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Leicester Tigers
Leicester, Leicestershire
One of England's most decorated clubs with 10 Premiership titles, playing at Mattioli Woods Welford Road since 1880.
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Search all 470 union rugby teams below by name or town, or filter by region. English clubs show their confirmed 2026-27 league on their profile. For how the leagues fit together, see our English rugby union league structure guide.
470 clubs found
Union rugby teams in the UK: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Rugby union is the 15-a-side code of rugby and the most widely played form of the game in the UK. UK rugby union teams come under four governing bodies: the RFU (England), the WRU (Wales), Scottish Rugby and the IRFU (Northern Ireland). Each runs its own league pyramid, from professional teams to village clubs. We list 470 union rugby clubs: 353 in England, 64 in Wales, 45 in Scotland, 6 in Northern Ireland and one in Jersey.
| Nation | Governing body | Top domestic league | Union rugby clubs in our directory |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | RFU | PREM Rugby | 353 |
| Wales | WRU | Super Rygbi Cymru (below the URC regions) | 64 |
| Scotland | Scottish Rugby | Scottish Premiership (below the URC sides) | 45 |
| Northern Ireland | IRFU (Ulster Branch) | Energia All-Ireland League | 6 |
Rugby in the United Kingdom is mostly rugby union: union clubs outnumber rugby league clubs by more than four to one in our directory, and rugby league is concentrated in the North of England. Union rugby teams are often among the oldest sports clubs in their town: Blackheath was founded in 1858, Liverpool in 1857 and Richmond in 1861, and hundreds more date from the 1870s to the 1920s. For Scotland, filter the list to see our Scottish rugby clubs across Edinburgh, the Borders, Glasgow and the north, or start with rugby clubs in Edinburgh.
English rugby union teams by level: the full list
English rugby union teams are split into professional clubs (10 in PREM Rugby), semi-professional clubs (Champ Rugby and the National Leagues) and amateur community clubs (Regional and Counties leagues). The level a union rugby team plays at tells you how competitive it is and how often it trains, which matters when choosing one.
| Level | English rugby union league | Typical club | Clubs in our directory with this league confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PREM Rugby | Full-time professional club | 10 professional clubs (not part of the check) |
| 2 | Champ Rugby | Professional or semi-professional | 11 |
| 3 | National League 1 | Ambitious community club, some paid players | 8 |
| 4 | National League 2 | Ambitious community club | 25 |
| 5 | Regional 1 | Strong amateur club with several teams | 42 |
| 6 | Regional 2 | Strong amateur club with several teams | 60 |
| 7+ | Counties | Local rugby union club, open to all abilities | 118 |
Professional English rugby union teams (PREM Rugby 2026-27)
The 10 PREM Rugby clubs are Bath Rugby, Bristol Bears, Exeter Chiefs, Gloucester Rugby, Harlequins, Leicester Tigers, Newcastle Red Bulls, Northampton Saints, Sale Sharks and Saracens. Most English rugby clubs are amateur, and these union rugby teams in the Regional and Counties leagues are where most people play; they run several adult teams plus women's, junior and mini sections. The full English rugby teams list is in the directory above. For promotion, relegation and the 2022 league renaming, read the RFU league structure guide.
How to join a rugby union club
To join a rugby union club, find one near you in this directory, contact it through the details on its profile, and go along to a training session. Most union rugby teams offer a free trial period before asking for membership fees, and adult beginners are welcome at almost every community club.
- Shortlist two or three clubs near home or work.
- Check training nights. Most community union clubs train on two weeknights.
- Turn up prepared with boots, a gum shield and kit you don't mind getting muddy.
- Ask about teams. A club with a 2nd or 3rd XV can give you games while you learn.
- Register. Clubs register players with the governing body (in England, through the RFU's Game Management System) before you play competitive matches.
Rugby union clubs by region
Use the region filter above, or open one of our area pages. These group union rugby teams by city and county so you can compare nearby clubs. Our largest union areas are Greater London, Devon, Cornwall, Surrey and the Welsh valleys.
- England: London, Surrey, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, South West, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Warwickshire, Birmingham
- North of England: Leeds, North East, rugby union clubs in Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire, Hull rugby teams
- Wales and Scotland: Cardiff, Edinburgh
RFU club finder and RFU-affiliated union rugby teams
An RFU-affiliated club is a rugby union team registered with the Rugby Football Union, and the RFU club finder on the England Rugby website is the official register of affiliated clubs in England. English clubs in our directory that show an RFU league on their profile are affiliated; clubs in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland affiliate to the WRU, Scottish Rugby and the IRFU instead.
Use the RFU club finder alongside this rugby club locator: search here by town or county, check the club's confirmed league on its profile, then confirm its current teams and affiliation with the club itself. In Wales, Scotland and Ireland, use the WRU, Scottish Rugby or IRFU club finders instead.
Union rugby teams: frequently asked questions
How many rugby union teams are there in England?
England Rugby has well over a thousand affiliated clubs, many running several teams each. Our directory lists 353 English rugby union clubs, from the 10 PREM Rugby teams to local Counties league clubs. Filter by region to see the union rugby teams near you.
What is the best rugby union team in England?
The top tier is PREM Rugby, with 10 professional clubs including Bath, Bristol Bears, Leicester Tigers, Northampton Saints and Saracens. Which is "best" changes season to season; the league table and play-offs decide the champion.
What is the difference between rugby union and rugby league?
Union is 15-a-side with contested rucks, mauls and lineouts. League is 13-a-side, with six tackles per possession. They have separate clubs and governing bodies. See our rugby league clubs.
How do I join a rugby union club as an adult?
Pick a club near you, check it runs an adult team at your level, and go along to a training night. Almost all community union rugby teams welcome complete beginners. Our guide to starting rugby as an adult covers kit, fitness and what to expect, and see our women's rugby and junior rugby guides for those sections.
What is an RFU affiliated club?
An RFU affiliated club is a rugby union club that is a member of the Rugby Football Union, the governing body in England. RFU clubs play in RFU leagues and register their players with the RFU.
How many UK rugby union clubs are in this directory?
We list 470 UK rugby union clubs: 353 in England, 64 in Wales, 45 in Scotland, 6 in Northern Ireland and one in Jersey. Each union rugby club has its own profile with its location, league and contact details where we have them.
Is rugby union or rugby league bigger in the United Kingdom?
Rugby union is the bigger code in the United Kingdom. It is played in every nation, while rugby league is mainly played in the North of England. Rugby in the United Kingdom is run by five governing bodies: the RFU, WRU, Scottish Rugby, IRFU and RFL.