The floodlights are back on and the hard yards have begun again as Swindon St George RL return to training ahead of the 2026 season.
With interest in the sport on the rise — not least thanks to the crowds packing into Super League fixtures — attention now turns to the grassroots, where clubs like Swindon St George are quietly rebuilding and looking to the future.
This year feels a little different. The club’s open-age squad is being bolstered by a group of around a dozen players stepping up from the junior ranks — a pipeline that’s been several years in the making. For chairman Richard White, it’s a sign that the groundwork is finally paying off.
Previous graduates, including Tyler Lehman, have already made that jump in recent seasons. Now, a new intake is preparing to follow suit, bringing fresh energy — and, inevitably, a bit of rawness — into the senior set-up.
Training sessions are now underway every Thursday evening at Swindon RFC Greenbridge Road ground, running from 7pm to 8.30pm. The message from the club is straightforward: turn up and give it a go. No prior experience is required, with qualified coaches on hand to guide newcomers through the basics.
Sharing the pitch on the same evenings is Swindon’s Masters Rugby League side, offering a more flexible version of the game for those aged 35 and over. The rules are adapted to suit different fitness levels, making it as much about participation as competition.
For a club that’s spent recent years building from the bottom up, the return to regular training carries a sense of momentum. There’s still work to be done, but for now, the focus is simple — get players on the field, get them moving, and see where it leads.
