The Rugby Football League’s Southern Regional Men's Carnival is confirmed to take place on Sunday 28th September 2025, at Old Brentwood RFC the home of Brentwood Eels.
This is a new venue for the carnival moving away from its traditional home of Hemel Stags due to pitch works.
The carnival features top open age men’s community players playing across the southern regional leagues and serves as a pathway to the England Community Lions. This year a progression pathway has been added, with the best players on the day being selected to represent the Southern Regions against Wales Dragonhearts and a Southern Hemisphere select squad who will be made up of players predominately across the Southern Conference League.
Chris Chatten, England Community Lions Southern Representative, said:
“We are excited to take the carnival to new venue in 2025 at Old Brentwood RFC the home of Brentwood Eels RL.”
‘’Again, we’re looking to build on last year’s success where the action on the pitch was the most competitive it has been in recent years. The players in the south deserve this opportunity to represent their region and strive to push for selection in the South pathway squad recognising their ability and commitment to the sport’’.
Midlands won the competition for the first time in recent years in 2024, in a round robin competition which featured two draw fixtures which included London and East regions. It is hoped that a combined West/South West region will also enter the competition in 2025.
The coaching and management appointments for the regional squads are as follows with more to be added to some regions in the coming weeks:
Midlands:
Head Coach - Jamie Jones (Midlands Hurricanes)
General Manager - Mark Cleaver (Boston Buccaneers)
Assistant Coach - Jim Dearing (Boston Buccaneers)
Team Manager - Martin Foskett (Telford Raiders)
East:
Head Coach - Jamie Impey (Brentwood Eels)
Assistant Coach - Josh Spearing (Bedford Tigers)
Assistant Coach - Trevor McLachlan – (London Skolars)
Assistant Coach - Santino Decaro – (Bedford Tigers)
Therapist - Shona Green – (Hammersmith Hill Hoists)
London:
Coaching Lead - Kevin Rudd – (Elmbridge Eagles)
Management Lead - Martin Coyd – (Medway Dragons)
West/South West:
Programme Coordinator - Glenn Tyreman – (Solent Spitfires)
Head Coach – Mike Abbott
Respective regional leads will be engaging with the clubs in their region towards the end of the summer season regarding their trial/training plans leading into the Southern Carnival.
An overview of the Combined Southern Regions programme is below with the coaching and management group for this squad being announced in the coming weeks:
|
Activity/Fixture: |
Date: |
Venue: |
|
Southern Rep Carnival (squad selected following) |
Sunday 28 September |
Brentwood Eels |
|
Squad Training |
w/k of 4/5 October |
TBC |
|
Fixture vs Australian & New Zealand Exiles |
Saturday 11 October |
TBC |
|
Fixture vs Wales Dragonhearts |
Saturday 18 October |
Neath RFC |
