The history of mixed-ability rugby at Longlevens Rugby is a story of rapid growth, transforming from a small community pilot in 2017 into a world-champion program by 2025.
1. The Origins (2017)
Mixed-ability rugby at Longlevens began in Spring 2017. The initiative was sparked by former Gloucester Rugby and Samoan international Terry Fanolua, who wanted to establish a permanent home for inclusive rugby in the South West.
- The Launch: With support from International Mixed Ability Sports (IMAS), a taster session was held in May 2017.
- The “Griffins” are Born: Originally a project funded for 12 weeks, the team’s momentum was maintained by then-19-year-old club member Elliot Fortey, who took over as coach to prevent the program from “fizzling out.” The team adopted the name Gloucester Griffins (often referred to as the Longlevens Griffins) and played their first fixture in September 2017 against Worcester Warriors. You can read more about the origins of the Griffins and Elliot Fortey’s pivotal role in this IMAS article.
2. Building recognition
Accreditation: In 2019, Longlevens became only the third club in England to receive the IMAS Mixed Ability Club Accreditation, recognising their commitment to total integration rather than just “disability rugby.”
3. Achievements
The team pride themselves on their competitive but fair ethos and started to turn effort into trophies in 2022 at the inaugural Berkshire Brigands Mixed Ability Festival, hosted at Windsor Rugby Club which was an ideal warm up to International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament (IMART) later that year.
The Griffins have represented Gloucester on the global stage at the International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament (IMART), the “World Cup” of the sport twice so far.
- Cork 2022: After the pandemic delayed their plans, the team travelled (16 hours by coach and ferry!) to Ireland and won the Plate competition, beating Edinburgh 15-12 in the final.
Winning the Plate was a fantastic achievement for the team, however the friendships built and gained within the team and wider MAR communities highlighted the incredible strength of playing to people’s ability, not their disability.
- Pamplona 2025: The pinnacle of their story so far came in the summer of 2025. The Griffins travelled to Spain and were crowned World Champions after defeating the reigning champions, Sunday Wells Rebels, 36–14 in the Gold Cup final.
Once again, the mixed ability rugby international community came together to put on a fantastic show of inclusive sporting achievements which Longlevens played a significant part. You can read more about the tournament in this England Rugby article.
4. Expansion: The Women’s Team (2025–Present)
Inspired by the show of inclusion and the benefits it brings both on and off the pitch at IMART, Longlevens launched its Women’s Mixed Ability team in the summer of 2025. Led by Clare Daley, the team focuses on bringing women of all abilities—newbies and former players alike—into the club family under the same inclusive ethos.
5. The future…
Both teams are looking to build a welcoming rugby community for men and women, with visible or invisible disabilities and without. So if you want to get involved please contact us.
Core Philosophy & Adaptions
The success of the teams at Longlevens is built on the ethos of playing to your ability and which treating players with and without disabilities as equal teammates.
- Adaptations: Scrums are uncontested, and the game uses a bib or different coloured shorts to indicate those players who prefer touch-only or limited contact due to specific needs.
- Inclusion: The squad includes players with cerebral palsy and other medical conditions, autism, ADHD, and mental health challenges, as well as rugby returners or veterans who either want a less intense version of the game or use their experience to help others develop on the pitch.
“Mixed-ability rugby breaks down barriers so everyone of all abilities can play together… It’s inclusive and everyone is welcome.” — Shane Daley, Men’s MAR Head Coach
Longlevens Mixed Ability Rugby Homepage 