Friday Night Rugby 7s set to light up the Illawarra
Illawarra District Rugby Union with the support of The Rugby Club Foundation is excited to announce the return and expansion of Friday Night Rugby 7s in October 2026, bringing fast, fun and inclusive rugby to players and families across the region.
More than 60 Junior Rugby 7s teams are expected to take part across boys’ and girls’ divisions from Under 9s through to Under 17s, creating a strong Friday night rugby competition with a buzzing atmosphere.
The revamped 10-week competition will run every Friday night from 16 October to 18 December, with matches hosted at Woonona Shamrocks, University of Wollongong and Wollongong Vikings Rugby Clubs.
The expanded competition will also feature a new Illawarra All Abilities Rugby program, delivered by the Sense Sports Foundation, opening the game to even more young people.
The Friday night competition has received funding support from the NSW Government and The Rugby Club Foundation to assist with costs such as a competition manager role, referees and venue hosting
Illawarra District Junior Rugby Union President Steve Chapman said:
“We want Friday nights to be something our young players and their families really look forward to - fast Rugby, a great atmosphere and the chance to play alongside their mates.
With boys’ and girls’ competitions from Under 9s through to Under 17s, as well as an All Abilities program, we’re creating more opportunities for young people to get involved and building an even stronger Rugby community across the Illawarra ahead of the Rugby World Cup in Australia next year.”
Rugby Club Foundation Business Operations Manager Lisa Kane said:
“The Rugby Club Foundation is proud to support programs that create more opportunities for people to experience and enjoy Rugby, increase participation and strengthen community rugby for the long term.
Friday Night Rugby 7s brings clubs and communities together in a format that is fun and accessible, while helping build a strong foundation for the future of the game.”
Minister for the Illawarra and Member for Keira, the Hon. Ryan Park MP said:
“The NSW Government is proud to be supporting junior Rugby Union in the Illawarra to build a stronger and even more inclusive culture. Friday Night Rugby 7s is a fantastic opportunity for more young people to get active, connect with their mates and get involved in structured and fun activities on a Friday night.
I’m delighted the NSW Government is supporting Illawarra Rugby Union to grow this competition, especially with the new All Abilities format to ensure more local kids and families can be involved.”
CEO of NSW Rugby Union Peter Murphy said:
“This type of competition is exactly what we need to grow the game of rugby union in NSW. I know many people have worked hard to get this competition up and running, starting at the University of Wollongong and now expanding across three locations.
The growth in girls playing rugby union is especially exciting. Across NSW, registrations among women and girls have grown by around 20% year on year for the past three years. We’re seeing that same enthusiasm here in the Illawarra, particularly for Rugby 7s. It’s a fast, exciting format of the game and provides a clear pathway all the way to the Olympic Games.”
Friday Night Rugby 7s will feature Under 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 girls’ and boys’ divisions, with teams playing a minimum of two short, fast-paced matches each time they take the field.
Each division will play four competition rounds (every second Friday) before a dedicated finals night, with matches kicking off from 5:30pm on Fridays at the host venues.
Illawarra District Rugby Union hopes the expanded competition will become a major fixture on the region’s Rugby calendar and an important pathway for attracting and retaining the next generation of players and potential Olympians.
Competition details
When: 16 October – 18 December 2026
Where: Woonona Shamrocks, University of Wollongong and Wollongong Vikings Rugby Clubs
Divisions: U9, U11, U13, U15 and U17 Boys and Girls
Format: Four competition rounds plus finals, with a minimum of two games per team each playing night
Also featuring: All Abilities Rugby delivered by Sense Sports Foundation