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It's the first Tuesday of pre-season. Thirty-four players turn up, the contact tops from two seasons ago have split seams, half the minis are carrying size 5 balls they can't pass, and the new signings are training in football shirts. Every kit secretary has lived some version of that evening - and every one of them will tell you the same thing: the clubs that look sharp in September sorted their custom rugby training kit in June.
This guide covers what every section of your club actually needs for pre-season - training tops, contact wear, layering, boots, and balls - and where we think your budget is best spent when it won't stretch to everything. It's written for the coaches and kit secretaries who have to make those calls.
The one deadline that matters: order by early June
Most adult sides begin training in early July; schools and universities kick off around late August, into September and October. Custom kit typically runs 4 to 6 weeks from artwork sign-off, and every supplier's queue is longest in exactly the weeks you need them most. Work backwards and the conclusion is blunt: if your committee hasn't signed off designs by early June, you're gambling your September fixtures on someone else's production schedule.
Our position: lock the order in before your AGM season distracts everyone. A club that orders in June trains as one squad from day one; a club that orders in August trains in mismatched cotton until October.
Planning by squad: who needs what
Start by mapping your sections. Needs differ more by age group than committees expect - minis don't need heavy contact wear, and seniors will destroy anything that isn't built for rucking.
| Squad | Key kit items | Notes |
| Senior men / women | 2–3 training tees, 1 contact top, 2 shorts, 1 jacket | Sponsor logos, club colours, correct fit for men / women |
| Academy / U16–U18 | 2 training tees, 1 contact top, 1–2 shorts | Unisex or women's-specific sizing where needed |
| Minis / juniors | 2 training tees, 1-2 shorts, baselayers | Lighter clothing, fewer heavy contact items |
| Coaches / staff | Polo, jacket, training top | Touchline-ready, club-branded |
Align colours and designs across every section so the under-7s and the first XV are visibly the same club. A tiered kit bundle keeps sponsor visibility and branding consistent from top to bottom - and it's the format most sponsors ask about first.
Training tops: the workhorses
Training tops or shirts take more punishment than custom match shirts: wrestling drills, weekly wash cycles, and whatever a muddy Tuesday throws at them. They differ from match-day shirts in cut (looser, built for gym and conditioning work), fabric weight, and numbering. What actually matters when you're comparing options:
- Moisture-wicking polyester blends with enough stretch for contact prep and rapid drying between sessions
- Mesh panels under the arms and across the back for July and August evenings
- Reinforced seams at shoulders and neck - the first failure point when tops get grabbed
- Sublimated crests and logos, built into the fabric rather than stuck on, so they don't peel or crack in the wash
For pre-season we recommend a core range of short-sleeve tees for warm evenings and long-sleeve options for when September bites. Build them in your colours with our free online kit builder - sponsor blocks, position groups, and all.
Shorts, baselayers and layering for UK weather
UK pre-season weather is unpredictable; 28°C drills one week, sideways rain at a Friday friendly the next. Layering is how you manage it.
- Shorts: lightweight woven shorts for running sessions, durable rugby-specific shorts for contact blocks, stretch gym shorts for S&C. Check the size range runs from youth to adult XXL with women's-specific fits - narrow cuts restrict movement, and juniors feel it most.
- Baselayers: compression tops under the outer layer for warmth and muscle support; thermal versions become essential as autumn arrives.
- Mid-layers: hoodies, quarter-zips or fleece for warm-ups and cool-downs - players want something they can pull on quickly between blocks.
Contact tops and outerwear: where we'd spend first
Once contact sessions ramp up, a standard training tee won't cut it. Contact tops - sometimes called drill tops - are built for scrummaging, ruck work, tackle technique and live set-piece: rip-stop fabrics that resist tearing, elasticated cuffs that keep sleeves down through contact, reinforced shoulder and chest panels, and water-resistant coatings for wet nights.
If budget forces a choice, buy contact tops before mid-layers. Players can bring their own hoodie; they can't bring their own rip-stop drill top - and a torn training tee in week two costs you a replacement anyway. With contact loads now formally managed even at elite level (the Premiership bans full contact until week four of pre-season from 2026/27), grassroots clubs are getting more structured about when contact kit comes out, which makes owning the right gear matter more, not less.
For outerwear: fully waterproof jackets for heavy rain, showerproof smocks for lighter conditions, and longer-cut touchline jackets for coaches. Custom contact tops and jackets carry your badge and sponsors so the whole operation, front row to coaching staff, stands together on the touchline.
Boots: match the stud to the surface, and check the regs
The right boots reduce injury risk and keep traction as surfaces change - and pre-season sees everything from rock-hard August pitches to sodden September mud.
- Soft-ground (SG): screw-in metal studs for wet natural grass
- Firm-ground (FG): moulded studs for the dry, hard surfaces of late summer
- Artificial (3G/4G): rubber moulded studs or turf trainers
Forwards benefit from stability, stronger uppers and higher ankle support for scrummaging; backs generally prefer lighter, lower-cut boots for speed and kicking. On regulations: under World Rugby Regulation 12, studs must be 21mm or shorter with no sharp edges - and many youth sections go further, banning blades outright and requiring kite-marked aluminium screw-ins. Our advice is unambiguous: for juniors, skip blades entirely. Whatever marginal grip they offer isn't worth the referee's inspection or the risk profile. Coaches should check boots before every session, not just the first one.
Balls and core training equipment
Handling drills only work with the right ball in the right hands. The sizing is simple and worth pinning to the clubhouse noticeboard:
| Age group | Ball size |
| Minis (U6–U9) | Size 3 |
| Juniors (U10–U14) | Size 4 |
| U15+ and seniors | Size 5 |
Training balls should be durable synthetics with textured grip, balanced weight for kicking, and bright colours that show under floodlights. And don't forget the unglamorous kit that actually shapes sessions: kicking tees, ball bags, pumps with pressure gauges, cones, contact shields and tackle bags.
Protection and player welfare
Pre-season is when contact loads build, and the welfare direction of travel across the game is clear. Your kit conversation should include protection from day one: mouthguards (mandatory for most contact sessions), headguards for players who want them, and padded undergarments compliant with World Rugby regulations. Round out the kit bag with tape, grip spray, water bottles, and foam rollers for recovery.
Club-branded accessories - socks, beanies, caps, kit bags - do more identity work than their price suggests. Put a simple pre-season kit checklist in front of every player at induction night, via club email or your club app.
Ordering with My Club: how it works
My Club builds custom rugby kit for grassroots clubs, schools, universities and corporate teams across the UK and Europe, from village sides to academy programmes, with a dedicated account manager on every order. The process:
- Pick a template from the training tops, shorts and contact wear range
- Choose your colours and upload your crest
- Add sponsor logos and personalisation - initials, squad numbers, coach labels
- Preview designs in real time, then request a formal squad quote
Sublimated printing means designs are part of the fabric, not printed on top, so they last the life of the garment. A few things committees that get it right first time tend to do: gather sizes and age groups early; agree colourways and sponsor requirements before the quote, not after; build in spare stock for mid-season signings; structure starter packs for new players and core packs for returning ones; and put sponsor contributions on training wear as well as match shirts - it's the kit sponsors' logos are actually seen in most weeks of the year. If sustainability matters to your committee, ask about our eco range.
Get your squad sorted
Pre-season waits for nobody, and the June ordering window is shorter than it feels. Start your design in the free kit builder today - it takes ten minutes to see your club's colours on a full training range, and a formal quote is one click from there. Prefer to talk it through? Your dedicated account manager will handle sizing, proofs and delivery dates for you.
