Winter Season · Terms 2 & 3

Rugby Union

Sport Overview

The Rugby Union Program

Rugby Union is one of the cornerstone sports within the Guildford Grammar School co-curricular program. It is a game that demands physicality, technical skill, tactical awareness, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to playing for the teammate beside you.

The Guildford Grammar School Rugby Program has a proud tradition within the PSA competition. That tradition is sustained through the high standards and values upheld across every age group—from students beginning their rugby journey in the JPSSA to senior players representing the School in the PSA competition.

The program adopts a holistic approach to player development, focusing on technical skills, physical preparation, tactical understanding, game awareness, leadership, and teamwork. Beyond developing capable rugby players, the program aims to foster character, discipline, resilience, and a strong sense of community and belonging.

Throughout the year, Guildford Grammar Rugby provides students with a broad range of opportunities to develop and compete. Where possible, and in consideration of students’ wider sporting commitments, teams participate in additional competitions, festivals, development fixtures, and representative opportunities that complement the PSA season and enhance each player’s growth and experience.

PSA Competition

GGS Rugby Union – PSA and JPSSA competition, Terms 2 & 3.

Program Staff

Coaching & Staff

Sam Thornley

Head of Rugby

Sam is drawn to Guildford Grammar due to the great history and culture of the school. Keen to add a chapter to the storied history of the Rugby Program.

His mission is to build a strong, competitive and holistic rugby program, centred in developing athletes that can contribute to the rugby community in WA as a whole. Catering to all levels of the game whether as a player, referee or coach in their future.
He aims to promote some of the key values of Rugby as a sport including mateship, hard work, and inclusiveness. To stay current he maintains links in club rugby and is involved in Academy and representative coaching pathways.

Aiming to upskill and develop his coaching to continue to develop the Guildford Grammar rugby program. His vision is to build a rugby program that competes, creates pathways for students, builds skills relevant for life and creates enjoyment for the students.

At a Glance

Key Information

Season

Terms 2 & 3

Competition

PSA · JPSSA

Year Groups

Years 5/6 mixed · Years 7-12 boys

Fixture Day

Thursday · friday · Saturday

Program Training

Training Information

Session	Time	Groups
Tuesday	7:40-8:40am	Years 5-6
Monday & Wednesday	3:45-5:00pm	Years 7-9
Tuesday & Thursday	3:45-5:30pm	Years 10-12
Thursday – JPSSA Fixtures	1:15-3:15pm	Years 5-6
Friday – PSA Fixtures	2:00-4:00pm	Years 7-9
Saturday – PSA Fixtures	9:00-12:30pm	Years 10-12

Session times and venues may vary throughout the season. Families should refer to Clipboard for the latest training information, venue updates and wet weather notifications.

Program Essentials

Equipment

Mouthguard

Mandatory for all contact training and PSA fixtures. Custom-fitted mouthguards are strongly recommended. Players without a mouthguard will not participate in contact work.

Rugby Boots

Moulded or screw-in studs as appropriate to ground conditions. Correct boot selection reduces injury risk – the coach can advise if uncertain.

Scrum Cap

Recommended for all forwards and any player who prefers additional head protection. Available from specialist sports retailers.

Training Layers

Early morning winter sessions require appropriate warm training attire. Compression layers and warm-up gear are recommended for all cold-weather sessions.

Season Schedule

Fixtures & Results

Rugby Union – Fixtures & Results

Prep Rugby TeamGuildford Grammar School
Hale SchoolHale School
StatusNot Scored
1:15pmThu, 25 Jun
Guildford Rugby Field11 Terrace Rd, Guildford WA 6055, Australia
Boys 1st XV RugbyGuildford Grammar School
1st XVHale School
Loss
ggs22OPP38
2:30pmThu, 25 Jun
Guildford Rugby Field11 Terrace Rd, Guildford WA 6055, Australia

Fixture and result data is surfaced from Clipboard to provide public visibility of the current season.
For individual schedules, team notices and operational changes, families should use Clipboard.

Development Pathways

Representative Pathways

School Pathway

Junior development from Year 5 through structured squad training and year-group competition.

Interschool Pathway

PSA Rugby (Years 7-12); JPSSA (Years 5-6)

External Pathway

Rugby WA club competition, regional and state representative pathways

Students who excel in the GGS Rugby program have access to clear pathways into club, regional and state competition through Rugby WA. The School actively supports students seeking to pursue rugby beyond the school program, and coaching staff can provide guidance on connecting with club environments and representative pathways. GGS has a proud history of producing players who go on to represent Western Australia in rugby.

For Families