Play Rugby and learn English

Irish Rugby Experience

IRISH RUGBY EXPERIENCE

The Irish Rugby Experience is based in Ireland and/or England and provides athletes with the perfect rugby academy according to their age and experience.

The rugby programme allows athletes to improve their Rugby and individual skills with the best coaches available in a safe, enjoyable and stimulating environment within two of best rugby countries in the northern hemisphere. For 2024, 2025 and 2026 we will be running the Irish Rugby Experience in conjunction with important leading rugby schools and clubs, considered among the best in the world.

IRISH RUGBY EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW

 

Date: June, July and August
Locations: Ireland and England
Age Grade: Athletes 13 to 17 years old
Type: Rugby Experience
Duration: 1, 2 or more weeks
Accommodation: Host Family (full immersion in traditional Irish or British family life) or College/Residential (full board)
Level of Rugby: Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced, Elite 
Level of English: Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate, Advanced
Extracurricular activities: Excursions, Leisure and Sport Activities
Day trips & activities: Comprehensive programme of day trips and excursions, leisure and sport activities and optional English Classes

RUGBY ACADEMY – SAMPLE WEEKLY TIMETABLE*

SAMPLE WEEKLY TIMETABLE (WITH RUGBY ACADEMY)
TIME MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
9:30-11:00 RUGBY/CLASS RUGBY/CLASS RUGBY/CLASS RUGBY/CLASS RUGBY/CLASS Full day Excursion Activity day
11:00-11:30 Morning Break Morning Break Morning Break Morning Break Morning Break
11:30-13:00 RUGBY/CLASS RUGBY/CLASS RUGBY/CLASS RUGBY/CLASS RUGBY/CLASS
13:00-14:00 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch
14:30-16:30 RUGBY RUGBY RUGBY RUGBY Excursion / Rugby
18:00-19:00 Dinner Dinner Dinner Dinner Dinner
EVENING Evening Activity Evening Activity Evening Activity Evening Activity Evening Activity
The Academy offers intensive and position-specific training programme for local and international players with professional rugby coaching. The programme includes: technical skill assessment and progressive development, positional play, tactical skill assessment and development, game management development and training analysis, mental preparation, physical fitness & nutritional talks.
* Please note: Schedule is subject to change without notice.

FEES

IRISH RUGBY EXPERIENCE

Programme Accommodation 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEKS 4 WEEKS
Rugby Experience Excellence in Rugby Host Family € 999 € 1680 € TBQ* € TBQ*
Rugby Experience Excellence in Rugby College/Residential € 999 / € 1250 € 2300 € TBQ* € TBQ*
* To be quoted

Irish Rugby Experience is also available for 3 or more weeks. Please contact us for details. Thank you.

RUGBY ACADEMY

  • Training and interrelated activities, including educational lessons, coaching, individual skills exercises, development of mental strength, intelligence and rugby abilities
  • Rugby matches and training analysis through video supports
  • Physical fitness, strength and conditioning workshops
  • General and specific nutritional and mental strength talks
  • All Camp Managers are fully IRFU accredited coaches and have additionally completed IRFU Safe Rugby and the World Rugby First Aid in Rugby

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

  • 1 half-day excursion per week
  • 1 full day excursion per week
  • 3 evening rugby activities per week

COLLEGE/RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION (ALL MEALS INCLUDED) and SUPERVISION

  • College/Residential Accommodation on full board basis
  • Located in one of Ireland’s quietest residential areas
  • Supervised access to computer and Internet facilities
  • All rooms single (in 4 bedroom apartments), twin, triple, quadruple, quintuple, sestuple, etc. and students share with different nationalities.
  • 24/7 emergency phone

HOST FAMILY ACCOMMODATION (ALL MEALS INCLUDED) and SUPERVISION

  • Host Family Accommodation with selected families on full board basis
  • College/Residential Accommodation on full board basis
  • Located in one of Ireland’s quietest residential areas
  • Supervised access to computer and Internet facilities
  • All rooms shared with a different nationality
    • 24/7 emergency phone

 

  • Flights
  • Airport transfer to family / College and vice versa
  • Subscription to public transport service
  • All that is not included in “the price includes”

ENGLISH CLASSES (OPTIONAL)

  • Assessment Test
  • 15 hours English classes per week (two 90 minutes lessons per day)
  • Maximum of 15 students per class
  • All Course Materials
  • All levels available, from Elementary (A1) to Advanced (C1).
  • Two teachers working alternately with each class
  • Certificate of Attendance and Completion
  • All our teaching staff are university graduates and qualified to teach English as a foreign language (TEFL)

