Train with the squad
New and returning players train alongside the full senior squad. Coaches run skills work that suits every level. You touch the ball, learn the patterns, and get fit doing the sport itself.
Training Every Tuesday & Thursday at 6:30pm at the Brockton Oval (Men's & Women's team)
The honest version
Most weeks at training there are players in their first month. Some have never picked up a ball. Some played through school or university, moved away from the game, and are ready to play again. Some moved to Vancouver and found VRC on the way in.
They all train with the senior squad on Tuesday and Thursday, and most play their first 3rds match within a few weeks of starting. Nobody gets a separate, easier session, and nobody gets left behind either.
New and returning players train alongside the full senior squad. Coaches run skills work that suits every level. You touch the ball, learn the patterns, and get fit doing the sport itself.
Saturdays in BC Rugby Mens Division 3 — new players, players returning after time away, and long-time Rowers. Real match rugby at a level that lets you find your feet and build from there.
Players move between the 3rds and 1st XV on form, fitness, and availability. The path from a first or returning session to D1 rugby is well-trodden at this club.
What a first session looks like
Arrive at Brockton Oval for 6:15pm so a coach can meet you and answer questions. Sessions open with a warm-up that runs for everyone, then the squad moves into skills work, then game scenarios, then a cool-down. You finish around 8:00pm.
You'll be doing rugby things from the warm-up. The coaches will know you're new and brief you separately on anything that needs a one-line explanation. Nothing about the first night is observation only.
The clubhouse is open after training. Stay or don't, no expectations.
Common questions
Come to a Tuesday or Thursday training at 6:30pm at Brockton Oval. A coach will meet you, walk you through how training works, and put you with the right group. You'll be in the session inside ten minutes. Most weeks there are other new players starting on the same night.
Plenty of current Rowers stepped away for years and came back through the 3rds. You don't need to be match-sharp on day one. Coaches and senior players will get you back into the patterns quickly, and your rugby instincts return faster than you think.
The 3rds is VRC's third senior team, playing BC Rugby Mens Division 3. It's where new and returning players get their rugby alongside long-time Rowers who want a different game on a Saturday. You train alongside the 1st XV all week and play match-grade rugby on the weekend.
No. New and returning players train with the rest of the squad. The coaches run skills work that suits every level, and the rest of the players fill in the gaps. You'll touch the ball plenty.
No. The rules of rugby are easier to pick up on the pitch than off it. Coaches and senior players explain what's happening as you go. By the end of your first session you'll know enough to follow a match.
Boots if you have them, otherwise turf trainers or runners are fine to start. Shorts, t-shirt, water. A mouthguard once you're in contact, available at any sports shop in Vancouver for under $20. No need to buy anything else before you've decided whether you're staying.
Most new and returning players play their first 3rds match within a few weeks of starting. The squad will read where you are and back your call.
Players move between the 3rds and 1st XV on form, fitness, and availability. There's no fixed timeline and no gate-keeping — if you're ready, the coaches will tell you and the path is there.
Your first training session is free, with nothing to pay before turning up. If you decide to stay, full-season fees cover BC Rugby registration and VRC fees. We'll send the current numbers and exact steps after your first session.
Come train and play
Brockton Oval, Tuesday or Thursday at 6:30pm. New players, returning players, and experienced squad alongside each other from the first session.
Want a softer entry? Summer touch rugby is no contact. Or read why the Rowers and how to get to Brockton.