Rugby Australia Launches Health Check for Community Clubs

Rugby Australia has announced a new initiative designed to fortify grassroots rugby by aiding clubs in evaluating and refining their off-field operations.

The Community Club Health Check 2025 initiative serves as an important piece of Rugby Australia’s recently introduced From Green to Gold strategic plan, which is closely linked to its Participation Growth pillar.

This focus aims to establish robust foundations throughout the rugby ecosystem by providing essential support to clubs, schools, coaches, and match officials—collectively vital for sustainable participation growth.

Commenting on the initiative, General Manager of Community Rugby at Queensland Rugby Union, Gaven Head, said: “the Club Health Check is a proactive step in helping our clubs assess their current position and identify areas for future development.”

“It also provides a valuable opportunity to better connect our volunteer workforce with the right resources—whether through rugby-specific support or external initiatives such as the Queensland Government’s Club IQ program,” Head said.

The Community Club Health Check 2025 empowers local rugby clubs with the means to conduct self-assessments of their operational health across several critical dimensions. By engaging in this health check, clubs can gather valuable insights regarding their strengths and areas needing attention, which will help them determine their off-field priorities.

Key themes covered by the health check include:

• Governance and planning
• Financial management
• Marketing and communications
• Volunteer management
• Player recruitment and retention
• Digital and IT systems

The findings appeared from these assessments will not only support individual clubs in crafting tailored action plans, but will also enable Rugby Australia and member unions to discern common trends and challenges confronted by community clubs across the nation.

Such insights will be instrumental in developing future resources that aim to enhance the volunteer experience and ensure clubs remain sustainable and adequately supported.

To further facilitate the implementation of these plans, Rugby Australia has appointed two Club Development Managers based in Queensland.

These dedicated professionals will work directly with clubs throughout the state, offering practical support in executing the recommendations from the health check, ensuring that clubs are well-equipped to achieve their operational objectives.

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