About the Outlaws
Read here about the Outlaws, our history, our philosophy and why we play in the IGR League.
Our History
Founded in 2012, we were the first 'inclusive rugby' club in the East Midlands, based in Northampton. Knowing the difficulties LGBTQ+ people, with no prior sporting experience, have in joining & learning sports teams, the Outlaws was created to give them & their allies that opportunity. With a focus on beginners and people who wouldn't have had the opportunity to take part in team sports, we formed as the 8th IGR club in the UK.
The Beginning
Our first match was against the Manchester Village Spartans in February 2013, followed by a 1st Birthday match, attended by former Northampton Saints, England & British Lions player Ben Cohen against our original host club Mens Own RFC. We then attended our first IGR Tournament at the 2013 Union Cup in Bristol where we finished 6th in Europe after a narrow loss to the Amsterdam Lowlanders. In September 2016 we moved to our new permanent home at Northampton Old Scouts RFC.
Why IGR
IGR is International Gay Rugby – the global membership organisation for LGBT and inclusive rugby clubs. They have around 84 member clubs in 20 rugby nations across 5 continents. Their mission is to promote equality and diversity in particular the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or identification and to promote good health through the playing of rugby.
Our Philosophy
As a team, we are not only inclusive to the LGBT+ community and our allies, but also to players of all abilities. This can be from having no experience at all and you want to meet new people and try a new sport, to well seasoned veterans looking to dust off their boots and get back into the game.
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We think rugby should be accessible for anyone, and we want to make sure that everyone has the same chance to engage in the sport that we love.
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We are a very friendly team and also love to socialise. If playing isn't for you, we always love to see supporters cheering us on, followed by a drink and a chat in the clubhouse. You can also support us at one of the many events that we attend every year, such as Touch my Brum, Hadrian Cup, or local Prides across the East Midlands.