Organising a rugby tour can be a lot more than club secretaries bargained for but by dividing it into key stages you can see that it’s actually pretty straightforward to get a tour up and running.
Set a Realistic Timeline
Book your venues, book your ferries or flights and book your group accommodation as soon as possible. For European Rugby Tours this would be at least 9-12 months in advance, for a UK Rugby Tour 6-9 months in advance. Also try to book around the same time as the Bank Holidays and also the major rugby fixture weekends. This will stop other tours from booking the same venues and also other venues further afield. First things first work out your travel dates to and from the tour and then work backwards from there.
Choose the Right Opposition
Agree the matches with host clubs directly via their club website or through the national union database of participating clubs. Find out how the club have performed in the previous season so that you can gauge the level of the team and avoid playing teams that are significantly better or worse than yourself. Agree two matches if possible and confirm all the details of the matches in writing, including kick off time and the teams’ respective kit.
Sort Travel and Accommodation Logistics
For European destinations, a coach to the ferry crossing or a group flight would work best. Accommodation needs to be within 15 minutes of the ground and tour party organizers need to book in writing, with a copy of all reference numbers kept. See also UK & Europe Rugby Tours.
Manage Budgets and Player Payments
Once you have established a total cost per player it is then a case of how you are going to recover that from the players. The initial deposit will secure the places of the players who have paid it and you can then set up for 2 or 3 payments over the following months. It is always a good idea to hold back around 10% of the total cost for late withdrawals.
Check Insurance and Duty of Care
Make sure you have adequate group travel insurance which covers medical expenses, cancellation, and public liability. Also make sure you read England Rugby’s guidance on club travel and duty of care before you book your tour. Different destinations and rugby tours carry different risks.
A well planned tour will run itself on the tour dates and allow the club organizers to join in the fun with the rest of the team.
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