RFU Ground Requirements — Pitch Perimeter Fencing for Rugby Union Clubs

Also reading: Rugby Union Pitch Fencing Rugby League Pitch Fencing RFL Ground Requirements Football Pitch Fencing

Where Your Barrier Can Sit, and Where It Cannot

What rugby union clubs need to know about ground requirements for pitch perimeter barriers — the World Rugby Law 1 perimeter that governs where a fence can go, what is expected at each level of the pyramid, and the funding routes open to clubs.

✓ World Rugby Law 1 ✓ RFU Levels 1–7+ ✓ Ground inspection guidance ✓ RFU & Sport England funding

⚠ Start here: the perimeter area must be clear

World Rugby Law 1 requires a perimeter area around the field of play that is 5 metres wide where practicable, and never less than 3.5m for the men's game or 3.0m for the women's game. That area exists so a player leaving the field at speed has somewhere to go. The barrier sits beyond it, not within it. A fence set at a football distance of 1.83m or 2.25m would stand inside the minimum run-off — neither compliant nor safe.

How the RFU Approaches Ground Requirements

The Rugby Football Union takes a different approach to the Football Association. The FA publishes a prescriptive step-by-step specification in its National Ground Grading Handbook. The RFU does not publish an equivalent that dictates exactly what type of perimeter barrier is required at each level.

Instead the RFU operates through Minimum Operating Standards at professional and semi-professional levels, ground inspection processes at National League level and above, and the general guidance of the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds — the Green Guide — which is the principal crowd safety reference for licensed grounds in England.

In practice, the expectation of a permanent barrier increases significantly as clubs climb, but the precise specification is less rigidly prescribed than in football. What does apply at every level, from the Premiership to a village club, is World Rugby Law 1 and the perimeter area it requires.

There is no RFU approval scheme for fencing

Worth stating plainly, because the claim gets made and we have made it ourselves in the past. The RFU operates no approval, endorsement or certification scheme for perimeter fencing products. No supplier is "RFU approved", and no product is "approved under the Green Guide" — the Green Guide is guidance, not a certification scheme. What a supplier can honestly say is that a product is specified to meet the relevant guidance. Treat any stronger claim with caution, whoever is making it.

World Rugby Law 1 — The Numbers That Govern Your Fence Line

Law 1 defines the field of play, the in-goal areas and the perimeter area around them. Together these form the playing enclosure. The figures below are what determine where your barrier can physically go.

Men's minimum

Law 1 floor

3.5m

Going below 5m should follow a documented risk assessment.

Women's minimum

Law 1 floor

3.0m

Going below 5m should follow a documented risk assessment.

In-goal depth

Adds at each end

6–22m

Measured try line to dead-ball line. Include it or you will under-order.

Measurement	Law 1	What it means for the fence
Field of play, length	Up to 100m between try lines	Not the figure to measure from — the in-goals sit outside it
Field of play, width	Up to 70m	Add the perimeter to each touchline
In-goal depth	6m to 22m at each end	Measure to the dead-ball line, then add the perimeter beyond that
Perimeter area	5m where practicable; min 3.5m men's, 3.0m women's	Must be kept clear. The barrier sits beyond it
Run-off surface	Recommended to match the field of play for at least 2.5m	A barrier at the bare minimum over hard standing does not meet the intent

A rugby ground needs considerably more fence than a football pitch

The combination of in-goal areas and a 5m perimeter means a full-size rugby union ground typically needs around 410 metres of fencing against roughly 350m for a football pitch. On a ground with 10m in-goals the fence line runs 130m × 80m. Budget on the rugby figure. Our rugby union fencing page has a calculator that works from your dead-ball line measurements.

Diagram of a standard rugby union pitch layout showing the field of play and in-goal areas with a white PVC perimeter fence set at a 5 metre run-off on all sides, plus single pedestrian gate and double machinery gate positions

Standard rugby union layout showing the 5 metre perimeter to the fence line and recommended gate positions.

The English Rugby Union Pyramid — Level by Level

English club rugby runs from the Gallagher Premiership down through the National and Regional leagues to county and community rugby. Here is what is expected at each level for pitch perimeter barriers.

Level 1 — Gallagher Premiership

PREM Rugby — 10 clubs

Full stadium compliance. The Safety of Sports Grounds Act applies at licensed grounds. A permanent barrier is a given at this level.

Level 2 — Champ Rugby

Elior Champ Rugby — 14 clubs

RFU Minimum Operating Standards apply. A permanent barrier is expected and ground inspections are carried out.

Level 3 — National League 1

National League 1 — 14 clubs

RFU ground inspections take place. A permanent, professional-standard barrier is expected in practice.

Level 4 — National League 2

NL2 North / East / West — 42 clubs

Permanent barrier strongly recommended. Clubs aspiring to National League 1 should be inspection-ready.

Level 5 — Regional 1

Six regional divisions, ~72 clubs

Permanent barrier recommended for spectator safety and presentation, particularly with promotion in view.

Level 6 — Regional 2

Multiple regional leagues

Recommended but not mandated. A permanent barrier improves safety, presentation and grant prospects.

Level 7+ — County & Community

County leagues and below

No formal requirement. A boundary helps with pitch protection and club image. Post & rail is a cost-effective entry point.

