Colchester Kings to host UK International Gay Rugby Finals

Colchester is set to become a focal point for LGBTQ+ sport this weekend as it hosts the International Gay Rugby (IGR) UK Finals Day, drawing hundreds of players, supporters and visitors from across the country.

The event, one of the largest LGBTQ+ sporting occasions in the UK, will take place on Saturday, 25 April at Raven Park, Cuckoo Farm Way, home ground of the Colchester Kings – East Anglia’s first LGBTQ+ inclusive rugby team.

More than 200 players from clubs nationwide are expected in Essex for the culmination of the IGR league season, SceneMag reports. The finals are anticipated to deliver a boost to the local economy while promoting equality and visibility for LGBTQ+ people in sport.

The Colchester Kings will both host and compete on the day after an impressive campaign. They secured their place with a 57–5 win over the Brighton & Hove Sea Serpents in March, clinching the IGR South Division 2 title and earning the opportunity to contest the national finals on home turf.

Play will begin at 12pm, with the Kings scheduled to face the Manchester Village Spartans at 1pm. Alongside the on-field action, organisers have arranged live music, food and drink stalls, and a range of family-friendly activities.

Club vice-chair James Silverstone said that securing the finals was a milestone for both the team and the town.

“This isn’t just a final for us – it’s a moment for Colchester,” he said. “To bring a national LGBTQ+ sporting event here, and to do it after our strongest season, means a huge amount. We’ve always said this club is about more than rugby – it’s about giving people a place where they feel they belong.”

Kings captain Tom Crudgington highlighted the importance of inclusive spaces in a sport where some players have previously felt on the margins.

“For a lot of us, rugby hasn’t always felt like a space we could fully be ourselves in. This club changed that, and now we get to play a national final at home, surrounded by a community that’s backed us all the way,” he said.