The National Schools Rugby Festival returns to St Joseph’s College from 16 to 18 October 2026 for its 40th edition, bringing three days of high-level school rugby to Ipswich.
Four decades after the festival was first established, the 2026 event will combine the reputation and standards built over 40 years with a significant new development: for the first time, girls’ rugby will be contested as a full competition at the festival.
The festival will feature U11 Mixed, U15 Boys, U18 Girls and U18 Boys competitions, bringing together players at different stages of their school rugby careers and giving them the opportunity to compete on one of the biggest stages in school rugby.
40 Years at the Highest Level
The National Schools Rugby Festival has built its reputation on the quality of its rugby.
Since 1987, St Joseph’s College has welcomed leading school teams and some of the most talented young players in the country. The festival has become a place where performance is tested, standards are high and players have the opportunity to measure themselves against strong opposition.
Former festival players include Matt Dawson, Mike Tindall, Jonathan Joseph, Chris Robshaw and St Joseph’s College alumni Lewis Ludlam, Emmanuel Iyogun and Marshall Sykes, who went on to represent their countries at the highest level.
But the festival is not defined by past players alone.
Its reputation comes from the standard of rugby played every year and the opportunity it gives the next generation to compete, perform and earn recognition.
A Strong U18 Field
The 40th festival will bring together a strong field of schools for the U18 Boys competition, with teams travelling to St Joseph’s from across the UK.
The 16 participating schools are:
- Ballymena Academy
- Berkhamsted
- Blundell’s
- Brighton College
- Cheltenham
- Denstone College
- Hampton School
- RGS High Wycombe
- Hurst College
- Kirkham Grammar School
- Millfield
- Seaford College
- St Joseph’s College
- Queen Elizabeth’s School, Wakefield
- Wellington College
- Whitchurch High School
The breadth of the field reflects the standing of the festival and the level of competition expected across the weekend.
For the players involved, it is an opportunity to test themselves against some of the strongest school rugby programmes in the country, with every match carrying the intensity and standards expected at the National Schools Rugby Festival.
Girls’ Rugby Moves From Showcase to Competition
Girls’ rugby has already featured at the National Schools Rugby Festival through a showcase match.
In 2026, it takes the next step.
For the first time, girls’ teams will compete for the National Schools Rugby Festival title, making girls’ rugby a full part of the competitive programme.
The U18 Girls competition comes at an important point for girls’ rugby at St Joseph’s College, following the launch of the College’s dedicated Girls’ Rugby Programme, led by newly appointed Head of Girls’ Rugby Kira Reeves.
Kira brings significant experience to the role. She spent three years as a player in the Saracens Centre of Excellence and currently works as a Women and Girls Project Officer at Saracens, alongside her coaching work with the Buckinghamshire U16, U18 and women’s teams and off-pitch development work at Oaklands ACE.
Her appointment reflects the College’s ambition to build a strong girls’ rugby programme and provide students with the opportunity to develop their skills and compete at a high level.
That work has already received wider recognition. Kira has been shortlisted for a PWC Women of the Future 2026 Award in the Sports category, recognising her contribution to women’s and girls’ rugby.
For St Joseph’s, the timing is significant. The College is investing in girls’ rugby at school level while the festival takes its own next step by introducing its first competitive girls’ tournament.
Four Competitions. Three Days. One Festival.
The 2026 programme brings together four competitions across the weekend:
- U11 Mixed Rugby
- U15 Boys
- U18 Girls
- U18 Boys
The U11 competition gives younger players the opportunity to experience the festival environment and compete at an early stage of their rugby development.
The U15 competition provides another important level of competition before players reach senior school rugby.
At U18 level, the intensity increases again, with teams competing against some of the strongest school rugby programmes in the country.
Each competition has its own character. The standard remains high across all of them.
Built on Performance
School sport is about more than the result.
It is where players test themselves, compete under pressure and learn what it takes to perform as part of a team.
That standard has been at the heart of the National Schools Rugby Festival for 40 years.
The 2026 festival will continue that approach. Players will be judged by what they do on the pitch: their performance, discipline, character and ability to compete.
A Festival With a Proven Legacy
The National Schools Rugby Festival was first held at St Joseph’s College in 1987 and has developed into one of the leading events in the school rugby calendar.
Its history includes players who have gone on to international rugby, teams that have established their own festival records and generations of pupils who have experienced the demands of playing at a national event.
That history matters.
But so does what comes next.
The 40th edition is an opportunity to recognise that legacy while setting the standard for the years ahead.
Three Days of Rugby at St Joseph’s
The festival will run from Friday 16 to Sunday 18 October 2026 at St Joseph’s College in Ipswich.
Across the weekend, players, coaches, families, schools and supporters will come together for three days of competitive rugby.
Alongside the matches, VIP hospitality will be available for guests looking to experience the festival from a premium setting, with exclusive access, complimentary parking, an all-day buffet and hospitality throughout the event.
Assistant Principal Sport, Mr Fred Wenham adds
“The 40th festival is a major milestone for St Joseph’s College, but our focus remains firmly on the rugby.
“The standard of competition is what has built this festival’s reputation over four decades.
“Introducing the U18 Girls competition is an incredibly important step for us as a College and for the evolution of the Festival.
“The Festival creates opportunity and we have been able to spread that in recent years. We now have a national scale tournament that provides a platform for players across a number of age groups to compete on of the greatest stages in school sport.”
The National Schools Rugby Festival would not be possible without the generous support of our partners and sponsors, whose commitment helps maintain the standard and scale of the event. The College is particularly grateful to headline sponsor Fleximise and lead sponsors Tubeway and The School Fees Company for their continued support of the festival and of school rugby.
Event Details
Event: 40th National Schools Rugby Festival
Dates: Friday 16 to Sunday 18 October 2026
Hosted by: St Joseph’s College, Belstead Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP2 9DR
Competitions: U11 Mixed, U15 Boys, U18 Girls and U18 Boys
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