Leigh Rugby do not aspire to be the next big club in the area; there are already several clubs local to us doing a superb job of putting West Kent rugby on the national map. Our ethos is simply to offer lads the chance to play grassroots rugby as part of a social and inclusive sports club.

In our 20 years since 2003, we have supported many new players and those getting back into rugby after a long break. We accommodate those who work awkward shifts and can’t commit every week but still want good, competitive rugby. We’ve also had a number of experienced, high level players join us because they fancied a change of scene and something a bit more relaxed and fun.

We will run one men’s senior team in Kent Rural Division B for 2025/26; this is our 17th season in the Kent and East Sussex Rural League. We were Champions for Division 3 in 2013/14 and Division 4 West in 2016/17 and runners up in Division 4 West in 2012/13. We have also had a season in the then top flight Premier league in 2014/15.

Our History

Rugby in Leigh all started during the euphoria of the 2003 Rugby World Cup. One Leigh resident, Mark Doherty (aka ‘Lardy’), decided it was time to sort the men from the boys in this sleepy Kent village and stage a game on the green against his former club Old Streetonians RFC. And so on a cold, misty Sunday morning in November 2003, the first ever Leigh rugby training session took place. To date it remains the largest turn out of players for training – so many bodies but so little talent. Six training sessions followed and the ‘Leigh Layabouts’ were just about ready to face an Old Street XV. The game was watched by over 200 spectators and local press. Hopes of a Leigh win were high when James Tiltman raced down the touch line to take the first score. But the dream faded rapidly as most either picked up an injury or ran out steam (mainly the latter) with Old Street eventually winning 35-5.