Grow the Game Arena

Leading speakers for 2021 include

Maggie Alphonsi MBE
World Cup Winner & Broadcaster

Robbie Owens
YouTube Vlogger
Squidge Rugby

Susie Appleby
Head Coach
Exeter Chiefs Women

Steve Grainger
Director, Rugby Development
RFU

Shaunagh Brown
Player
England & Harlequins

Ben Mercer
Author
Fringes: Life on the Edge of Professional Rugby

About

A weekend rugby union conference, plus a Friday night special. Meet people from across the rugby family in the Grow the Game Arena at Brighton 7s Festival

Unique entertainment, exhibitions and networking for rugby practitioners, experts, and stakeholders discussing important topics around the game and more

What does the future of rugby look like? As new formats emerge in the hope of reaching different audiences, players, clubs, and stakeholders must learn different ways to interpret the game and approach new markets

As the sport continues to grow globally, is there a danger that the amateur game is getting left behind? What happens to players when they stop playing? How is technology involved in all aspects of club rugby today? Where are the ‘positive disruptors’ in the sport? How are clubs recovering from the after-effects of coronavirus on their business?

Book your place today, enjoy your journey, or forge your path through the world of rugby – join us at Brighton 7s Festival in the Grow the Game Arena

Experts speaking in 2021 include

Global Groundbreakers

Maggie Alphonsi MBE
World Cup Winner & Broadcaster

Squidge Rugby
YouTube Vlogger

Sara Cox
International Referee

RFU Representatives

Steve Grainger
Director, Rugby Development
RFU

Clare Daniels
Match Official Development, World Rugby 7s Reviewer
RFU/World Rugby

Andrew Small
Match Official Development Officer
RFU

Louise Meadows
Head Coach England Counties U20s
RFU

Tom Hodgins
Performance Psychologist
RFU/England 7s

Alex Reid
PGMOT Strength & Conditioning Coach
RFU/Perform Fitness

Club Rugby Representatives

Gill Burns MBE
President
Lancashire County RFU

Gareth Alred
COO
Bedford Blues

Susie Appleby
Head Coach
Exeter Chiefs Women

Nick Fenton-Wells
Team Manager
Bristol Bears Rugby

Shaunagh Brown
Player
England & Harlequins

Speaker tbc
Toronto Arrows Rugby

Lewis Sones
Academy Pathway Manager & Women’s Pathway Coach
Saracens

Vicky Alexander
1st Team Assist Coach;
2nd Team Lead Coach
Richmond Rugby

Gary English
Lead Performance Analyst
Wasps Ladies

Atlanta St John
Head of Harlequins Women Rugby Programme
Harlequins

Marc Turner
Senior Performance Analyst
Harlequins

Neil Harris
Assistant Coach & Head of Rugby
Saracens Women

Mark Michelmore
Head of Walking Rugby
Esher RFC

Kevin Moggridge
Former Womens Head Coach
Oxford University Rugby

TomRedfern
Talent Scout
Dallas Jackals Rugby

Sector Innovators

Mark Fletcher
CEO
Pitchero

Rebecca Hopkins
CEO
Sports Technology Awards Group

Karl Hogan
SVP, Partnership & Comms
Catapult Sports

Fiona Green
Director & Co-Founder
Winners FDD Ltd

Dugald MacDonald
CEO
Sportable

Zainab Alema
Vitality Grassroots Sportswoman of the Year 2020;
Founder
Studs in the Mud & Muslim Rugby Project

Sammie Phillips
National Development Officer
England Touch Association

Dr Gary Lambert
Head Coach England Touch Senior Women
England Touch Association

Harry Horsley
Co-Founder & CEO
RugbyX

Co-Founder
Try Tag Rugby

Ben Mercer
Former Pro Athlete & Amazon Best Selling Author
Fringes: Life on the Edge of Professional Rugby

Julian Pike
Partner
Farrer & Co

Guest Specialists

Dr Elisabeth Williams
Senior Lecturer Sports Science
Swansea University

Tom Kingsley
Associate Partner, Sports Industry Group
EY

Holly Jane Myers
Partnership Manager
LAPS (Life after Professiona Sport)

Russell Earnshaw Wizard
The Magic Academy

Karen Dobres Elected Director
Lewes Football Club

Brendan McGroarty
Director
Elite Rugby Scholars – US College Rugby Consultants

Dr Adam J White
Lecturer in Sport & Coaching Sciences Oxford Brookes University

Luis Mendia
Medical Education Manager
World Rugby

Steve Bustin
Conference Stage Compere
Get Your Voice Heard

More speakers to be announced

PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS

Brighton 7s Festival is delighted to be working with the following 2021 Grow the Game Arena partners

Brighton Rugby Club is one of the oldest rugby clubs in the country founded in 1868. As they were founded before the RFU they are one of the few clubs who are designated F.C. rather than R.F.C.

