New Players

Not at all! Many of our members never played rugby before joining ARFC. We’ll teach you the rules, techniques, and our strategy step-by-step. If you can run, hit a pad, and hold an oddly-shaped ball, you’ll do great.

Check out Rugby 101 from USA Rugby for the basic concepts of the sport.

Familiarity with the dynamics of full contact sport is a strength. However, you will have to learn field positioning, basic rugby strategy and get used to running A LOT, without getting many breaks. Other than that, there’s a lot of useful skills to be borrowed from football.

We currently practice Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the middle field of Roger Farmer Park, located at 71 Deaverview Rd, Asheville, NC 28806 (use the Johnston Blvd entrance).

Bring water and cleats if you have them. Practices run rain or shine (unless there’s lightning). We will get you added to the team group chats for last-minute weather or schedule updates.

No you don’t. We draw many players from the broader Western North Carolina region, as far as Franklin, Sylva,  Brevard, Hendersonville, Marion and Mars Hill. We are the only club of our kind in the WNC region, and we welcome anyone willing to come out of the holler and onto the field.

You’ll need soccer, football, or rugby cleats. A mouthguard is recommended for matches and any contact drills at practice. We’ll provide jerseys and other game gear once you’re rostered and CIPPED.

Absolutely! We compete in the Carolinas Geographic Rugby Union (CGRU) against other men’s clubs from across the Carolinas. Our schedule includes home and away matches throughout the year, plus a few fun tournaments and social events. We play a traditional matrix season in the fall and spring, culminating in CGRU playoffs in April, and play 7s tournaments throughout the summer months. Every July, we host our annual Beer City 7s tournament that draws men’s and women’s clubs from all over the east coast.

AND… Every match ends with the traditional “social” — where the home team hosts the away squad for food, libations, and good-natured post-match commentaries. Asheville is lucky to have an amazing local sponsor in Daddy Mac’s Down home Dive, so the post-match food, fun, and beer is as good as it gets.

Dues are $75 per season for new players, which covers field rentals, equipment, league fees, trainers, referees, and the aforementioned post-match socials.

We offer flexible payment options, and there’s no commitment required right away. We encourage you to come to a few practices first and make sure it’s a good fit before committing to anything. We’re not here to make money off of you, we are here to provide you with an athletic outlet and some good times.

Probably not! Rugby is full-contact, but safety and proper technique are core parts of our training, as well as the rules of the game. We teach controlled tackling and positioning to minimize injury risk. You’ll get banged up here and there, but serious injuries are rare. (And hey — bruises make for great bar stories.)

Most of our players are in their 20s to 40s, but we do have an occasional genetic freak tackling into their 50s and still go strong. If you’re 18 or older and up for a challenge, we’ve got a jersey waiting for you.

Yes! We always welcome supporters, sponsors, and social members . Whether you want to help out on match days, cheer from the sidelines, or join the post-game celebrations. Every rugby club thrives on community, and ARFC is no exception.

Simple:

• Show up to a practice (Tues/Thurs 6:30 PM at Roger Farmer Park).

• Bring cleats & water.

• Introduce yourself to anyone in a rugby jersey, get added to the group chat, and we’ll handle the rest.

Or reach out to us on Instagram for details, practice updates, and upcoming matches.

Yes! Our sister club, The Carolina Villains , welcomes women of all experience levels.