Regional Tournaments complete as the road to UK Tag Nationals heats up

The first milestone on the journey to UK Tag Nationals 2026 is complete.

Over the weekend of 18 and 19 July, more than 800 players took to the field as the Scottish & Northern, Midlands & Southern, and London Regional Tournaments showcased the very best of Regional Tag Rugby ahead of September’s national showdown.

Played in glorious sunshine across Reading, Leeds and London, conditions were ideal for fast, attacking Tag Rugby, although the recent heatwave certainly left its mark with firm, dry pitches testing players throughout the day.

Competing across Mixed Open, Women’s Open, Men’s Open, Women’s 34s and Men’s 37s, Regional teams battled not only for the Shields, but for momentum and confidence before UK Tag Nationals on Saturday 12th September.

Storylines from around the country

There was no shortage of standout performances across the weekend.

In the North, Edinburgh Highlanders produced one of the biggest stories of the tournament by ending West Yorkshire White Roses’ reign in the Mixed Open. Having dominated the category since the Regional Tournament’s inception, their run finally came to an end in a result that perfectly demonstrates how competitive the Regional landscape has become.

Reading saw another impressive display from Bristol Brabazons, who claimed three of the five available titles, while Coventry & Warwickshire Paladins continued the excellent form that took them to the UK Tag Nationals Final in 2025 by being victorious in the Women’s 34s.

Meanwhile in London, South London Seals underlined why they remain one of the strongest Regions in the country, collecting four of the five category titles, with North London Nighthawks preventing a clean sweep by taking the Women’s Open honours.

Beyond the winners, there were encouraging signs across the Regional programme. Newly formed Salford Griffins made their Regional Tournament debut, while Newcastle Rockets continued their impressive development, improving on last year’s performance to finish comfortably in the middle of the standings.

Margins are getting smaller

While the winners earned the headlines, many of the weekend’s most memorable moments came from just how closely contested the matches were.

Several finals required Drop Off to separate the teams after full time, with the standout encounter coming in the Midlands & Southern Men’s Open Final. Locked at 0-0, both teams removed players for Drop Off until the match was eventually decided 1-0 in dramatic fashion.

Those fine margins were a recurring theme throughout the weekend and reflect the progress Regions have made over recent seasons. As they continue to develop, recruit and gain experience, the gap between Regions continues to close, making every fixture increasingly competitive.

Eyes on UKTN

With the Regional Tournaments now complete, attention turns to UK Tag Nationals 2026 on Saturday 12th September at the University of Warwick.

Regional champions will arrive full of confidence, challengers will have identified where they can improve, and every squad now has a clear target over the coming weeks.

If the energy, quality and competitiveness on display across the Regional Tournaments are anything to go by, UK Tag Nationals is shaping up to be one of the most exciting and closely contested editions yet.

The countdown to UKTN is well and truly underway.

Northern & Scottish Regionals

Southern & Midlands Regionals

London Regionals