What Is Expected — By Level

RFU Level	Competition	Perimeter Barrier	Perimeter area	Our Recommendation
Level 1	Gallagher Premiership	EXPECTED Full stadium compliance	5m where practicable min 3.5m men's / 3.0m women's	Double Mesh
Level 2	Champ Rugby	EXPECTED RFU Minimum Operating Standards	5m where practicable min 3.5m men's / 3.0m women's	Double Mesh
Level 3	National League 1	EXPECTED Ground inspections at this level	5m where practicable min 3.5m men's / 3.0m women's	Double Mesh
Level 4	National League 2 N/E/W	Strongly recommended	5m where practicable min 3.5m men's / 3.0m women's	Double Mesh
Level 5	Regional 1	Recommended	5m where practicable min 3.5m men's / 3.0m women's	Double Mesh or Single Mesh
Level 6	Regional 2	Recommended	5m where practicable min 3.5m men's / 3.0m women's	Single Mesh or Post & Rail
Level 7+	County & Community	No formal requirement	5m where practicable min 3.5m men's / 3.0m women's	Post & Rail

Barrier expectations describe our understanding of practice at each level rather than a published RFU fencing mandate, which does not exist. Perimeter area figures are World Rugby Law 1 and apply at every level. Always confirm ground requirements with your Constituent Body or competition organiser.

Why Install a Permanent Barrier at Regional Level and Below?

Even where there is no formal mandate, there are practical reasons to install at every level of club rugby:

Promotion readiness — Climbing the Regional leagues towards National League 2 brings the expectation of a permanent professional barrier. Install once, correctly, and it is done regardless of where promotion takes you.
Player and spectator safety — Rugby is a collision sport and players cross the touchline at speed. A proper run-off with a barrier that flexes on impact at the end of it is the safest combination available.
Grant applications — Funders assessing a facility improvement generally look more favourably on a permanent specified barrier than on post and rope or a temporary solution.
Club image and sponsorship — A white PVCu perimeter transforms the appearance of a ground, which matters for recruitment, sponsors and matchday atmosphere.
Zero maintenance — Unlike timber or coated steel, PVCu needs no painting, treatment or replacement. It carries a 15-year warranty and looks the same in year 15 as on day one.

Always check your competition's specific requirements

At National League 1 and above, verify ground requirements with your league and the RFU before installation, as they can change between seasons. We will provide a specification document setting out exactly what we propose to install and where — free with any enquiry — so you have something concrete to put in front of an inspector or a funder.

Funding for Rugby Union Clubs

⚠ The football funds are closed to rugby union clubs

The Premier League Stadium Fund and the Football Foundation are both football-only. Neither is open to a rugby union club at any level. If you have arrived here from our football pages, the routes below are the ones that apply to you.

RFU facility investment

The RFU delivers facility investment to clubs through the Constituent Body facility planning process, with club needs established via the CB facility audit. Access is managed through your CB rather than applied for directly. Priorities and available funds vary by year, so check the current position with your County RFU or the RFU Facility Development Team.

RFU Grant Finder

A free grant search tool at englandrugby.com letting clubs search thousands of grants and loans by project type and location. It covers RFU grants, Sport England funding, local authority grants and charitable foundations, and is regularly updated. A sensible first step before writing any application.

Sport England

Sport England funding is available to rugby clubs with an appropriate constitution and security of tenure, covering capital improvements including fencing. The RFU directs clubs to it as part of standard funding guidance and the RFU Facility Development Team can assist with applications.

National Lottery — Awards for All

Grants from £300 to £20,000 for constituted community clubs, with no requirement to match fund and a straightforward online application. One of the more accessible routes for community-level clubs.

Can clubs use grant funding to buy from us?

Yes. There is no exclusive preferred supplier list on any of these routes. We provide the full specification document, marked-up site plan, itemised quote and schedule of works needed to support an application, free of charge. To be clear about our role: we provide the paperwork — we do not secure funding and have no influence over the decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the RFU have a mandatory fencing requirement like the FA?

No. The RFU does not publish a prescriptive level-by-level fencing mandate the way the FA does for football. At National League level and above, ground inspections take place and a permanent barrier is expected in practice. What applies at every level is World Rugby Law 1 and the perimeter area it requires.

What setback distance should we use?

The barrier sits beyond the Law 1 perimeter area, which should be 5 metres wide where practicable and never less than 3.5m for the men's game or 3.0m for the women's. Do not use a football setback of 1.83m or 2.25m — that would put the fence inside the minimum run-off. If you cannot achieve five metres, carry out and record a risk assessment, and confirm the position with your competition.

Do I include the in-goal areas when measuring?

Yes, and this is the most common measuring error we see. In-goal areas add between 6m and 22m at each end, measured from try line to dead-ball line. Measure your full playing area dead-ball line to dead-ball line, then add the perimeter on all four sides. A ground with 10m in-goals needs roughly 60 metres more fencing than a football pitch.

Is PVCu fencing approved by the RFU?

No product is, because there is no RFU approval scheme for fencing. What we can say honestly is that our system is specified to meet the pitch perimeter barrier guidance in the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds, and that it is independently certified by SGS for UV resistance, high and low temperature performance and factory quality, with a 15-year warranty. If a supplier tells you their product is RFU approved, ask them to show you the scheme.

Can we use grant funding to buy from Norvale Sport?

Yes. None of the routes open to rugby union clubs operates an exclusive preferred supplier list. We provide a full specification document for your application free of charge with any enquiry.

Do we need planning permission?

At 1.1m barrier height, planning permission is generally not required in England under permitted development rights. Confirm with your local planning authority in writing before installation and keep the confirmation — some funders require evidence of it before approving a grant.

Ready to Upgrade Your Rugby Ground?

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