Welcome to Our Rugby Club! In this episode, we chat with Sean Phelan, a passionate advocate for grassroots rugby and the mind behind Fill Your Boots. He explains how his platform helps local clubs and players connect, preventing match cancellations and strengthening rugby union at its core. This initiative is vital for the future of world rugby, ensuring the sport thrives from the community level up.Fill Your Boots: Keeping Grassroots Rugby Alive with Sean PhelanIn this episode of Rugby Club, host interviews Sean Phelan, founder of Fill Your Boots, a platform launched in 2015 to help grassroots rugby teams find players and avoid match cancellations. Sean explains how his one-team club, Servis and Decca, has long struggled with player availability and pitch costs, leading them to leave league structures and focus on playing 5–6 “big occasion” matches per season while growing community activity through weekly walking rugby and non-contact options. He describes Fill Your Boots’ growth from social media to a global hub with 25,000+ followers, 1,800 site members, and 400 clubs across 24 countries, now covering topics like recruitment, marketing, match reports, coach development, and fixtures. Sean also discusses a new partnership with North Midlands RFU and urges people to “get the game on” through flexible participation.00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro01:57 Why Start Fill Your Boots02:56 Community Rugby Values03:44 Club Origins and History06:01 Barely Fifteen Reality06:38 Fill Your Boots Beginnings08:17 Biggest Club Challenges09:51 Rebuilding and Rebranding12:48 Redefining Grassroots Rugby16:23 Get The Game On20:26 Flexible Rugby Club Identity22:57 What If The Club Folded24:53 Rugby Makes Friends25:55 Old School Club Culture27:05 How Big Is FYB29:22 Hot Topics And Templates31:41 North Mids Partnership34:48 Grassroots Versus Elite38:23 Funding And League Pressure41:04 Keep Playing Any Format44:42 Using FYB To Find Games46:11 How To Join FYB48:23 Final Thanks And Wrap