The UK Tag Nationals, sponsored by Spond, returns this Saturday, 12th September, as 61 representative teams from across the country descend on the University of Warwick for the eighth edition of Try Tag Rugby’s premier domestic representative tournament.
Five national titles will be decided across Mixed Open, Women’s Open, Men’s Open, Women’s 34s and Men’s 37s, alongside the second running of the overall UK Tag Nationals Champions Trophy.
Spectators are welcome to come down and watch for free, while two pitches will be streamed live throughout the day on the Try Tag Rugby YouTube channel for those following from home.
Can anyone knock South London off the top?
South London Seals arrive in Warwick as the region to beat after a memorable 2025.
The Seals won both Mixed Open and Women’s Open and claimed the inaugural Champions Trophy, with the overall regional competition going right down to the final match of the tournament.
South London’s 3–2 victory over East London Eels in the Mixed Open Grand Final secured both the category title and the Champions Trophy, with South finishing on 266 points ahead of North London Nighthawks on 232 and East London on 211.
The Champions Trophy returns in 2026, with each region’s best three performances across the five categories counting towards its overall score.
There are five defending champions looking to retain their titles. South London return as Mixed Open and Women’s Open champions, West London Wolves defend Men’s Open, North London Nighthawks defend Women’s 34s and East London Eels defend Men’s 37s.
A growing national competition
The continued growth of Try Tag Rugby around the country is being reflected at the UK Tag Nationals.
Newcastle Rockets are one region to watch. After making their Nationals debut with a single Mixed Open team in 2025, the rapidly growing North East region, which reached around 50 teams this summer, returns with three sides and makes its Men’s Open and Women’s Open debuts.
Edinburgh Highlanders, now boasting around 75 teams playing weekly, are another region expected to get stronger year on year, while Brighton & Hove Dolphins will be looking to take another step forward after continued growth on the south coast.
There is also a new name at Nationals, with Salford Griffins making their UK Tag Nationals debut in Mixed Open. With around 30 teams playing in Salford in only their second summer, the Griffins have a sizeable player base to select from and will be expected to be competitive on debut.
With 61 teams competing across the five categories, the 2026 Nationals matches the record field set in 2025.
Watch the UK Tag Nationals live
The action gets underway from 9:30am on Saturday, with spectators welcome at the University of Warwick throughout the day and no admission charge.
For everyone else, Rugby League Outsiders Podcast will provide live coverage from Pitches 1 and 2 on the Try Tag Rugby YouTube channel.
Pitch 1 will feature a two-camera production with commentary, referee microphone, live scores and graphics, while Pitch 2 will also be streamed with a referee microphone and live scoring.
All five categories will feature during the coverage, with all five Grand Finals taking place on pitch 1.
WATCH THE UK TAG NATIONALS LIVE
Fixtures, results and standings will be available throughout the day, while you can follow Try Tag Rugby on social media for updates and highlights from Warwick.
FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM | FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK
Five national titles and the Champions Trophy are up for grabs. Tune in from 9:30am on Saturday to follow the action.
A Good Luck Note from Spond
Spond is proud to support Try Tag Rugby as headline sponsor of the UK Tag Nationals 2026. Good luck to all the players and coaches taking part on 12 September at the University of Warwick – we hope it’s a brilliant day for everyone involved. We’ll be there too, cheering you on, so don’t forget to drop by our stand and say hello! Beyond the event, we’d love to support you all in your clubs and teams too. Spond is a free to use app that helps streamline club administration, improve communication, and free up more time for what matters: being on the pitch. Find out more at www.spond.com.