Brighton Chamber are a dynamic, supportive and welcoming membership organisation for businesses of all sizes. Their purpose is to help and support their members, while working with the wider business community to develop the conditions that will help them thrive.
The Brighton Chamber does this by:
• Bringing together some of the most vibrant people working in and around the city. Brighton is teeming with people who have an optimistic, opportunistic outlook. It’s what makes the city such a great place to do business.
• Providing an environment that is friendly and stimulating so members can network with their peers and explore how they can help each other. Chamber members love working with each other and the Brighton Chamber makes that happen through events and introductions and online.
• Offering innovative, creative events that will breathe new life into your business. These include short but highly effective Bite-sized Learning sessions led by passionate experts. There’s also the Brighton Summit, as well as Big Debates and much more, including free peer support through the Member Hours.

DISCO BALLS - @discoballsrugby
Men’s Rugby 7s (and on occasions Ladies netball) team that plays various Summer tournaments to raise awareness for their chosen charity Guts UK (https://gutscharity.org.uk/)
Set up out of Haywards Heath Rugby Club in 2017 they have grown to become a regular circuit side utilising 50+ players from clubs all over Sussex, Surrey, London and even territories further afield such as Huddersfield.
Totally self-funded and reliant on sponsors to make things happen they have aligned them selves with some key sponsors over the years with Citynet, QBE Insurance Co, Ingenia Solutions Ltd, S.A Hancock Ltd, The Health Hub and Arachas Insurance Brokers their main supporters.
The name DISCO Balls is born out of the French band ‘Ottawan’ song D.I.S.C.O which is joyously sung during post-match celebrations at Heath. Plus the whole squad firmly stand by their adopted motto of #stayfocusedandextrasparkly
Check them out on all social media outlets using the handle @discoballsrugby

Haywards Heath RFC established in 1958 boasts one of the largest, if not the largest, minis and youth sections in the South East. Which has provided the backbone to produce an array of first class talent that has gone on to represent at the highest levels in Rugby including the British and Irish Lions.
Heath’s two senior teams currently participate in London SE 2 and Sussex 1 and at the time of writing their 1st XV are in a very strong position to be crowned champions of LSE2 and with it gain promotion into LSE1. Under the watchful eye of Harlequins Ross Chisholm and his assistant coach Jim Taylor Heath have rebounded valiantly over the last 4 years using nothing but local players who are wholly committed to the #oneclub #twocolours agenda.
And with the ongoing in house fundraising efforts and the backing of the clubs main sponsor Fairfax Properties Ltd they are hoping the building of a new state of the art clubhouse with the most up to date facilities by Summer 2021 will only enhance their progression to being one of the most highly competitive and sociable clubs in Sussex.

Hove Rugby Club is an English community rugby union club, who play at Hove Recreation Ground in Shirley Drive Hove, and are affiliated to the English RFU via the Sussex RFU. They currently play in London 2 South East - a league a level 7 of the English rugby union system.

Rugby Tour Spain is a company dedicated to organising rugby tours to and from Andalucía. The staff are all players or coaches with experience playing rugby at a high level in many countries including the UK and Spain. They are based in Sotogrande on the Costa del Sol, the southernmost part of Europe, and enjoy fantastic weather surrounded by great beaches and, most importantly, plenty of rugby clubs keen to welcome touring teams to the region.

The area boasts many rugby clubs who field teams at all levels and ages from Minis to Vets. All the clubs compete in the Andalucian provincial league and there are several 15s and 7s tournaments throughout the year. Andalucía is also home to a fast growing and hugely popular beach rugby circuit which is played from the end of July through to early September.

