Champ Rugby
CLIENT
The RFU and England Rugby are paving the way for a future where English Rugby is stronger and more successful than ever before. That vision applies to everything from grassroots to the very pinnacle of the game. It would see clubs become more sustainable, audiences grow and diversify and, ultimately, fans able to enjoy an even better England team. The second tier of the sport plays a pivotal role, offering an elite, national stage with close community links. A reimagined league would see a fresh format and required a fresh brand to go with it. Our goal was to deliver a professional league to inspire and engage the current and future generations of rugby fans, whilst bringing commercial sustainability and growth to clubs.
Type
Digital Design
,
Development
Year
2026
Strategy
We linked our approach to the over-arching goals of the RFU for the whole game. We knew that success would be something that ties into this wider vision. Having said that, we also needed to deliver an identity that was unique to this competition. Raising the bar. Creating something that players, clubs and fans could be proud of. Establishing this competition as elite and ambitious in its own right.
We also looked into other leagues from around the world, both within rugby and beyond. We took inspiration from the broader sporting marketplace and established clear routes of creative travel, ones that were designed around the key audiences for the league and the organisation.
One line from our brief stood out and acted as a litmus test for everything we would deliver:
“Setting a new standard for what second tier sport can be.”
Voice
Our first challenge was to establish a new name for the competition. Wider trends in sport have seen entities that wish to index well with fans (particularly younger audiences) opting for bold, short and memorable names. Examples of this can be seen in the World Rugby Sevens Series rebranding as HSBC SVNS and in EA Sports naming its footballing franchise as simply EAFC. Formality is not a must but we also knew that we didn’t want to alienate existing supporters. We tapped into existing behaviours, with fans colloquially referring to the previous ‘Championship’ as ‘The Champ’. This led to the establishment of Champ Rugby as our name. Tapping into fan behaviours and into the wider trend of bold naming conventions in the sports industry.
For our brand positioning, we wanted to reflect the stage that Champ Rugby provides. This is where up-and-coming talent cuts its teeth. Where experienced players set the standards and where clubs will compete to reach the pinnacle of the game. We quickly established this competition as The Proving Ground. This was designed to reflect the pride and quality on show, creating something aspirational to represent this league now and into the future.
Identity
With the personality we had created in our Brand Positioning, we needed a brand that reflected these ideas. Bold and unapologetic. We looked at branding and design from around the sporting landscape and established a few options for our visual approach. We landed on an impactful, uncompromising look and feel. We also took subtle inspiration from rugby balls, eventually landing on the creation of an instantly recognisable icon.
Results
“You guys did a great job and were fantastic to work with. Cannot recommend the Jard team enough for their patience and pragmatism helping relaunch the league.”
“Been great working with you, done a fantastic job.”
“I am incredibly proud of the process and output.”
“It was a pleasure to work with you on this . Onwards and upwards.”
