Case Study: The Rugby Football Union boosts youth rugby relevance and retention with Savanta

The Rugby Football Union engages 2,227 young people with Savanta

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) faced a challenge in reversing the declining popularity of rugby union among 10 to 18-year-olds and needed to understand if the trend was driven by issues with player acquisition or retention. To address this, the RFU commissioned Savanta to conduct research to discover how the sport could maintain relevance for this age group over the next decade.

Savanta implemented a comprehensive research program that included a large survey and interactive online focus groups, leading to a detailed segmentation analysis. This approach provided the RFU with actionable recommendations for tailored acquisition and retention strategies. As a result, the RFU immediately focused its efforts on retaining the most at-risk age group, developed targeted marketing, and made stadium experiences more accessible for youth. Savanta’s work provided a valuable ongoing dataset to inform the RFU’s future strategies.

The Rugby Football Union