapore don’t necessarily choose a club for its location.
Some clubs train on Saturday, and others train on Sunday (we train on Sunday mornings). The calibre of the fields, equipment, and coaching would be other factors. Most junior rugby clubs in Singapore are volunteer-based, and some have a mix of professional and volunteer coaching. Many clubs (like Centaurs) increase the ratio of professional coaches for older teams as the game becomes more competitive and technically demanding.
In our experience, finding the right fit for you and your child is simple: does the club’s ethos align with your own sporting values? The best way to do this is to ask around! Do some research or trial different clubs before committing to see what suits you best.
Ask about the history, the coaches, ethos, tours, the community, family socials, summer/holiday offerings (rugby camps and rugby clinics), and how the club integrates new players. Follow the different junior rugby clubs on social media and see what the vibe is.
Getting started in a junior rugby club
Most kids’ rugby clubs in Singapore offer a free trial, where you can go and try out a session at the rugby club free of charge.
We can only speak from Centaurs’ experience, but an initial first training session with us would look like this:
- Saying hello to the staff member at the desk, who can familiarise you with the club and location (nearest bathrooms, water fountains, cafe entrance, etc.)
- Being introduced to your age group’s head coach
- Buddying up with a friendly player for a warm-up
- A quick assessment of your rugby experience and confidence in a small group led by a professional coach
- Working with the pro-coach safely to work on skills
- Joining back in the main group for any skills/drills that are appropriate for the trialist’s skill level
- Coming together for a modified game at the end
- Assessing your experience and whether it’s the right club for you – there’s no pressure from us to sign up
What to wear for rugby
For the first session, children should wear sports clothes and trainers or football boots. For those in contact age groups (U8 and up), you may need a mouthguard.
Rugby players wear team kit to train in – a durable team jersey; shorts with no pockets (as these can catch fingers during tackling and it is unsafe); long socks in team colours.
Some players choose to wear “skins” – long leggings and sleeves underneath the kit for modesty or protection from pitch abrasion.
All children playing contact must from U8 and up must wear a mouthguard (also known as a gumshield). Some players also wear scrum caps (also known as headgear) and padded hats to protect their skulls from abrasions and cuts. Unlike American Football, rugby players do not wear armour or helmets.
Playing opportunities for kids rugby in Singapore
Rugby Competitions Singapore
Junior rugby clubs in Singapore have packed annual calendars with playing opportunities in various formats: 7-a-side (“7s”), 10-a-side (“10s”), and 15-a-side (“15s”). Individual clubs host tournaments and invite other rugby clubs, and JRCS does run some official events too.
JRCS runs an official, multi-week League for age groups U10s to U18s, regular mini rugby festivals for the U5s to U10s, and a fun event called Festival of Nations, where players sign up as individuals and get mixed together with players from other clubs to play as a “nation” against others. Centaurs Rugby club joins in as many of these events as possible.
Playing Beyond Singapore/Junior Rugby
Centaurs teams enter as many tournaments as possible in Singapore and overseas, too! We’ve been on tour to Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, Hong Kong before and organise tours two to three times per year for families to join us on. They’re really fun!
Once you’ve graduated from junior rugby in Singapore, you can play in Singapore premiership adult teams, at university/college/polytechnic, or overseas. Centaurs Rugby has helped many players with scholarship applications for schools and universities. You can even go on to play professional rugby and for your country like many of our famous alumni have done – for Singapore, England, Wales, Canada, Stade Francais (France), Harlequins (UK), Northampton Saints (UK), NEC Rockets(Japan)… the list goes on!
Supporting your child's rugby journey
The best way to support your child’s rugby journey is to show enthusiasm and interest, encouraging participation and attendance.
Within the rugby club, parents can:
- participate in the sessions by joining in as a parent coach
- bring the whole family to training
- get involved on the snack roster, bringing fruit or treats to training
- make friends within the club
- attend club and age group socials
- join in for end-of-term fun like tug of war, lolly drops, players vs. parents games, slip-n-slides and more
- bring the whole family on a tour
- immerse yourself in the community
- support the club by wearing supporter merch
At home, parents can:
- play rugby with your child at home, working on the basics of passing with a rugby ball
- watch rugby games on TV together
- head along to spectate at games for the older age groups, premiership games, the Singapore 7s etc
- follow your club on social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.)
- help your child to balance rugby with academics and other activities
- do group fitness with rugby goals in mind.
Summary
Finding a rugby club for your child can be a big decision – but it doesn’t have to be difficult! Junior rugby in Singapore is thriving, and there’s a club for everyone. All you have to do is ask around, do some research, and give it a go. If you’re looking for a kids rugby club in Singapore, trial Centaurs Rugby Club free of charge – just get in touch via the Contact Us form, and we look forward to meeting you.