Smiths Rugby Launches Minis and Juniors Section for 2025/26 Season

Smiths Rugby, based at the iconic Prince of Wales Stadium in Cheltenham, is excited to announce the launch of its first-ever Minis and Juniors section, kicking off in the 2025/26 season.

This milestone marks the beginning of a new era for the club, which has long held ambitions to grow a youth section—waiting until the timing, structure, and support were exactly right. Following an outstanding and undefeated 2024-25 campaign in which the senior team won the Counties 2 Gloucestershire North League (adding to their triumphs in the 2024 Papa Johns Community Cup and the 2023 Cheltenham Senior Combination Cup), the club is now turning its attention to the future of the game.

The Minis section will be delivered in partnership with Tag Trojans (www.tagtrojansuk.com), a trusted grassroots programme run by current Smiths 1st XV player Marcus Raymond. Aimed at children aged 4–9, Tag Trojans offers fun, inclusive and engaging tag rugby sessions to help young players fall in love with the game in a safe and welcoming environment.

At the Junior level, Smiths Rugby is launching with an Under-15s age group that already has over 30 players signed up, with ambitions to run two teams from the outset. The team will be led by Level 2 qualified coach Duncan Simpson, supported by coaches Luke Harding, Andy Tiplady and Jamie Short, with physio from Tace Allen. As part of the membership package, players will also benefit from regular strength and conditioning sessions through a partnership with The Stronghold, and each player will receive a club playing shirt.

The youth expansion has been spearheaded by former 1st XV players Dave Cole and Sam Cook, with Dave stepping into the role of Chairman and Sam taking on Safeguarding. They are joined by former teammate Dan Pigot as Membership Secretary—together creating a leadership group rooted in club culture and passionate about player development from the ground up.

Smiths Rugby's latest recruits training at the Prince of Wales Stadium in Cheltenham

To ensure the right foundations are in place, the Minis and Juniors will operate under their own dedicated committee—completely separate from the senior section. This approach guarantees strong governance and allows full focus on the rugby, development, and enjoyment of the children involved. Joining the Smiths faithful on the committee are Under-15s Head Coach Duncan Simpson and fellow parents Luke Harding, Andy Tiplady and Jamie Short, bringing valuable hands-on insight and family involvement from day one.

“We’ve taken our time to get this right. This isn’t just about fielding youth teams—it’s about building something long-term, safe, inclusive, and fun. We want every child involved to enjoy their rugby and feel part of the Smiths family from day one.”” said Chairman Dave Cole.

Smiths Rugby is now welcoming expressions of interest from parents, players, coaches, and volunteers who want to help shape this exciting new chapter in the club’s journey. Please visit https://www.smithsrugby.co.uk/ to register you interest.