INTENSIVE ENGLISH AND EXAMS PREPARATION

  • On request, Intensive English or English for specific purposes
  • On request, preparation for the Cambridge exam which includes additional lessons
  • On request, preparation for the Trinity exam which includes additional lessons
  • On request, preparation for the TIE exam

HOST FAMILY ACCOMMODATION (ALL MEALS INCLUDED)

  • Extra day with the host family: €60,00 / €70,00
  • Hot lunch from Monday to Friday at the College canteen: €60,00 per week

COLLEGE ACCOMMODATION (ALL MEALS INCLUDED)

    • Extra day at the college: €90,00 / €120,00

TRANSPORT

    • Individual Student Arrival and Departure airport transfers: €85,00 / €90,00 per person each way (reductions available for groups)
    • Weekly ticket for private school bus (evening activities included): €30,00 per week
    • Bus&Dart pass: 2 weeks €80,00, 3 weeks €120,00, 4 weeks €160,00
    • Bus&Luas pass: 2 weeks €80,00, 3 weeks €120,00, 4 weeks €160,00

Read more about: 

STAFF AND SUPERVISION

Staff and Supervision

All of the Rugby staff at the “International Rugby Experience” are committed to offering athletes the best experience during their stay. We inspire athletes to gladly enjoy every moment so they can effectively improve their rugby and personal knowledge.

Our experienced Rugby staff are well trained and highly qualified in what they coach. They are up to date with the latest methods in coaching sport and rugby in particular and combine academic excellence with sensitivity and receptiveness to each athlete’s individual needs, talents and potential.
 All the Rugby Staff are university graduates with qualifications in coaching and are respected for their knowledge and professionalism.

The activities programme provides athletes with an opportunity to absorb some of Ireland, England and France’s rich heritage in a fun and relaxed way while also allowing athletes the opportunity to improve their knowledge. This informal and social aspect of the programme is key to improving personal social skills. It also allows athletes from different nationalities to get to know each other outside the rugby ground. Some of the friendships made at the “Rugby Experience” will last a lifetime. Students travel to each location with their group leader(s) and one or more Rugby Staff activity leaders.

All Athletes are supervised by Rugby Staff activity leaders. During the day, athletes take part in supervised rugby classes, training sessions, activities and excursions. During the evening, athletes will also have a programme of supervised activities.

All the athletes have 24-hour emergency assistance.

DAY TRIPS & ACTIVITIES

Day trips & Activities

In addition to training, athletes go on half day cultural trips. These are normally to local visitor attractions such as galleries, museums, sports stadiums or other popular sites. Athletes travel to the locations with their group leader(s) and one or more Rugby Staff activity leaders. Some Admission fees are included (contact us for more details).
Some full day excursions per week, usually on Saturdays or Sunday, are also included. Athletes travel to places of interest, normally outside the city, by private or public transport. Some Admission fees are included (contact us for more details). There are no organised activities on Sundays as many groups, host families or friends like to organise their own day.

Evening activities are held several times every week. These can include discos, sports & games competitions, movie nights, barbecues and much more. Evening activities normally take place between 20:00 and 22:00 but this can vary depending on the activity and age group of the athletes.

The activities programme provides athletes with an opportunity to absorb some of Ireland, England and France’s rich heritage in a fun and relaxed way while also allowing athletes the opportunity to improve their knowledge. This informal and social aspect of the programme is key to improving personal social skills. It also allows athletes from different nationalities to get to know each other outside the rugby ground. Some of the friendships made at the “Rugby Experience” will last a lifetime.

It is available a comprehensive programme of day trips and excursions, leisure and sport activities. Please contact us to for more details.

COLLEGE ACCOMMODATIONS

College Accommodation

Boarding schools and on-campus accommodations offer an option for students who wish to immerse themselves in the complete school experience. Boarding or on-campus accommodation offer a unique community orientated way of life and suit athletes who are outgoing, sporty & adaptable. They offer a comprehensive academic and extracurricular environment which serves to develop each student to their full all-around potential.

The campus is a self-contained community, which offers athletes a degree of independence and freedom to explore whilst providing a safe and secure environment. The well-being of athletes is at the heart of our boarding provision. With a generous staff to student-athlete ratio, we guarantee round-the-clock care within a happy, well-ordered environment. We encourage staff to cultivate a friendly, lively, family atmosphere to ensure all athletes feel comfortable, contented and supported while they are away from home.