Silhillians RUFC or “The Sils” are an amateur team from Solihull in the West Midlands. Currently we play in Midlands 2 West, South and regularly field a 1st and Development XV along with the Sils Sirens our women’s team. Aside from our senior teams we have a thriving Mini & Junior section with every age grade from under 6 to Colts and a Touch Rugby team.
We are incredibly proud of our club and the rugby community we have created to support it.

#wearethesils

Sussex RFU is the Constituent Body of the Rugby Football Union charged with administering the game within the counties of East and West Sussex. RFU Constituent Bodies are the only administrative bodies which operate between the national governing body (RFU) and the member clubs. Sussex RFU provide significant development support to their member clubs and alongside the RFU delivery team, we offer support and guidance in the following areas:
• Playing opportunities and competitions
• Discipline
• Coach and referee development
• Facility development and club investment
• Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults
• Club finance and funding
• Representative rugby

Partners can get up to 20% OFF all ticket prices
Contact us to find out more

Who should attend?

Are you...

An aspiring professional in rugby?

A former player that wants to find a new challenge?

Involved in the game but limited by your day job?

Wanting to meet a like-minded rugby community?

Keen to find new ways to apply professional skills?

Responsible for maintaining the wellbeing of players?

In charge of improving your club, team, or society?

Unsure of the 'bigger picture' in the rugby landscape?

Trying to find investment and funding sources?

Looking to interpret the game with innovative ideas?

Developing your leadership skills?

Unsure of the laws and how they are applied?

VIPs get extra

VIP ticket holders get more than the average arena pass including:

- Access to all three arenas (rugby, music, and conference)
- Entry to the VIP area
- More exclusive networking with the conference speakers

BUY NOW

Conference attendees joining in 2021 include

REPRESENTATIVES FROM

Barnes RFC; Bedford Blues Ltd; Bristol Bears Rugby; Catapult Sports; Coventry Rugby; CSM; Dallas Jackals Rugby; Elite Rugby Scholars – US College Rugby Consultants; England Rugby; England Touch Association; Esher RFC; Exeter Chiefs Women; EY; Farrer & Co.; Get Your Voice Heard; Harlequins Rugby; In2Touch/O2Touch; International Rugby Players; LAPS (Life After Professional Sport); Lancashire County RFU; Oxford University Rugby; Pitchero; PRO14 Rugby; Quant-CX Ltd; Richmond Women; Rugby Football Union; RugbyX; Saracens; Sportable; STA Group; Swansea University; The Magic Academy; Try Tag Rugby; UR7s; Saracens Women; Wasps Ladies; Winners FDD Ltd; Worcester Warriors; World Rugby; and more!

Agenda

(to be released)

Friday Evening

Saturday Day 1

Sunday Day 2

DOWNLOAD AGENDA

Tickets

This arena is separately bookable!

Ticket availability subject to change in accordance with social-distancing guidelines. See FAQs for details

BUY NOW

Hear experts, stakeholders, specialists, guests and those at the top of the game
Understand the latest trends and issue facing Rugby Union today
Network with women and men at all levels of the sport and learn best practice
Create new opportunities for you, your club, and progress your career in rugby

GROW THE GAME

Uniting the spirit of rugby with the spirit of Brighton

Leading speakers for 2021 include

About

Experts speaking in 2021 include

Global Groundbreakers

RFU Representatives

Club Rugby Representatives

Sector Innovators

Guest Specialists

More speakers to be announced

PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS

Who should attend?

VIPs get extra

REPRESENTATIVES FROM

Agenda

Friday Evening

Saturday Day 1

Sunday Day 2

Tickets

Follow us on LinkedIn

Brighton 7s Festival
a partnership between

GROW THE GAME

Uniting the spirit of rugby with the spirit of Brighton

Leading speakers for 2021 include

About

Experts speaking in 2021 include

Global Groundbreakers

RFU Representatives

Club Rugby Representatives

Sector Innovators

Guest Specialists

More speakers to be announced

PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS

Who should attend?

VIPs get extra

REPRESENTATIVES FROM

Agenda

Friday Evening

Saturday Day 1

Sunday Day 2

Tickets

Follow us on LinkedIn

Brighton 7s Festivala partnership between

Brighton 7s Festival
a partnership between