Blackheath · Canterbury · Tonbridge · Gravesend · Sevenoaks · Maidstone
Kent club rugby: kit in the hold, nobody driving
Every Saturday from September to April, clubs across Kent travel to fixtures with a squad, a kit bag each, a physio's box and a set of post-match intentions. All of that is a transport problem, and it is one we solve most weekends.
The club season, and the point at which arranging transport fixture by fixture stops making sense. A block booking across the season costs less, holds the vehicle for your dates and produces one invoice at the end.
Who we move on a Saturday
Kent has a strong club scene at every level, and the requirements differ by club rather than by division.
1st and 2nd XV
A coach for the squad, kit and staff, with a late return built in.
Age-grade fixtures
Different requirements entirely. Tell us the ages and any policy your club follows.
Kent representative sides
Often longer journeys and mixed squads drawn from several clubs.
End of season
Multi-day arrangements, more kit, and a considerably longer brief.
What a rugby booking actually needs
Sizing for a rugby squad is not the same as sizing for a group of the same number.
| Requirement | Why |
|---|---|
| Kit space, not just seats | A squad of twenty travels with twenty kit bags, balls, cones and a medical box. |
| A hold, ideally | Which a coach has and a minibus does not. It changes what fits considerably. |
| Space to sit properly | Twenty large adults in a sixteen-seat minibus is not a sensible hour. |
| A late return | Post-match hospitality is part of club rugby. Book the return accordingly. |
| Muddy kit accounted for | Bag it. There is usually a cleaning charge if a vehicle needs proper attention. |
Booking a season rather than a Saturday
The single biggest saving available to a club, and the easiest thing to arrange.
| What you get | Detail |
|---|---|
| Agreed rates | Set at the start of the season rather than quoted each week. |
| Held dates | Your fixtures are in our diary before weddings and airport runs fill it. |
| One invoice | Monthly or end of season, with VAT shown separately. |
| One contact | Rather than a different arrangement every Saturday. |
| Flexibility for postponements | Weather calls off fixtures. We work with that rather than charging for it. |
How club rugby transport works
Size for the kit as well as the squad
The most common error is booking a sixteen-seat minibus for a squad of sixteen. Rugby players are large, they travel with a bag each, and there is a medical box and a set of match balls on top. A coach with a proper luggage hold is usually the right answer for a senior squad, and it costs less per head than people expect once it is split.
Book the return late
Post-match hospitality is not an optional extra in club rugby, it is most of the point. A return booked for shortly after the final whistle will be sitting outside an empty clubhouse. Tell us realistically when you expect to leave and we will set it there rather than optimistically.
Age-grade fixtures need a conversation
Colts and junior sides come with whatever safeguarding requirements your club and the RFU expect, and those vary. Tell us at the enquiry stage what documentation your club needs to see and we will tell you plainly what we can and cannot supply, rather than discovering a gap the week before.
Tours are a separate exercise
End-of-season tours and festivals mean multiple days, considerably more kit and often accommodation to work around. They need planning weeks ahead rather than days, and they price better as a single arrangement than as a set of individual journeys.
Kent club rugby questions
Squads, kit and the season.
What size vehicle does a squad need?
Larger than the head count suggests. A senior squad of twenty travels with twenty kit bags, a medical box and match balls, so a coach with a luggage hold is usually right. Sixteen large adults in a sixteen-seat minibus is not a comfortable hour.
Can we book the whole season?
Yes, and it is the biggest saving available. Agreed rates, your fixtures held in the diary, one invoice with VAT shown separately, and one contact rather than a new arrangement every Saturday.
What if a fixture is called off?
Weather postponements are part of the season and we work with them rather than charging for them. A block booking makes that easier to handle for both sides.
Do you cover colts and junior fixtures?
Yes. Age-grade travel comes with whatever requirements your club follows, and those vary. Tell us at the enquiry stage what documentation you need to see and we will be straight about what we can supply.
When should we book the return?
Later than the final whistle. Post-match hospitality is most of the point of club rugby, and a vehicle booked for straight afterwards will sit outside an empty clubhouse.
What about muddy kit?
Bag it before it goes in. There is usually a cleaning charge if a vehicle needs proper attention afterwards, and bags almost always avoid it.
Do you do end-of-season tours?
Yes, and they need planning weeks ahead. Multiple days, more kit and accommodation to work around, and they price better as one arrangement.
Which clubs do you cover?
Across the county, from Blackheath and Gravesend through to Canterbury, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks and Maidstone, and the county representative sides.
Kent sport and guides
The county's own fixtures.