The College can accommodate residential athletes on-site, most in comfortable in single or double rooms accommodation. All the accommodation used by athletes are of extremely high quality. Each bedroom is either situated very close to a modern wash and toilet facilities or, alternatively, has its own en-suite shower room.

The catering facilities provide both hot and cold meals and a wide range of snacks.

INSURANCE

Insurance
All students must purchase suitable travel insurance which covers them when abroad. For those students who live within the EU, standard summer holiday insurance packages will do, while those who live outside the EU will also require medical cover.

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS AND ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE DATES

Travel Arrangements
Flights: We can assist you with the flights’ schedule; however, it is up to each athlete’s parents or agency to make their own travel arrangements to/from Ireland or the UK. For those athletes arriving by plane, transportation from the designated Airports: Dublin International Airport, Any London International Airport (Heathrow, Gatwick, etc.) will be available at a lower rate, provided that they arrive in groups. Please contact us for details.

It will be your responsibility to provide us with a detailed breakdown of your travel arrangements. Once all travel arrangements have been confirmed please fill in the travel information form. (For those booking international flights please also note that if you have had to acquire entry clearance – visa – for your athletes in order for them to travel to the UK, you will not be able to purchase an open-ended flight ticket.)

If your athletes are travelling as unaccompanied minors (under the age of 14 or 16) we will charge a supplement.

Arrival

All athletes will be met by the Rugby staff, who will be easily identified and will help athletes with their bags and accompany them to the rugby academy, on the arrival day.

On the day of Arrival a uniformed representative of the Rugby Academy will be at the airport to welcome all athletes. Due to a large number of students arriving at the airport, your athlete may have to wait for other athletes’ flights to come in. We will try to make this wait as short and comfortable as we can.

OTHER FORMS OF ARRIVAL

For any students arriving by train, we can arrange a private car at an additional cost, please contact us to arrange this.

Departure

All players will be escorted to the airport and assisted during the check-in procedure and bags drop off, on the day of departure.

On the day of Departure we will guide the players to the security checks post and we will wait at the airport until the flight will take off. Parents/Agents are asked to book flights that depart on the designated date before 12 noon (12:00). Flights as early as 6am (06:00) are suitable for departure.

VISA

Visa
We will provide letters of support and any additional information needed for students who require a visa. It is the responsibility of the applicant to apply for appropriate travel documentation such as Visas when required, we ask all students to carry their Summer School acceptance letter and personal details for identification. In the event of any problem with customs please contact us on: +353 87 390 23 52

PARENTS ON TOUR

Parents on tour
Some players could flight with their parents. As of our Terms and Conditions, parents are only admitted to visit the camp upon our approval, during designated check-in and check-out days times. It is disruptive to the camper, other campers and the camp program when well-meaning parents “drop by” to visit their child.

BOOKINGS

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    Rugby is …

    • Rugby is honesty, respect for the rival, team working and sharing of traditional values.

      Ramon, Spain

    • Sacrificio, Respeto, Humildad y Camaradería.

      Gerardo Cosenza, Argentina
    • A fun way to promote youth development.

      Jack, U.S.A.

    • Como mis padres, me enseñó esfuerzo en cada jugada, silencio y respeto a las decisiones arbitrales, trabajo en cada entrenamiento, humildad con tus compañeros y oponentes, honestidad en el juego, respecto a tu capitán y entrenador. Todo esto me ha echo mejor persona y por eso creo que no hay un deporte con tantos valores como el rugby.

      Xoan, Spain
    • Rugby is: ... a great opportunity for my son to grow as a young adult sharing with his fellow teammates great moments of joy, hard work, some ups and some downs but always with solidarity and goodwill.

      Nicolas, France

    • Ce jeux m'a appris le respect des autres, les valeurs qui lui sont liée comme le partage, m'a fais découvrir ce qu'était l'amitié et m'a permis de rencontrer de bons copain et des amis. Les exigences de ce sport m'on inculquer des valeurs tels, l'aciduitée, l'exigence le combat... Faisant de moi je le croit une meilleure personne. Le rugby ma parfois procurée des peines et des chagrins, il m'a aussi apporter les plus belle joie et je croix qu'une dès chose qui me procure le plus de plaisir sur cette terre est de disputer un match avec mes partenaires. Ce petit texte est écrit sans prétention, pour illustré le fait que pour moi le rugby est un jeux que je vis passionnément. Il fait partit de moi.

      Martin, France