Blackburn RFC
Blackburn, Lancashire
East Lancashire club with a strong community focus and competitive teams across all age groups.
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Lancashire has a proud rugby union tradition along the Fylde coast and through its mill towns. This page lists the 7 clubs in our directory in the county north of Greater Manchester and Merseyside.
Fylde and Preston Grasshoppers are the leading clubs, with Blackburn, Vale of Lune, Fleetwood and Burnley close behind.
Rugby Clubs by Town
- Blackburn: Blackburn RFC
- Burnley: Burnley RFC
- Chorley: Chorley RFC
- Fleetwood: Fleetwood RFC
- Lancaster: Vale of Lune RFC
- Lytham St Annes: Fylde RFC
- Preston: Preston Grasshoppers
All Rugby Clubs in Lancashire
Lancashire rugby clubs by league
Lancashire's leading rugby union clubs are Fylde and Preston Grasshoppers in National League 2 North, then Blackburn and Vale of Lune in Regional 1 North West. Fleetwood, Burnley and Chorley play in the Counties Lancashire & Cheshire leagues. Wigan, Leigh, St Helens and Warrington are listed under Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire.
| Club | Town | Founded | League 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fylde RFC | Lytham St Annes | 1920 | National League 2 North |
| Preston Grasshoppers | Preston | 1869 | National League 2 North |
| Blackburn RFC | Blackburn | 1876 | Regional 1 North West |
| Vale of Lune RFC | Lancaster | 1905 | Regional 1 North West |
| Fleetwood RFC | Fleetwood | 1927 | Counties 2 Lancashire & Cheshire |
| Burnley RFC | Burnley | 1875 | Counties 3 Lancashire & Cheshire |
| Chorley RFC | Chorley | 1923 | – |
Leagues confirmed from England Rugby team pages on 31 October 2026.
Lancashire rugby clubs and the county union
Lancashire rugby clubs play in RFU leagues and are supported by Lancashire Rugby Football Union, one of the RFU’s county bodies, which runs county cups and representative teams. Clubs on this page are in Preston, Lytham St Annes, Blackburn, Lancaster, Burnley, Chorley and Fleetwood.
To check a club’s current league or find a team at the right level, open its profile or see our English rugby union league structure guide.
Sources and further reading
Lancashire rugby clubs by age: oldest to newest
Our directory lists 7 Lancashire rugby clubs: all 7 rugby union. The oldest is Preston Grasshoppers, founded in 1869, and 3 of the 7 were formed before 1900. Preston Grasshoppers is one of the oldest clubs in the North West.
| Club | Code | Founded | Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preston Grasshoppers | Rugby union | 1869 | Preston |
| Burnley RFC | Rugby union | 1875 | Burnley |
| Blackburn RFC | Rugby union | 1876 | Blackburn |
| Vale of Lune RFC | Rugby union | 1905 | Lancaster |
| Fylde RFC | Rugby union | 1920 | Lytham St Annes |
| Chorley RFC | Rugby union | 1923 | Chorley |
| Fleetwood RFC | Rugby union | 1927 | Fleetwood |
Founding years as listed on each club profile in the UK Rugby Club Directory, checked 4 November 2026.
In practice: an older club is not automatically a bigger or stronger one. Check each profile for the club's current league and teams, and ask the club what it runs this season.
Rugby clubs in the North West beyond Lancashire
Rugby clubs in the North West stretch well beyond Lancashire. Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire have both rugby union and rugby league clubs, and Cumbria has strong traditions in both codes. Use the area pages below to compare North West rugby clubs near you.
| Area | Clubs we list | Codes |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 7 | Union |
| Greater Manchester | 28 | Union and league |
| Merseyside | 15 | Union and league |
| Cheshire | 13 | Union and league |
| Cumbria | See area page | Union and league |
In practice: if you live in south Lancashire, the nearest club may be over the border in Wigan or Bolton. Search by town rather than by county.
How to join a rugby club in Lancashire
To join a rugby club in Lancashire, pick the nearest club, contact it and go to training. Lancashire rugby clubs are affiliated to the RFU through Lancashire Rugby. Most train twice a week and play on Saturdays from September to April, with pre-season training in July and August.
- Fylde coast: Fylde and Fleetwood.
- Preston and Chorley: Preston Grasshoppers and Chorley.
- East Lancashire: Blackburn and Burnley.
- North Lancashire: Vale of Lune in Lancaster.
- Contact the club. Ask about adult teams, training nights and junior sections.
Quick Answers
Rugby Clubs in Lancashire FAQs
How many rugby clubs are there in Lancashire?
Our directory currently lists 7 clubs in Lancashire. If a club is missing, you can register it for free.
Where are the rugby league clubs in Lancashire?
Most of the historic Lancashire rugby league towns, such as Wigan, Leigh, St Helens and Warrington, are now in Greater Manchester, Merseyside or Cheshire. See our Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire pages.
How do I join a rugby club in Lancashire?
Pick two or three clubs near you, check each club's profile for where it plays and how to get in touch, then ask about the next training session. Our guide to finding a rugby club walks you through it.
Where can I find rugby clubs in the North West?
Use our area pages for Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire and Cumbria. Together they list the rugby clubs in the North West that we hold, in both rugby union and rugby league.
How many Lancashire rugby clubs are listed?
We list 7 Lancashire rugby clubs, all rugby union. The oldest is Preston Grasshoppers, founded in 1869.
Is Your Club Missing?
We add new clubs regularly. If your club is not listed yet, register it for free so players searching near you can find it.
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