Grow the Game Arena - #Brighton7sFestival

#Brighton7sFestival

Leading speakers
confirmed in 2021 included

Conference broadcast from the Brighton & Hove Community Stadium

Mike Friday
Head Coach United States National Rugby 7s Team

Maggie Alphonsi MBE
World Cup Winner & Broadcaster

Robbie Owens
YouTube Vlogger
Squidge Rugby

Elaine Vassie
Assistant GM & Attack Coach
Dallas Jackals Rugby

Steve Grainger
Director, Rugby Development
RFU

Shaunagh Brown
Player
England & Harlequins

Can rugby recover?

A weekend rugby union conference, discussing the urgent need to revive the game post-lockdown. Meet people from across the rugby family in the Grow the Game conference at Brighton 7s Festival

Special discussions, exhibitions and networking for rugby practitioners, experts, and stakeholders discussing important topics around the future of the sport

What does the sport look like post-lockdown? 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?

Register today and ask your urgent questions during the Grow the Game conference at Brighton 7s Festival

Speakers confirmed
in 2021 included

Global Groundbreakers

Mike Friday
Head Coach
USA National Rugby 7s Team

Maggie Alphonsi MBE
World Cup Winner & Broadcaster

Squidge Rugby
YouTube Vlogger

Sara Cox
International Referee
RFU & World Rugby

Guest Experts

Gareth Alred
COO
Bedford Blues

Susie Appleby
Head Coach
Exeter Chiefs Women

Matt Webb
Chair
Kings Cross Steelers RFC

Shaunagh Brown
Player
England & Harlequins

Steve Grainger
Director, Rugby Development
RFU

Dr Elisabeth Williams
Senior Lecturer Sports Science
Swansea University

Tom Kingsley
Associate Partner, Sports Industry Group
EY

Holly Jayne Wood
Partnership Manager
LAPS (Life after Professiona Sport)

Russell Earnshaw Wizard
The Magic Academy

Karen Dobres Elected Director
Lewes Football Club

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

Sammie Phillips
National Development Officer
England Touch Association

Gary English
Lead Performance Analyst
Wasps Ladies

Elaine Vassie
Assistant GM & Attack Coach
Dallas Jackals Rugby

Nick Fenton-Wells
Team Manager
Bristol Bears Rugby

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

Dugald MacDonald
CEO
Sportable

James Horwill
Former International & Captain
Rugby Australia & Harlequins Rugby

Agenda

Saturday
Day 1

Sunday
Day 2

PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS IN 2021 INCLUDED

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

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