OS Rugby Match 2026 – Player & Spectator Booking

We’re thrilled to announce the return of OS Rugby for 2026 – and this year promises to be bigger and better than ever!

Following fantastic feedback from our recent player survey (thank you to everyone who took part), we’ve carefully selected a new early-season date to maximise availability, energy, and hopefully some late summer sunshine.

Event Details

• Date: Sunday 6 September 2026
• Kick-off: 11:00am
• Teams: Two mixed age OS teams
• Match Format: Touch Rugby due to unprecedented summer weather conditions
• Location: Doggart Pavilion & Witherden Field

About the Event

Join us for a brilliant day of rugby as Old Stortfordians take to the pitch once again. Whether you're playing, supporting, or reconnecting with teammates, this is set to be a standout fixture in the OS calendar.

At the conclusion of the match, we will proudly present the Billy Hookway Trophy to the winning team — a touching tribute donated by the Hookway family in memory of Billy Hookway (HH, 2000–02), a much-loved member of the legendary 2001 unbeaten 1st XV team and a cherished friend to many in the College community who sadly passed away in August 2020 at the age of just 36.

Important Match Format Update 20 August 2026:

Following a review of the current ground conditions, the College have made the decision to change the match format from full-contact rugby to touch rugby. With the exceptionally hard ground at present, this is the safest option for all players and will help us minimise the risk of injury while ensuring everyone can still take part and enjoy the day.

This decision is also in line with the RFU's recent delay to the start of the community rugby season due to the unusually dry conditions affecting pitches across the country. While we appreciate that our community will have been looking forward to a full-contact game, we hope everyone will understand that player welfare must come first.

The good news is that the match will still be competitive, fast-paced and, most importantly, a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with teammates and friends from across the years and then enjoy a BBQ & beers afterwards!

Get Involved – Players

We need your help to make this event a success!

You can support by:

• Signing up to play
• Sharing the event with your rugby networks
• Posting on social media
• Encouraging friends and former teammates to join

There is still time to register to play via this link:

https://stortfordiancommunity.org/surveys/os-rugby-team-26-6sept

Following valuable feedback from past participants regarding the imbalance in the available player pool for the Under 23s and Over 23s teams, the format of the OS Rugby match will be changing.

Going forward, the fixture will be contested between two mixed-age OS Rugby teams. Once all registrations of interest have been received, Bash and College sports colleagues will select two evenly matched squads to ensure a balanced and competitive game.

We hope this new format will create a more enjoyable experience for players and spectators alike, while maintaining the spirit of friendly competition that makes the event so special.

Spectators Welcome

Not playing? No problem — come along and cheer from the sidelines!

Please register your attendance so we can plan catering accordingly.

On the Day

• Refreshments provided for registered players and spectators
• Parking available at Doggart Pavilion

We can’t wait to see the OS community back together on the pitch and around it. Let’s make this a fantastic return for OS Rugby in 2026!